Kia Niro complaints by model year
350 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 | 44 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 31 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 | 39 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019 | 56 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 2018 | 60 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 2017 | 82 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →
Problem areas by model year
Complaints that name each component, 2017–2026. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.
| Component | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 23 | 18 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Power train | 19 | 19 | 22 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 29 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Unknown or other | 12 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 10 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Kia Niro recalls (6)
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one Niro model year, newest first.
| Campaign | Filed | What | Model years | Repaired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25V024000 | Jan 17, 2025 | Improper Air Bag Deployment from Damaged Wiring | 2023, 2024, 2025 | 83.1% |
| 23V534000 | Jul 31, 2023 | Engine Compartment Fire | 2017–2022 | 71.7% |
| 23V298000 | Apr 26, 2023 | Blank LCD Display/FMVSS 101 & 138 | 2023 | 91.9% |
| 22V836000 | Nov 11, 2022 | Electrical Resistance at Main Relay May Cause Fire | 2017, 2018 | 76.1% |
| 18V666000 | Sep 25, 2018 | Electrical Resistance at Main Relay May Cause Fire | 2017, 2018 | 87.6% |
| 18V257000 | Apr 20, 2018 | Clutch Actuator Oil Leak may cause Fire | 2017 | 91% |
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.
Check on NHTSA ↗Crash-test stars by model year
| Model year | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Tested as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ★★★★☆ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | suv fwd |
| 2025 | ★★★★☆ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | suv fwd |
| 2024 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | suv fwd |
| 2023 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | suv fwd |
Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Source: NHTSA NCAP, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy by model year
EPA combined mpg range across engine and transmission configurations. Your mileage will vary. Source: EPA, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Where to next
Kia Niro FAQ
How many recalls has the Kia Niro had?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns that cover at least one Kia Niro model year from 2017 to 2026. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.
Which Kia Niro year has the most complaints?
Among the last 5 model years with settled counts, the 2017 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (82) and the 2021 the fewest (9). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.
What are the most common Kia Niro problems?
Across the 2017–2026 model years, owners most often name the electrical system, power train, engine in complaints filed with NHTSA.
What mpg does the Kia Niro get?
EPA rates the 2026 Kia Niro at 48 to 113 mpg combined, depending on engine and transmission.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.