NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
This page covers 5 recalls, 57 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2023 Kia Niro.
113 MPGe combined
Small Station Wagons
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 2 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
For the 2023 Kia Niro, the two most-reported complaint areas are the electrical system and forward collision avoidance, with powertrain rounding out the top three. On the electrical side, owners describe a range of issues including complete loss of power while driving, warning lights illuminating unexpectedly, and the rearview camera cutting out or displaying intermittently, in some cases after over-the-air software updates. A handful of owners report the vehicle becoming fully unresponsive and requiring a key-cycle restart to restore operation. Forward collision avoidance complaints center on the system activating unexpectedly or behaving erratically during normal driving. Powertrain reports include sudden loss of propulsion where the vehicle won't respond to accelerator input despite being in Drive, and at least one owner describes an unintended acceleration event at low speed. A separate, smaller cluster of reports involves the electronic parking brake failing to engage unless the auto-hold feature is active first.
57
Total Complaints
10
Crash-Related
6
With Injuries
By System
The 2023 Kia Niro has 5 recalls, with the most serious involving drivetrain and occupant restraint failures that can leave the vehicle without drive power or cause airbags and seatbelts to fail in a crash.
Two drivetrain recalls affect the Niro EV specifically. A drive shaft can crack and break while the vehicle is moving, cutting power to the wheels without warning. Separately, loose differential gear bolts inside the gear drive unit can cause the differential to lock up or drop drive power entirely, either of which can make the vehicle difficult or impossible to control.
Two recalls involve wiring routed beneath the front passenger seat. In one case, the wiring harness can be pinched or cut when the seat slides forward or back, which may prevent the front airbags and seatbelt pretensioners from firing in a crash, or cause the system to leave the passenger airbag active when a rear-facing child seat is placed in that position. A separate but related recall covers a floor wiring assembly under that same seat that can be damaged and produce a similar result, including the risk of a side curtain airbag deploying without a crash. These wiring concerns affect Niro EV, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models. On vehicles equipped with a 4.2-inch digital instrument cluster display, the screen can go completely blank at startup, hiding tire pressure readings, warning lights, and other information the driver would normally rely on to know the vehicle is operating safely.
At a glance
What can fail
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
The wiring assembly under the front passenger seat may get damaged, which could stop front air bags and seat belts from working or cause the side curtain air bag to deploy unexpectedly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the wiring, replace and reroute it as needed, and install protective wiring covers at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Wiring under the front passenger seat may be routed incorrectly, allowing it to get damaged when the seat moves. This can disable airbags and seat belt pretensioners, prevent the passenger airbag from turning off with a child seat present, or cause the seat airbag to inflate unexpectedly.
What the fix does
A dealer will inspect the wiring under the front passenger seat, replace it if needed, reroute it, and install protective covers.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolts securing the differential gears in the drive unit may be insufficiently tightened, potentially causing loss of driving power or differential lockup.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the gear drive unit at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A drive shaft may have been improperly heat-treated and could break under load, causing loss of drive power.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the drive shaft at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The digital instrument cluster screen may go blank when you start the vehicle, leaving you without dashboard information or tire pressure warnings.
What the fix does
Your dealer will update the instrument cluster software at no cost to restore normal display function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
