2022 Kia Niro

According to few speculations, we may expect the 2022 Kia Niro in the same five trim levels as its predecessor. Namely, LX, LXS, Touring, Touring SE, and the high-end EX Premium. Although most of the features remain the same, we might expect few additional features as standard in the high-value LX trim.

We Recommend:

We recommend going for any of the top three trims as the base variants lack most of the safety tech. Though all the variants of the 2022 Kia Niro feature the same engine, the Plug-in Hybrid models boost the performance a bit. 

The 2022 Kia Niro base trim will deliver a similar fuel economy to that of the previous generation which was class-leading. The car uses unleaded regular fuel and it will return around 51 MPG for the city, 46 MPG on the highways, and a combined 49 MPG. The Touring trim will reportedly deliver lower fuel economy because of its heft and the size of the wheels. It is expected that the plug-in hybrid will have better fuel efficiency over the previous generations. 

*2021 MY data used for reference 

By the figures, it is very much evident that the Kia Niro offers a class-leading fuel economy followed by the 2021 Ford Escape. The range is quite impressive on the Kia Niro despite having the lowest fuel tank capacity. The upcoming 2022 model year of the Kia Niro will bring similarly improved fuel economy.

The interiors of the Kia Niro were made to look futuristic and are quite stylish except for the extensive use of cheap plastics, especially on the dashboard. The seating capacity is up to 5 people and the seats are cloth-covered for the base trim and the higher trims get leatherette and leather-covered seats.For the 2022 model year, there will possibly be similar cabin dimensions and features. The dashboard holds the infotainment screen and a 7.0-inch digital display as the instrument cluster as standard and is a delight to look at. 

The steering wheel offers a good feel and is slightly on the sportier side. The cabin is adequately spacious with a good amount of head, shoulder, and legroom. Overall the cabin is well equipped with modern techs and plenty of creature comforts as you go up the trims. The cargo capacity however is not as impressive for the competition. At just 19.2 cubic feet as standard, the space is adequate for your daily goods.

*2021 MY data used for reference 

The 2021 model year of the Kia Niro offers a good amount of headroom and shoulder room but suffers in the legroom. The 2021 Ford Escape, on the other hand, offers an all-around cabin space with adequate head, shoulder, and legroom. 

The upcoming 2022 model year will possibly carry forward the previous generation dimensions. The 2021 Ford Escape sports the highest cargo capacity in the competition and the Kia Niro packs the least of it. A few of the salient interior features to be noted are:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster
• Adequate amount of storage spaces
• Heated steering wheel and front seats for the EX trim

2022 Kia Niro: Infotainment and Connectivity.

The current generation Kia Niro has a well-developed and easy-to-use infotainment system with almost every feature present for the segment. The 2022 model year will have an 8-inch or 10-inch touch-operated infotainment screen that has been very handy since its launch and offers great visibility in almost every lighting condition. A few of the infotainment features are as follows:

• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.
• HD Radio
• MP3 Player
• 8.0-inch touchscreen display
• Navigation support
• Bluetooth connectivity.

As of the 2022 model year predictions, it is expected that the Kia Niro will go through a lot of exterior changes in the styling while staying firm on the older platform. The 2021 Kia Niro has been a very modern crossover with all the cutting-edge looks. The front profile now sports sharp LED headlights and DRLs with the Kia-styled blacked-out intake grille. Coming to the side profile, it has a lot of cuts and shapes which make them sharp and aerodynamic in nature. 

Moving to the rear, it sports LED tail lights, an exhaust tip, and a faux skid plate. The standard wheels are 16-inches and 18-inches are exclusively for the Touring trim. Talking about the dimensions, the curb weight of the Niro is the lightest among the competition and that being said, the ground clearance is decent for every city condition.

*2021 MY data used for reference 

The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox is having the longest dimensions with a slightly lower curb weight than the 2021 Fiat 500X. The Kia Niro is the lightest car in the competition and that contributes to the overall performance bump despite having an underpowered engine. The 2021 Fiat 500X has the highest ground clearance over the Niro. Some of the major changes in exterior features that we expect are:

• Redesigned LED headlights and DRLs
• 16” and 18-inch alloy wheels
• Power tilt/sliding sunroof
• Slightly tweaked diamond-patterned front grille

We don’t have any word about the possible safety features that the 2022 Kia Niro lineup could be equipped with. But we may expect a major carryover of the safety features that we have seen on the 2021 Kia Niro lineup. While Kia offers a host of safety and driver assistance features, most of them were reserved for the higher-end model of EX Premium. Some of the notable features include:

• Tire pressure monitor
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Blind Spot Monitor
• Cross-Traffic/Pedestrian alert
• Lane Departure warning

The Kia Niro has been a very fun-to-drive car in the city and that under-powered engine is responsible for cutting the fun on the highway. Apart from that, the car offers a decent cabin experience with loaded techs. A lot is expected from the 2022 Kia Niro, a lot of changes are expected, and it would be worth it if Kia gives all the effort to make an all-new Niro with all the pending improvements which have been due since its launch.