2023 Kia Niro

The Kia Niro is a distinctive proposition in the electrified compact crossover segment. The compact crossover is offered in three distinct electrified options: A traditional hybrid, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and a battery-electric (BEV) version, which we review separately. The high-mileage hybrid returns better fuel efficiency than any other crossover, while the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) adds the ability to handle moderate commutes in all-electric mode. Unlike the fully electric Niro, both operate without range anxiety since their gas engine lets you keep going once the battery is depleted.

The entire Niro family gets a complete makeover for 2023, returning with a larger overall size, more room for passengers and cargo, and improved power, mileage and range. It also boasts an attractive new design inside and out. As if having three different powertrain options isn’t enough, the 2023 Niro is offered with several individual trim packages. The Niro hybrid covers the most territory, offered in LX, EX, EX Touring, SX and SX Touring. The Niro PHEV comes in EX and SX. You can get into the Hybrid LX for as little as $27,785, including the $1,295 destination fee, though the SX trim jumps to a starting $33,785 and the top SX Touring about $2,500 more. The PHEV, meanwhile, begins at a heftier $35,035.

Much has changed since hybrids first came to market two decades ago. There are dozens of conventional gas-electric models to choose from and a growing list of plug-in hybrids with some well-known models—including the Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Prius—getting recent updates. Niro stands up well in both the HEV and PHEV categories, delivering as much as 53 miles per gallon, just slightly less than the 2023 Prius makeover. And with a 25% improvement in the electric-only range, the Niro PHEV comes in around mid-pack among plug-ins while undercutting larger competitors on price.

According to the EPA, the conventional hybrid manages a combined 53 mpg combined by pairing a 1.6-liter inline-four gas engine with a 32-kilowatt electric motor to deliver 139 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. The PHEV uses the same gas engine but upgrades to a more powerful electric motor and a bigger, 11.1-kwH battery pack. Together, they make 180 hp and 195 lb-ft. The plug-in hybrid musters an EPA-rated 108 MPGe rating. But it also offers up to 33 miles per charge, according to the feds, a full 25% improvement over the outgoing crossover. Note that the Niro continues to be front-wheel-drive only. You’ll need to consider gas-electric alternatives like the larger 2023 Honda CR-V or Ford Escape if you need all-wheel drive.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Kia Niro has grown; the wheelbase is up nearly an inch to 107.1 inches, and the overall length increased by 2.5 inches to 174. It’s also taller and wider, translating into an interior volume of 105.1 cubic feet, with up to 54.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded down. Those are some of the best passenger space numbers in the segment. The new model gets a major design update, both inside and out. The most distinctive exterior feature is the new “Aero Blade” which can be ordered in a two-tone paint scheme. The two-row interior, meanwhile, also gets a makeover that is more upscale and high-tech, including the new twin digital displays that flow together, BMW-style, under a single sheet of glass.

Plenty of additional technology adds to the 2023 Kia Niro’s appeal. For one thing, motorists can leave their key at home thanks to the latest Kia Digital Key 2.0 technology, which instead can use an Apple iPhone, Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy smartphone to lock, unlock or run the vehicle. Owners also can send a digital key to another driver simply using text. Meanwhile, using Amazon Alexa or Google voice assistants, a motorist can remotely control many vehicle functions, such as pre-conditioning the cabin. Niro also offers a solid list of standard driver assistance systems, such as forward collision warning with auto-braking, with even more gear optional.

Performance: 9/15

The second-generation Kia Niro Hybrid pairs a 1.6-liter inline-four-cylinder gas engine with a 32-kilowatt electric motor to deliver a combined 139 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. In the outgoing hybrid, that package took nearly 9 seconds to reach 60 mph, acceptable performance but certainly not impressive.

The Niro PHEV uses the same gas engine but upgrades to a more powerful electric motor and a bigger, 11.1-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. Together, they make 180 hp and 195 lb-ft. Performance figures have yet to be released, but the bigger electric motor will deliver significantly more instant torque, which should shave a couple of seconds off launch times. The Niro has always been more about efficiency and quiet operation than performance, and the same is true of this newer, sleeker design, but drivers looking for an efficient, hassle-free commuter will find plenty to like.

If there’s one disappointment, it’s the fact that the 2023 Kia Niro continues to be offered only in front-wheel-drive, like the original model. Those who want all-wheel-drive will have to consider larger hybrid competitors like the Ford Escape or plug-in alternatives like the 2023 Honda CR-V or the similarly-sized but aging Subaru Crosstrek.

Fuel Economy: 15/15

Getting as much as 53 mpg combined, 53 city and 54 highway (49, 53, and 45 mpg when equipped with the 18-inch wheels, standard on the top-tier SX Touring), the 2023 Kia Niro is one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market and the most fuel-efficient crossover.

The Ford Escape hybrid returns 41 mpg combined, 44 city and 37 highway; the Honda CR-V hybrid, which is all-wheel drive, has EPA estimates of 38, 40 and 35, respectively. Measured against hybrid stalwarts, the new 2023 Toyota Prius delivers a maximum 56 mpg combined, and the RAV4 hybrid tops out at 43 mpg, although it is all-wheel drive. The Kia splits the difference between the older Prius’s big hatchback shape and the larger forms of its SUV competitors. Whether you look at it as a big hatchback or a small SUV, either way it has substantially more interior space than the Prius.

With its upgraded 11.1 kWh lithium-ion battery, the 2023 Niro PHEV can clock up to 33 miles in all-electric mode, a 25% improvement over the old plug-in. That should cover many owners’ commuting or errands, Kia claims, which means substantially lower fuel costs. Motorists also can set the drivetrain to switch to the all-electric mode in specific areas, such as a school zone or inner-city neighborhood, using the plug-in’s built-in navigation system.

Only the Subaru Crosstrek and Toyota Prius Prime are similar in size among plug-in hybrids, and neither one is as stylish or as roomy as the Niro. The Crosstrek is rated at 90 MPGe and has a maximum electric range of 17 miles, while the Prius Prime earns 133 MPGe and can do 25 miles fully electric. Among proper SUVs, the RAV4 Prime returns 94 MPGe and a lengthy 42 miles in electric mode while the Hyundai Tucson PHEV gets 80 MPGe and 33 miles. The Kia Niro PHEV plug-in requires about 2.5 hours for a full charge using a Level 2 Charger and just under 9 hours with a 120-volt outlet or Level 1 charger.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 11/15

Both the 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid and PHEV models include a large raft of safety systems, including forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic braking, lane keeping assistance with lane following, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking, driver monitoring and more. A handful of ADAS systems are available as options, including one that uses navigation mapping to know when to slow in corners.

Unfortunately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration )NHTSA) has not yet evaluated the 2023 Niro. However, the 2022 model earned a four-star overall rating out of five, with a special warning for the hybrid model in the front passenger side head-on collision. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also hasn’t yet tested the 2023 Niro. The lack of current test results from these agencies dings it slightly in our ratings, but given that the new Niro is structurally related to the high-performing Hyundai Elantra, we expect its rating to rise when the data comes in.

Comfort & Room: 14/15

The 2023 Niro grows longer, wider and taller, which translates into a significant improvement in interior space, with more head, leg and shoulder room for front and rear seat passengers. Overall, the cabin has been upgraded in appearance, with more soft-touch points and more appealing fabrics and other materials—though the rear seat is a little less refined in appearance than upfront.

Though a little bigger than before on the outside, the new Niro punches way above its weight within. Both hybrid versions of the Niro offer 39.8 inches of rear seat legroom. The Honda CR-V hybrid has 40.4 inches, the Ford Escape hybrid has 38.9, and the RAV4 hybrid has 37.8, but consider that all three are really one size larger than the Kia. The Crosstrek has only 36.5 inches and the Hyundai Kona only 35.2.

Infotainment: 13/15

The 2023 Kia Niro gets a significant technology upgrade, starting with twin 10.3-inch digital displays, one for the gauge cluster, and the other for the infotainment system. They are mounted under a single sheet of glass and appear to flow together. The exception is the base model LX, which makes do with a single 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. On other models, the infotainment update brings standard with wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though wireless smartphone charging is optional. 

One downside with these screens is that it’s easy to confuse the climate and audio controls. However, all versions of the crossover are capable of using smartphone-style over-the-air updates for much of their onboard software. Drivers can also leave their key at home thanks to the latest Kia Digital Key 2.0 technology which instead can use an Apple iPhone, Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy smartphone to lock, unlock or run the vehicle.

Owners also can send a digital key to another driver simply using text. Meanwhile, using Amazon Alexa or Google voice assistants, a motorist can remotely control many vehicle functions, such as pre-conditioning the cabin.

Cargo Space & Storage: 11/15

The second-generation Kia Niro grows to 174 inches nose-to-tail, about two inches longer than the original crossover, and its 107.1-inch wheelbase is about two inches longer. It’s also taller and wider, with cargo capacity climbing to 22.8 cubic feet behind the second row and 54.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. That compares with 20.8 and 55.3 cubic-feet in the Crosstrek, 24.6 and 50.7 in the 2022 Toyota Prius and 26.6 and 62.8 in the similarly-sized non-hybrid Kia Seltos.

Most hybrids are bigger than the Niro both inside and out: the Honda CR-V hybrid (184.8 inches long overall) has a class-leading 39.3 cubic-feet with the seat in place and 76.5 with it folded; the Ford Escape hybrid (181.3 inches long) has 30.7 and 60.8, and the RAV4 hybrid has 37.5 and 69.8, respectively.  

The newly updated Niro also boasts a wide assortment of storage nooks and niches within the passenger compartment.

Style & Design: 9/10

The 2023 Kia Niro’s basic shape doesn’t stray far from the original, and there’s revised take on the familiar Kia “tiger nose” grille, but the rest of the design is much better looking and distinctive than before. In the rear, you’ll find boomerang-shaped LED taillights. The most notable update is the new “Aero Blade” on the C-Pillar, which, while adding a distinctive design touch, specifically works to reduce rear-end turbulence that would otherwise curb range, mileage and performance.

From the outside, you might not notice the new Niro is slightly longer, taller and wider. You won’t miss that in the roomier cabin. The interior has a more high-tech feel, underscored by how the twin LCD screens flow together. The cabin also has a more lavish feel, with Kia making use of various animal-free materials. The headliner, for example, blends recycled PET fibers and wallpaper. The seats use bio-based polyurethane and a material derived from eucalyptus leaves.

Is the 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid Worth It? Which Niro Hybrid is the best value?

With three distinct powertrain options (again, we review the EV version separately) and a wide range of different trim packages, Kia has rolled out what might seem to be a version of the 2023 Niro for everyone and all are pretty good values. At a starting price of $27,785, including the $1,295 destination fee, for the base Niro Hybrid LX, it’s thousands less than a Ford Escape Hybrid, though it comes in slightly higher than some other hybrid crossovers of similar size. And, at up to 53 mpg, you’ll quickly save cash on fuel. The top-of-the-line Niro SX Touring Hybrid gives you plenty of features for the money at $36,085. 

With so many options and variables, deciding which 2023 Niro is the best value can be a difficult task. For buyers who simply want affordable transportation while reducing their fuel bill, we think stepping up from the base LX hybrid to the $30,385 EX makes sense. It adds the larger infotainment screen, wireless phone charging, remote start, heated seats, leather appointments, rear HVAC vents and more for about $2,500 over the base model.

The Niro Plug-In, meanwhile, starts at a heftier $35,035. But it could prove a sound financial choice if you have relatively short commutes or plan to use it primarily for errands and chores, making the most of its 33-mile EV-only range. That could generate significant savings on energy. Also, the PHEV Niro is considerably less expensive than many other plug-ins. The Hyundai Tucson PHEV starts at $38,345, the Crosstrek at $38,070 and the Toyota RAV4 Prime (if you can find one) at $42,925 before any dealer markups.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the Kia Niro Hybrid?

The Kia Niro is inexpensive to insure and its costs about average for its class. According to our data, the average 30-year-old female driver with a good record can expect an average annual premium of $1,195 for a Niro EX, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $1,920 for a Honda CR-V hybrid, $2,035 for a Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, $2,210, for a Toyota Prius and $2,238 for a Hyundai Elantra Blue. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, see our car insurance calculator.