Kia crossover sets hybrid car record

The 2017 Niro, Kia’s first dedicated hybrid vehicle, completed the 3715.4 mile long journey from Los Angeles to New York on just 4.1 tanks of petrol, equating to a fuel consumption of 76.6 mpg.

The vehicle was not altered in any way for the attempt, although Kia did employ the service of so-called “hypermiling” specialist Wayne Gerdes, who already holds a number of world records for extreme energy-efficient driving. However, according to the company’s website, the car - which was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year - has a targeted efficiency of a still impressive 50mpg and a near 600-mile range.

At the heart of the car’s powertrain is a 1.6-litre GDI four-cylinder engine designed specifically for hybrid applications.

Outputting 104 horsepower, Kia claims that the new engine marks the first combination of the Atkinson Cycle, cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), GDI and a long-stroke-narrow-bore specification to maximise efficiency to up to 50 mpg.