Kia Niro years to avoid (and the best years)
328 NHTSA owner complaints and 6 recalls across 7 model years, 2017 to 2025. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.
- 328complaints
- 6recalls
- 30reported crashes
- 10reported fires
- 23reported injuries
- 1reported deaths
Which Kia Niro years should you avoid?
No Kia Niro model year stands out from the others in NHTSA owner complaints. The typical Kia Niro year has 44 complaints on file. The busiest year is the 2017 (82).
What are the best Kia Niro years?
The Kia Niro years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2022 (31), 2020 (38) and 2023 (44). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.
NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.
Every model year
| Year | Complaints | vs typical year | Recalls | Crashes | Injuries | Our read | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | 0.4× | 1 | 2 | 0 | Few red flags | Electrical system |
| 2023 | 44 | 1.0× | 2 | 8 | 6 | Few red flags | Electrical system |
| 2022 | 31 | 0.7× | 1 | 5 | 4 | Few red flags | Brakes |
| 2020 | 38 | 0.9× | 1 | 2 | 2 | Few red flags | Engine |
| 2019 | 56 | 1.3× | 1 | 4 | 3 | Some concerns to check | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2018 | 60 | 1.4× | 3 | 5 | 4 | Few red flags | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2017 | 82 | 1.9× | 4 | 4 | 4 | Some concerns to check | Engine |
Most reported problem areas
Share of the 131 complaints sorted by system, all years together.
- Engine & powertrain48 (37%)
- Electrical & infotainment36 (27%)
- Brakes15 (11%)
- Airbags & seat belts10 (8%)
- Other systems8 (6%)
Recalls (6)
Safety · 25V024000 · Jan 2025 · model years 2023, 2025
Air bags and seat belts that deploy improperly or an air bag deploying unintentionally can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Transmission · 23V534000 · Jul 2023 · model years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Electrical system · 23V298000 · Apr 2023 · model year 2023
A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 22V836000 · Nov 2022 · model years 2017, 2018
Overheated rear seats increase the risk of a fire.
Safety · 18V666000 · Sep 2018 · model years 2017, 2018
The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.
Safety · 18V257000 · Apr 2018 · model year 2017
An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.