Day 77 - I hadn't thought about visiting 'KIA Malaysia' to learn about the Niro PHEV here. For all I know, they might be more forthcoming than 'KIA Canada' has been.
I've been trying for a few weeks to get some info from the headquarters in the Great White North. My local BC dealership hasn't been able to provide me with any information yet. The car, in question, has been selling in the US from the beginning 2018, but it has nary a mention on www.kia.ca. No teasers. Nothing. It's as if it doesn't exist.
Today, I may have figured out why. It seems the 'Canadian International Auto Show' in Toronto is coming up. This Friday, it opens and the new PHEV version of the Niro will be announced there. This must be why they have been so tight-lipped.
In today's world of the Internet, such promotional stunts seem increasingly counterproductive. I've been scouring the Internet for the last two months and watching first-hand accounts by a particular Danish owner since last year! It's not easy listening to the guy, but I'm a real trooper. He has many more 'views' than the KIA corporation does on this vehicle. A company should make learning about its products as easy as possible.
An auto show is hardly a necessary premier event in today's global car market, even less so in a country with a geography such as Canada's. It is plain silly to withhold information from potential customers who are unable to make it to an event in Ontario. Dumb, eh?