Great-ish and small-ish
Handy plug-in hybrid ahoy!
I drove my mother’s elderly dog to the vet’s last week. Not exactly a winning Top Trump card in the Dream Drives deck, but after three weeks of either walking or cycling, the 10-mile return trip with Stinkyboy Alfie left me buzzing. I savoured every moment, and drank in every aspect, no matter how small. Starting, appropriately, with the Niro’s key. Its asymmetrical shape makes it easy to press the right button without needing to glance at it. And it reminds me of Bodie and Doyle’s Pye PF8 walkietalkies in The Professionals. Unlock and unplug. Drop down into the plumply upholstered seat. Seatbelt and smartphone. Flick out the key – no pushbutton start-up here – and twist. Pretend I don’t hear the cheesy bingbong welcome. Glance down to the right of the gearlever and toggle the powertrain selector to full-electric EV mode. Silence the Virtual Engine Sound System for full stealth approach. Drop into D, breathe on the accelerator and with a faint whirr, dog and I are off.
Although I love the Niro’s superb Bose audio system, and the way it instantly hooks up to my phone, I turn off Depeche Mode’s 101 and drive in silence. Up to 50mph the Kia is enjoyably brisk in electric mode, although the smooth double-clutch gearshifts that interrupt its linear acceleration still feel odd in an electric car. I’m accustomed to the slightly too-firm ride quality now, and I know the chassis, steering and suspension are only loosely acquainted with the concepts of dynamism and athleticism, so I concentrate on smooth inputs, maintaining momentum and getting the crook canine to the vet’s practice as comfortably rather than as quickly as possible.
Alfie perks up the moment he sees the vet. He’s a sucker for a vet with a French accent who’s generous with both her treats and her drugs. So what we all thought might be his last trip out of the house turned into a drugs run for him and a driving fix for me. Good result all round, I’d say.