The interior layout is not only spacious but has room for plenty of handy storage cubby holes. The Niro's squared-off design has SUV styling traits, including a high roofline for plenty of headroom for all occupants. However, the Kia Niro is attractively priced when you consider its high level of standard equipment, and is also extremely easy to live with. Though the Kia Niro is a hybrid, it's not quite as fuel-efficient as the Toyota Prius, and the latter will have more appeal if fuel costs are your primary concern. With modern, turbocharged engines, a small hatchback might return upwards of double that figure, and some can go even further. Not so long ago, a car that achieved 30mpg was seen as relatively frugal, but an average family car can now be expected to travel much further on a gallon. However, there’s little doubt that cars have become far more fuel-efficient in recent years – irrespective of how it’s measured. This new testing regime includes actual testing on the road, meaning new cars will have their efficiency measured using real-world conditions. Since 2018, the outdated NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) fuel economy and emissions testing was superseded by the WLTP (World harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure) system. But, since all manufacturers are obliged to use the same methods in their tests, it does at least mean cars can be fairly compared against each other. We call it a yardstick because these figures are achieved in laboratory conditions, and can vary a little from those you'll see in daily driving. With that in mind, be aware of a car's official economy figures – a yardstick for how far a car can travel on a gallon of petrol or diesel. But should you really use your head instead of following your heart when it comes to the exciting world of new car purchases? It can be difficult but being realistic, fuel prices rarely go down. When buying a new car, it's wise to consider running costs above any other factor.