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2021 Kia Niro

ElectricPlug-in hybridHybrid

Small Station Wagons
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11

Safety Signal

77 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Recalls1 critical2

Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA12

Crash ratingNHTSA overall4★

EV rangebest configuration, EPA239 mi

Fuel economybest combined, EPA50 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017

The 2021 Kia Niro is sold in the U.S. as a electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid wagon with 5 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the Niro Electric, is EPA-rated at 239 miles with 112 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 12 complaints, most often about the power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Range	kWh/100mi	Charge (240V)	Annual fuel*
Niro Electric	Electric	FWD	150 kW AC PMSM	123	102	112 MPGe	239 mi	30.0	9.5 h	$700
Niro Plug-in Hybrid	Plug-in hybrid	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl + 45 kW IPMSM	48	44	46 (66 MPGe blended)	26 mi electric	32	2.2 h	$1,350
Niro FE	Hybrid	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl + 240V Li-Ion	53	48	50	—	—	—	$1,250
Niro	Hybrid	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl + 240V Li-Ion	51	46	49	—	—	—	$1,250
Niro Touring	Hybrid	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl + 240V Li-Ion	46	40	43	—	—	—	$1,450

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43820, 43686, 43633, 43632, 43631.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Back Over Prevention

SC342

11,327 vehiclesElectric only

ProblemKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Niro EV vehicles. The circuit board for the rearview camera may become damaged and cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."RiskA rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC342.

NHTSA campaign 25V426000reported Jun 20, 2025Kia America, Inc.

!critical

Power Train

SC276

121,411 vehicles

ProblemKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Niro and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Fluid may leak into the printed circuit board inside the hydraulic clutch actuator, which can result in an engine compartment fire.RiskA fire increases the risk of injury.FixDealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC276.

NHTSA campaign 23V534000reported Jul 31, 2023Kia America, Inc.

NHTSA defect investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

12complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2021: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

Power Train4

Unspecified2

Electrical System2

Engine2

Visibility/Wiper1

Visibility1

What owners describe

“This is a hybrid vehicle. It has Dual clutch transmission. Since I have owned it, intermittently the clutch does not disengage completely. This causes the vehicle to try to pull ahead but my foot is on the brake. The vehicle does not stall. Somehow it figures out it can't pull ahead and somehow fully releases. I have b…”Apr 10, 2026 · Power Train · NHTSA owner report

“EV motor and drive train have a clattering noise, much like a playing card attached to a bicycle clattering against the wheel spokes. it speeds up and slows down with the acceleration of the motor.”Mar 20, 2026 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

“The rear brake rotors on the vehicle are pitted, as confirmed by a local repair shop. The "incident" is ongoing. Kia refuses to repair or replace them under warranty (25,500 miles on the car), claiming they are wear item. However, pitting is not wear, in fact quite the opposite. My analysis (30+ yrs in the auto busines…”May 28, 2025 · Service Brakes · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	12%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Compare the 2021 Niro with

2021 Nissan Rogue Sport →

Other Niro model years

2027 Kia Niro

0 recalls · 0 complaints

2026 Kia Niro

0 recalls · 2 complaints

2025 Kia Niro

1 recalls · 19 complaints

2024 Kia Niro

2 recalls · 18 complaints

2023 Kia Niro

4 recalls · 65 complaints

2022 Kia Niro

3 recalls · 73 complaints

2020 Kia Niro

3 recalls · 62 complaints

2019 Kia Niro

1 recalls · 98 complaints

2018 Kia Niro

3 recalls · 71 complaints

2017 Kia Niro

5 recalls · 98 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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