Kia Niro
Registered from 2017 to 2027.
About this model
The Kia Niro is a subcompact crossover SUV (B-segment) manufactured by Kia since 2016. It is an electrification-focused vehicle, offering three versions: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric variants.
From the Wikipedia article Kia Niro, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- POWER TRAIN — 26 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 8 owners reported this
- SERVICE BRAKES — 6 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
- ENGINE — 4 owners reported this
- POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 3 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES — 2 owners reported this
- ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 2 owners reported this
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — 2 owners reported this
- POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
- POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 2 owners reported this
- STEERING — 2 owners reported this
Crash test
| Overall | ★★★★☆ |
| Frontal crash | ★★★★☆ |
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ |
| Stability control | Standard |
| Forward collision warning | Standard |
| Lane departure warning | Standard |
Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2027 | 4.7 L/100km (EPA) · 4.4 L/100km city · 5.1 motorway |
| 2026 | 104 hp · 1572 kg · 2720 mm wheelbase · 4.8 L/100km (EPA) · 4.4 L/100km city · 5.0 motorway · 193 Wh/km |
| 2025 | 104 hp · 1572 kg · 2720 mm wheelbase · 4.8 L/100km (EPA) · 4.4 L/100km city · 5.0 motorway · 193 Wh/km |
| 2024 | 104 hp · 1572 kg · 2720 mm wheelbase · 4.4 L/100km (EPA) · 4.4 L/100km city · 4.4 motorway · 180 Wh/km |
| 2023 | 104 hp · 1572 kg · 2720 mm wheelbase · 4.8 L/100km (EPA) · 4.4 L/100km city · 5.0 motorway · 193 Wh/km |
| 2022 | 104 hp · 1565 kg · 2700 mm wheelbase · 4.8 L/100km (EPA) · 4.6 L/100km city · 5.1 motorway · 199 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2021 | 104 hp · 1565 kg · 2700 mm wheelbase · 4.8 L/100km (EPA) · 4.6 L/100km city · 5.1 motorway · 199 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2020 | 104 hp · 1565 kg · 2700 mm wheelbase · 4.8 L/100km (EPA) · 4.6 L/100km city · 5.1 motorway · 199 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2019 | 104 hp · 1565 kg · 2700 mm wheelbase · 4.8 L/100km (EPA) · 4.6 L/100km city · 5.1 motorway · 199 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2018 | 104 hp · 1436 kg · 2700 mm wheelbase · 5.1 L/100km (EPA) · 4.9 L/100km city · 5.3 motorway · 199 Wh/km · Suv, 4-door |
| 2017 | 104 hp · 1436 kg · 2700 mm wheelbase · 4.8 L/100km (EPA) · 4.6 L/100km city · 5.1 motorway |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
77% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.
17V159000
Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the MDPS motor, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC145.
18V257000
An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HCA caps for leaked oil and replace the HCA assembly if needed, or replace the HCA cap with additional sealant. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 15, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC163.
18V666000
The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) for damage. If no damage is found, the main relay will be replaced. If damage is found, the PRA will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 23, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC168.
22V836000
Overheated rear seats increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will inspect the PRA and replace either the PRA or the Main Relay, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 9, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC256. This recall supersedes NHTSA recall number 18V-666. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
23V534000
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC276.
Regulator investigations
Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.
Pedestrian alert sounds
Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.
What the maker told its dealers
Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.
Kia filed 3 bulletins about the 2026 Niro.
- Engine: 2
- Electrical system: 1
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable… · June 2026
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DATA COLLECTION: EXTRACT CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS DATA FROM ECU (DC26) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this… · February 2026
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DATA COLLECTION: EXTRACT CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS DATA FROM ECU (DC26) - This bulletin provides information related to extracting “in use monitoring performance tracking”… · January 2026
Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.