The manufacturer filed it. Here it is, by model.
Kia Niro: deaths and injuries the manufacturer reported to NHTSA
Kia reported 26 incidents alleging a death or injury in a Kia Niro, model years 2017–2024, in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21), through 2026 Q1. Each is a claim the manufacturer received, not a finding; NHTSA does not verify them.
By model year
Source: manufacturer EWR death and injury reports and production reports| Model year | Incidents | Killed | Injured | Built | Per 100,000 built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 27,128 | 7.4 |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 25,293 | 12 |
| 2019 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 35,366 | 14 |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 19,106 | 21 |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7,705 | 39 |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 27,974 | 11 |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 40,875 | 9.8 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 33,880 | 5.9 |
The model year is the one the manufacturer named in the report. A model year with its own page links to it. “Built” is the manufacturer’s cumulative production for the model year from its latest Early Warning production report; the rate is incidents per 100,000 of them.
By the system the claimant named
Source: as the manufacturer reported it| System named | Incidents | Killed |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 7 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 7 | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1 |
| Engine and Cooling System | 4 | 0 |
| Service Brake System | 4 | 0 |
| Fire | 3 | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 0 |
| Power Train | 3 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 2 | 1 |
| Steering System | 2 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 |
An incident naming several systems is counted under each. “Fire” and “Other” are categories in the rule, not systems.
Every one of these, dated and numbered
The defect dossier for the Kia Niro puts each report beside the recalls, investigations, bulletins and owner complaints on the same system, as a PDF and two CSVs: the Kia Niro, one system, every model year, numbered as exhibits.
The incidents
Source: VIN shown as NHTSA publishes it: the first eleven characters| Incident | Model year | State | Killed | Injured | Systems named | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-11 | 2020 | HI | 0 | 1 | Visibility | 2026 Q1 |
| 2025-12-22 | 2018 | PA | 0 | 1 | Air Bags | 2026 Q1 |
| 2025-12-18 | 2019 | CA | 0 | 2 | Air Bags | 2026 Q1 |
| 2025-12-13 | 2018 | NY | 0 | 1 | Fire · Seats | 2026 Q1 |
| 2025-11-14 | 2019 | TX | 0 | 1 | Seat Belts · Air Bags | 2025 Q4 |
| 2025-10-20 | 2022 | CA | 0 | 1 | Lane Departure · Air Bags · Electrical System | 2025 Q4 |
| 2025-06-21 | 2024 | MI | 0 | 2 | Seats · Seat Belts · Air Bags | 2025 Q2 |
| 2025-05-23 | 2022 | TX | 0 | 1 | Vehicle Speed Control · Electrical System · Engine and Cooling System · Service Brake System | 2025 Q2 |
| 2025-05-08 | 2021 | CA | 0 | 1 | Vehicle Speed Control | 2025 Q2 |
| 2025-01-25 | 2023 | DE | 0 | 2 | Structure · Air Bags | 2025 Q1 |
| 2024-10-04 | 2023 | VA | 0 | 1 | Service Brake System | 2024 Q4 |
| 2024-08-01 | 2024 | CA | 0 | 1 | Seat Belts · Air Bags | 2025 Q1 |
| 2024-07-08 | 2021 | CT | 0 | 1 | Fuel System · Engine and Cooling System · Service Brake System | 2024 Q3 |
| 2024-07-06 | 2020 | CA | 0 | 1 | Power Train · Steering System | 2024 Q3 |
| 2024-05-14 | 2023 | AK | 0 | 1 | Electrical System | 2024 Q3 |
| 2023-09-08 | 2019 | CA | 0 | 1 | Engine and Cooling System | 2023 Q4 |
| 2023-08-26 | 2023 | CA | 0 | 1 | Visibility | 2024 Q3 |
| 2023-04-03 | 2020 | CA | 0 | 1 | Power Train | 2024 Q4 |
| 2023-02-13 | 2022 | CA | 0 | 1 | Electrical System | 2024 Q2 |
| 2022-06-16 | 2018 | CA | 0 | 1 | Vehicle Speed Control | 2022 Q3 |
| 2021-10-15 | 2021 | CA | 0 | 1 | Engine and Cooling System | 2023 Q4 |
| 2021-04-20 | 2020 | NJ | 0 | 1 | Electrical System | 2024 Q4 |
| 2020-05-31 | 2019 | CA | 1 | 1 | Fire · Seat Belts · Electrical System · Fuel System | 2022 Q2 |
| 2019-04-03 | 2019 | WV | 0 | 1 | Power Train | 2023 Q2 |
| 2019-02-26 | 2017 | CA | 0 | 1 | Fire · Electrical System | 2021 Q2 |
| 2018-02-19 | 2017 | CA | 0 | 1 | Service Brake System · Steering System | 2018 Q1 |
Each row above is a claim or notice Kia received alleging a death or injury in a Kia Niro and reported to NHTSA as 49 CFR 579.21 requires; NHTSA does not verify it, and a Niro that sold more will have more rows. All Kia models · What these reports are, and are not.