2019 Kia Niro

The 2019 Kia Niro ranks midpack among hybrid and electric SUVs. It returns great fuel economy and has a decent amount of cabin space, but its interior quality is a mixed bag.

Review Kia Niro SUV (2019 - ) review. Read about the facelifted version of the Kia Niro, a mid-size SUV available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or full electric vehicle. 2019 Kia Niro EX Hybrid I owned a 2018 and then a 2019 Kia Niro EX Hybrid. The 2018 got great MPG just as advertised. My 2019 however is not very good at all. MPG is at best 38-39 and at times around 27 MPG. I have had good experiences with the Kia dealers in Illinois but the dealers in Missouri are terrible. Recalls & Safety Issues. This is a record of safety issues for vehicles of this year, make, model and trim. If you are a vehicle owner, search for recalls by your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

2019 Kia Niro EV Pros and Cons Review: Big on Range, Not on Style Kia’s Leaf and Model 3 competitor is a 2020 Car of the Year contender. Compare 2020 Kia Niro vs. 2019 Kia Niro vs. Compare rankings and see how the cars you select stack up against each other in terms of performance, features, safety, prices and more.

Is the Kia Niro a Good SUV?

The Kia Niro is an OK hybrid and electric SUV (it's available as both). The main draw here is outstanding fuel efficiency, as it gets around 50 mpg on hybrid power. Electric (EV) models have a range of about 240 miles. Although driving dynamics aren't this Kia's strong suit, it has a decent amount of engine power and provides a comfortable ride. Inside, the Niro boasts roomy, comfortable seating, as well as generous cargo space for a subcompact SUV. However, it lacks available all-wheel drive, and it isn’t as athletic as many rivals. Also, critics are mixed on the quality of its cabin materials and design.

Should I Buy the Kia Niro?

The 2019 Kia Niro should be on your short list if you're looking for a small hybrid SUV with a composed ride and a comfortable interior. If you're not bound to a hybrid, it's worth considering some other small crossovers. The Kia Sportage provides the same level of performance as the Niro, but it also offers all-wheel drive and additional passenger and cargo space. If you want a more exhilarating driving experience, consider the Hyundai Kona. The Kona’s agile handling and available turbocharged engine make it a joy to drive.

Should I Buy a New or Used Kia Niro?

The 2019 Niro is part of a generation that debuted for the 2017 model year, and there have been few major changes since then. Kia added a plug-in hybrid model to the lineup for the 2018 model year, and Kia introduced an EV model for 2019. Aside from those two additions, the 2017 Niro is nearly identical to the 2019 Niro. It's worth shopping for an older Niro to get a similar car at a much lower price.

If you're interested in a used model, be sure to read our reviews of the 2017 and 2018 Niro. If you decide that a used Niro is for you, check out our Used Car Deals page to learn about savings and discounts on used vehicles.

We Did the Research for You: 28 Reviews Analyzed

To give you a complete overview of the 2019 Niro – and make your car-shopping experience easier – we analyzed 28 Kia Niro reviews alongside performance specs, interior dimensions, and more.

This review uses applicable research and data from all model years of the current Niro generation, which includes 2017 to 2019.

Why You Can Trust Us

U.S. News Best Cars has been ranking and reviewing vehicles since 2007, and our crew has more than 75 years of combined experience in the auto industry. To ensure our objectivity, we do not accept expensive gifts from carmakers, and an external company manages the ads on our site.

How Much Does the Kia Niro Cost?

With a starting price of $23,490, the Niro is the least expensive option among hybrid and electric SUVs. The hybrid’s top-of-the-line Touring trim costs $32,150. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid starts at $28,200, and its high-level EX Premium trim is $34,900. The Niro EV starts at $38,500, and its higher Premium trim retails for $44,000.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Kia dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Kia deals page.

Kia Niro Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: Kia Niro or Hyundai Kona?

The Hyundai Kona is a high-ranking subcompact SUV. It comes in both nonelectric and electric variants that have a few things worth highlighting. The nonelectric Kona has an available turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive, and the electric Kona EV has a longer range than the Niro: 258 miles compared to the Niro EV’s 239. In both forms, the Kona has one of the most engaging rides in its class. Plus, it's less expensive than the Niro and comes with more standard safety features. However, the Niro has a more comfortable ride and additional passenger and cargo space. Shoppers who want more power under the hood will prefer the Kona, as will EV shoppers who want a longer electric range. For additional space and comfort in a hybrid or plug-in hybrid, opt for the Niro.

Which Is Better: Kia Niro or Kia Sportage?

Though the Kia Sportage sits in the compact SUV class, its price is similar to that of the smaller Niro. In addition to more storage and passenger space than you'll find in the Niro, the Sportage is available with all-wheel drive (not available with the Niro) and a turbocharged engine. The Niro gets significantly better fuel economy estimates than the gas-only Sportage, and it comes with more standard features, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. It's the better pick if you prioritize fuel efficiency. Otherwise you're probably better off with the larger Sportage.

Niro Interior

How Many People Does the Niro Seat?

There's seating for five people in the Niro. There is plenty of passenger room in both rows, and the nicely padded seats keep all occupants comfortable on extended trips. Reviewers praise the raised seating position of the Niro's driver's seat, which creates good forward visibility. Quite a bit of road noise seeps into the cabin, however. Available features include a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, ventilated front seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Niro and Car Seats

There are two sets of LATCH car-seat connectors on the rear outboard seats. There's also an upper tether on the rear middle seat. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave this LATCH system the second-highest rating of Acceptable for its ease of use. It's mostly easy to use, but the lower anchors are too deep in the seats.

Niro Interior Quality

With a simple, well-constructed design and quality materials like durable cloth upholstery or available leather upholstery, the Niro's interior should please most shoppers. However, there are some hard plastics scattered around the cabin.

Niro Cargo Space

The Niro has 19.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 54.5 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded. Those values are unimpressive for the hybrid and electric SUV class but good compared to similar-sized subcompact SUVs and even some compact SUVs. Standard 60/40 split-folding rear seats allow you to carry one or two people in the back while folding down one side of the back row for additional cargo space.

Niro Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

Standard features include an infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, four speakers, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and a USB port. The infotainment system is equipped with plenty of smartphone technology, and it's intuitive and easy to use.

Available features include an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, an eight-speaker premium audio system, a wireless phone charger, satellite radio, and HD Radio.

2019 Kia Niro Specifications

For more information, read What Is Apple CarPlay? and What Is Android Auto?

Niro Performance

Niro Engine: Sufficient Power

Both the Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid are powered by a four-cylinder engine and an electric motor that combine to make 139 horsepower. The Niro has a decent amount of power for most daily commutes, but some reviewers note that acceleration can be slow. It’s paired with a dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is a rarity among hybrid and electric vehicles. Reviewers applaud Kia's decision to include this transmission, which delivers natural shifts while retaining fuel efficiency. However, some reviewers note that the shifts could be smoother.

The new-for-2019 Niro EV comes with a 150-kW electric motor that makes 201-horsepower. It's paired with a single-speed transmission. This setup provides the EV with quick acceleration.

Niro Gas Mileage: Some of the Best

The base Niro hybrid is one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles around. It delivers 52 mpg in the city and 49 mpg on the highway. The plug-in hybrid also gets commendable estimates. It has a 105 MPGe combined rating, and it can go about 26 miles on just electric power. The brand-new Niro Electric gets 112 MPGe and has a 239-mile electric range.

For more information, read What Is MPGe?

Niro Ride and Handling: Stable and Comfortable

The Kia Niro has responsive steering and composed handling, and it maintains a comfortable ride over rough roads. However, some class rivals have tighter handling that makes them more enjoyable to drive. Front-wheel drive is standard in the Niro, and unlike some rivals, all-wheel drive is unavailable.

Niro Reliability

Is the Kia Niro Reliable?

The 2019 Niro has an above-average predicted reliability rating of four out of five from J.D Power.

Kia Niro Warranty

The 2019 Niro comes with a five-year/60,000-mile limited warranty, a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, and a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty for various hybrid components. Kia has not yet released warranty details for the Niro EV.

Niro Safety

Niro Crash Test Results

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the 2019 Niro a Top Safety Pick+ designation and the highest rating of Good in all six IIHS crash tests. IIHS also gave it a Good rating for headlight visibility and the highest rating of Superior for front crash prevention.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Niro an overall rating of four out of five stars, with four stars in the frontal crash and rollover tests and five stars in the side crash test. The NHTSA identified an additional safety concern of a high likelihood of chest injury to the front passenger in the event of a front, passenger-side crash.

Niro Safety Features

The Niro comes standard with a rearview camera. Available active safety features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, front and rear parking sensors, pedestrian detection, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control.

Which Kia Niro Model Is Right for Me?

2019 Kia Niro Awd

The 2019 Niro hybrid comes in five trim levels: FE, LX, EX, S Touring, and Touring. The plug-in hybrid comes in LX, EX, and EX Premium trims. Niro EV models come in EX and EX Premium trims. The base trim of each Niro model comes with a solid list of standard features that should satisfy most shoppers. Pricing for EV models is unavailable at the time of this writing.

Kia Niro FE

The FE is the base trim for regular hybrid models. It starts at $23,490 and comes with dual-zone automatic climate control, a rearview camera, and an infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, six speakers, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and a USB port. No optional packages are available for this trim.

Kia Niro LX

Starting at $23,800 for hybrid models, the LX trim adds push-button start and a hidden storage tray in the cargo area. There is an available LX Advanced Technology package that costs $1,450 and adds automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, fog lights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The LX is the base trim for plug-in hybrid models. It costs $28,200 and comes with all the FE trim's features as well as a slew of safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control.

Kia Niro EX

The EX trim starts at $26,300 for hybrid models and adds partial leather upholstery, a rear USB port, and heated front seats. Two packages are available. The EX Advanced Technology package costs $1,950 and includes automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat. The EX Premium Package costs $5,300 and includes a sunroof, an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, an eight-speaker premium audio system, front and rear parking sensors, leather-trimmed seats, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a wireless phone charger, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat.

For plug-in hybrid models, the EX trim starts at $31,800 and includes blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, a rear USB port, heated front seats, partial leather upholstery, and a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat.

This is the base trim for EV models. Base Niro EVs get all the LX trim's features as well as partial leather upholstery, heated front seats, fog lights, a wireless phone charger, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and pedestrian detection.

Kia Niro S Touring and Touring

The S Touring and Touring trims cost $28,700 and $32,150, respectively. These are the top trim levels for hybrid models. The S Touring trim adds an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, and a premium audio system. The Touring trim adds a sunroof, leather-trimmed seats, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control.

Kia Niro EX Premium

Starting at $34,900 for the plug-in hybrid, the EX Premium adds front and rear parking sensors, an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, leather-trimmed seats, a heated steering wheel, and ventilated front seats. You can add a sunroof for $700.

EX Premium EV models include front and rear parking sensors, an 8-inch touch screen, a heated steering wheel, a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, leather-trimmed seats, and a sunroof.

The Final Call

The 2019 Kia Niro is an excellent pick for budget-conscious shoppers in the hybrid and electric SUV class. It boasts spacious seating and excellent fuel economy. The Niro also has sufficient engine power and a composed ride. Those who want more enjoyable driving dynamics should look elsewhere, however.

Don’t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.

Read the full 2019 Kia Niro review on U.S. News & World Report for more details, photos, specs and prices.

Safety Ratings.

NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings help consumers compare vehicle safety when searching for a car. More stars mean safer cars.

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

2019 Kia Niro Fe

Combines the Side Barrier Driver and the Side Pole Star Ratings into a Front Seat rating. The Rear Seat rating is derived from the Side Barrier Rear Passenger rating.

The Side Barrier test simulates an intersection collision between a standing vehicle and moving barrier at 38.5 mph.

The Side Pole Barrier test simulates a crash into a fixed object like a tree or utility pole.

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Recommended
Safety Technologies

These features have been either verified by NHTSA or reported by the vehicle manufacturers as meeting NHTSA’s performance criteria.

Recalls & Safety Issues.

2019 Kia Niro For Sale

This is a record of safety issues for vehicles of this year, make, model and trim. If you are a vehicle owner, search for recalls by your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The vehicle identification number tells you if your car is affected.

Have a safety problem?

Report a problem with your vehicle, tires, car seats or other equipment. We review every problem as we work to keep our roads safe.

Every vehicle has a unique VIN. Enter a VIN to learn if a specific vehicle needs to be repaired as part of a recall.

Recall information from this VIN lookup tool is provided by the manufacturer conducting the recall. NHTSA does not record VIN information or results provided through this tool.