2023 Kia Niro
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The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical is the largest identified problem area: 22 of 65 complaints (34%) mention it. 23 complaints mention a component NHTSA leaves uncategorised. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (5) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 73 in 2022 to 65 in 2023.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | vs. 2023 Small Station Wagons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 1,250–1,450 | 1,250–1,450 | 1,200–1,300 | 1,200–1,250 | 1,200–1,300 | |
| Combined MPG | 43–50 | 43–50 | 48–53 | 49–53 | 48–53 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 46–53 / 40–48 | 46–53 / 40–48 | 49–53 / 45–54 | 53 / 45–54 | 49–53 / 45–54 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 179–208 | 179–208 | 167–181 | 167–181 | 167–181 | |
| Complaints filed | 12 | 73 | 65 | 18 | 20 | |
| Recalls issued | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 1 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 2 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 1 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 0 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2023 Kia Niro have?
4 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What gas mileage does the 2023 Kia Niro get?
EPA rates it 48–53 MPG combined across 3 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2023 Kia Niro?
EPA estimates $1,200–$1,300 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (4)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Station Wagons | 53 mpg (high) | 45 mpg (low) | 49 mpg | $1,250 | 181 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Station Wagons | 53 mpg (high) | 54 mpg (high) | 53 mpg (high) | $1,200 (low) | 167 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | Front-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Small Station Wagons | 126 MPGe | 101 MPGe | 113 MPGe | $650 | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gas and Electricity | Small Station Wagons | 49 mpg (low) | 47 mpg | 48 mpg (low) | $1,300 (high) | 71 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 15 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 23 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (4)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING; SEATS · Campaign 25V024000 · Jan 21, 2025
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Niro EV, Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and Hybrid vehicles. The floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat may become damaged, which can prevent the front air bags and seat belts from deploying properly or cause an unintended side curtain air bag deployment.
Consequence: Air bags and seat belts that deploy improperly or an air bag deploying unintentionally can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, replace and reroute the floor wiring assembly, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, dealers will install wiring covers. Owner notification letters were mailed February 27, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC332.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT · Campaign 24V271000 · Apr 16, 2024
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Niro EV and 2024 EV9 vehicles. The differential gear bolts in the gear drive unit may not be tightened properly, which can result in a loss of drive power or cause the differential to lock up.
Consequence: A loss of drive power or differential lock up can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the gear drive unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC308.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT · Campaign 24V057000 · Feb 1, 2024
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Niro EV and 2023 EV6 vehicles. One of the drive shafts may have been improperly heat-treated, allowing it to break under load and resulting in a loss of drive power.
Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the drive shaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC295.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL · Campaign 23V298000 · Apr 27, 2023
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen. The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Consequence: A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.