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The SE Countryman offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.
The SE Countryman’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s parking brake has to be released manually.
The SE Countryman’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.
If the windows are left open on the SE Countryman the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Niro Plug-In Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.
The SE Countryman’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.
The SE Countryman’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.
Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the SE Countryman to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.
The SE Countryman’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.
To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the SE Countryman offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.
To better shield the driver’s vision, the SE Countryman has a standard dual-element sun visor that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a secondary sun visor.
The SE Countryman’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX/EX Premium.
The SE Countryman’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.
The SE Countryman has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX Premium.
Both the SE Countryman and the Niro Plug-In Hybrid offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the SE Countryman has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.
The SE Countryman’s Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.