This Kia Cabin Feature Is Genius All Automakers Should Steal
Kia's USB ports aren't where you'd expect them to be, and that's fine by me. The 2023 Niro Hybrid has plenty to recommend it, not least the potential for up to 53 MPG from its mild-hybrid engine, but the smartphone-obsessed could find another reason to smile when their low battery warning flashes up: USB charging ports that are actually built into the seats, and so accessible whether you're in the first or second row. The Niro isn't the first Kia to do that, but it's a decision which stands out in what's one of the automaker's most affordable models.
It's a relatively small thing in the grand scheme of car cabin design, but it stands to make an outsized difference. For a start, we're increasingly reliant on portable electronics when traversing the roads, whether that means using smartphone projection to access Apple CarPlay, Android Auto as the driver, or having a phone or tablet on hand to keep kids occupied. On a family road trip, it can feel like there are never enough places to plug in.
Number of charging ports is only one part of the equation though. The other is location. Commonly, automakers put a couple of USB ports in the front — either at the bottom of the dashboard, or under the armrest between the driver and the front passenger — and then, in all but the cheapest models, one or two more in the second row. They're typically positioned at the rear of the center console.
It's a little touch, but a fantastic one
Kia's clever approach, though, is to put its USB ports just behind the side bolsters of the front seats themselves, and it's a strategy which has a couple of advantages. For a start, it means no digging around low down to plug in – an act which can be made even more tricky if there's somebody sitting the second row middle seat. Not having to snake a cable between their knees is a nice touch.
If there aren't people in the back of the car, though, it means the USB ports built into the seats are more readily accessible for those in the front. No clambering halfway into the rear, or trying to feel around for a USB port with your fingers. In the case of the Niro Hybrid, for example, that means those in the front seats have ready access to a full five USBs with a mixture of USB-A and USB-C on hand. That should be enough to keep most devices running.
While nobody should buy a Kia solely for its thoughtful outlet positioning, the auto world has never been more competitive. It's small passenger-friendly details like this that make a vehicle far easier to live with. That's something worth celebrating, especially if it helps avoid "are we nearly there yet?" questions on the way.