2019 Kia Niro Hybrid

The 2019 Kia Niro is a five-passenger hatchback available in five trims which are priced as follows:

• FE: $24,430
• LX: $24,740
• EX: $27,240
• S Touring: $29,640
• Touring: $33,090

Every variant is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder hybrid-electric powertrain which produces 139 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. The power is transmitted to the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Trims	FE	LX	EX	S Touring	Touring
MSRP	$23,340	$23,650	$26,150	$32,000	$ 34,200
Features	SiriusXM AM/FM/Satellite, seek-scan Radio	Smart key with push-button start and immobilizer	Heated front seats	18" black aluminum Wheels	Sliding and tilting glass Sunroof
	ABS and driveline Traction control		Front Fog/driving lights	SiriusXM AM/FM/HD/Satellite, seek-scan Radio	18" machined w/painted accents aluminum wheels
	16" Aluminum Wheels		Heated mirrors	Driver lumbar support	Leather seat trim
	Dual-zone automatic			Navigation system	Front & Rear Parking Assist System (FRPAS) Parking assist
				Leather seat trim	Heated steering wheel
				Ventilated front seats

Kia offers best in class warranty like its kin Hyundai and provides a comprehensive warranty.

• The limited warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles
• Hybrid components are covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance

We Recommend

Each trim of the Niro offers an above-average value for your money. The EX will probably be the biggest seller, and we believe it offers the best value. It allows for the same driver-assist safety features and options as the Touring and can be outfitted with most of the Touring's standard features such as the Harman Kardon audio, heated and ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, HID headlights and navigation.

The Kia Niro is designed to use the best of both worlds, the gasoline engine and electric motor work together for optimum fuel economy. The engine has been specifically developed for a hybrid employing Atkinson cycle and Cooled EGR technology for maximizing efficiency. The entry-level FE is most fuel efficient and returns 52 miles per gallon in the city and 49 mpg on the highway. The two midlevel LX and EX come in at 51 mpg city/46 mpg hwy. The most expensive Touring variant returns 46 mpg city/40 mpg hwy. 

Model	Kia Niro FE suv	Honda HR-V LX suv	Hyundai Kona SE suv	Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i suv	Mazda CX-3 Sport suv	Buick Encore 1SV suv
MPG (city)	52	28	27	23	29	26
MPG (highway)	49	34	33	29	34	31
MPG (combined)	50	30	30	25	31	28
Range (miles) (city/highway)	N/A	370/449	356/436	382/481	368/432	364/434
Tank Capacity (gal)	11.9	13.2	13.2	16.6	12.7	14.0

Regardless of the trim, the Kia Niro outclasses all of them in terms of fuel efficiency. It will be the best bang for your bucks if fuel budget is your concern. The Mazda performs the best out of the rest returning 29 miles to the gallon in city and 34 miles to the gallon on the highway. In terms of range as well, the Subaru is the best of the rest.

"A number of years ago, Kia’s interior design went from frumpy to fantastic, and the cabin of the 2019 Kia Niro is one of the finest in its class. The design is clean and simple with an upscale feel and high-quality materials. The layout is intuitive, and all of the controls work with precision" - Kellybluebook

Seating and Comfort

The inside of the Kia Niro is intelligently designed with smart features to be as welcoming to you as possible. The cabin is fuss-free, simple and minimalistic. All the buttons are laid out in a proper manner and make everything easy to use. Leather-wrapped steering wheel and a bright meter cluster make driving this car a joy.

The spacious inside is adorned with ultra-comfortable leather seats available in contrast stitching. The sporty 10-way power-adjustable driver seat lets you find your ideal driving position with ease. The rear seats can accommodate 3 people but not for a long journey. The front and rear seats offer great headroom and legroom with commanding outward visibility.

Model	Kia Niro FE SUV	Honda HR-V LX SUV	Hyundai Kona SE SUV	Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i SUV	Mazda CX-3 Sport SUV	Buick Encore 1SV SUV
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	40.1/56/41.7	39.5/56.8/41.2	39.6/55.5/41.5	39.8/56.7/43.1	38.4/53.5/41.7	39.6/54.2/40.8
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.1/55.2/37.4	38.3/54.5/39.3	37.8/54.5/34.6	38.0/55.6/36.5	37.2/50.4/35.0	38.8/52.6/35.8

The HR-V has a lot of interior room, including the most rear-seat legroom of the group and the largest rear cargo compartment. Buick Encore has the smallest amount of cabin space due to its compact dimensions. Subaru Crosstrek is also spacious from the inside.

Infotainment System

When it comes to looks, the infotainment screen might not be the most pleasing but when it comes to performance and user experience, there’s not a lot left to be desired. The 7’’ screen is really impressive. The screen is vibrant and snappy to use. The menus are well laid out in a simple manner. What comes with that 7-inch screen is a 6 speaker audio system. As for smartphone integration- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available on every trim except the LX. The base trim is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity. Satellite navigation is not available on any of the trims as standard and maybe some old-school state maps might come in handy.

The optional navigation system uses GPS data to predict the geographical location. It pre-charges before going uphill and employs regenerative braking on downhill sections. Steering mounted control to make it easy to adjust your audio and use cruise control. It comes equipped with the following amenities:

• Android Auto and Apple Carplay
• Sirius XM radio
• Bluetooth Audio
• Aux Input
• Satellite Navigation (optional)
• Voice recognition
• Real-time traffic alert
• Integrated roof antenna
• 6 speaker sound system

Cargo Capacity

The Kia Niro offers 19 .4 cubic feet of storage seat which can be increased to 54.5 via 60/40 rear folding seats. You can expand the cargo area when needed and still accommodate rear passengers. The cargo space is enough for your groceries, camping gear, dogs or all of them. Niro’s hybrid battery takes a considerable amount of space but optional underfloor storage adds a bit more utility. The comparatively low load height makes it very easy to load and unload cargo. The rear seats also fold down completely flat which makes it very easy to push the cargo towards the front.

Model

Kia Niro FE SUV

Honda HR-V LX SUV

Hyundai Kona SE SUV

Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i SUV

Mazda CX-3 Sport SUV

Buick Encore 1SV SUV

Cargo Volume (ft.³)

19.4

24.3

19.2

20.8

12.4

18.8

When compared to other vehicles in this group, the Kia Niro fares decently at most. The Honda HR-V offers the most cargo volume in this bunch whereas the Mazda CX-3 is the last with a disappointing 12.4 cubic feet of cargo volume. 

Interior Features

• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Remote keyless entry
• Cruise control
• Dual zone front automatic climate control
• Illuminated glove box
• Leather wrapped shift knob
• Auto dimming rearview mirror
• Front armrest and rear center armrest
• Air filtration
• Power adjustable seats
• Engine immobilizer

“The handsome Niro fits right in with its squat crossover pals. You’d never guess that a gas-sipping hybrid is lurking under its skin.” – Car and Driver

Dimension and Weight

The Kia Niro is designed to thrill, it looks much like a grown up hatchback than a crossover. Kia’s signature tiger-nose grille is distinctive with a lower grille hiding various sensors. A wide variety of detailing like body cladding, roof rails, rear skid plate, and large wheel arches befit its crossover tag. The stance is sporty with short front and rear overhangs.

To get the maximum fuel efficiency the exterior is optimized for the lowest drag coefficient (0.29) which is close to the Nissan GTR (0.26). The front air splitters a channels air through them to the neatly designed 19-inch alloy wheels. For maximum aerodynamic efficiency, active grille shutters close at around 35 mph to smooth the airflow In the rear, the available combination LED tail lamp gives a striking appearance to Kia Niro.

Model	Kia Niro FE SUV	Honda HR-V LX SUV	Hyundai Kona SE SUV	Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i SUV	Mazda CX-3 Sport SUV	Buick Encore 1SV SUV
Curb weight (lbs.)	3106	2902	2890	3113	2809	3237
Length(in)	171.5	170.4	164.0	175.8	168.3	168.4
Width(in)	71.1	69.8	70.9	71.0	69.6	69.9
Height(in)	60.4	63.2	61.0	63.6	60.7	65.3
Ground clearance (in)	6.3	7.3	6.7	8.7	6.1	6.2
Wheelbase (in)	106.3	102.8	102.4	104.9	101.2	100.6
Track width (in) F/R	61.6/62.2	60.4/60.6	62/62.4	61/61.2	60/59.9	60.7/60.6

The Honda HR-V has the lowest curb weight which accounts for better driving dynamics and that comes to the Kia Niro. The Subaru Crosstrek cast the longest shadow and Buick Encore is the smallest among all due to which it has the shortest turning radius.

Exterior Features

• 16” inch alloy wheels
• Clear coat paint
• Body-colored front and rear bumper
• Black body side molding
• Chrome side window trims
• Body-colored door handles
• Power heated side mirrors
• Variable intermittent wipers
• Lip spoiler
• Liftgate rear cargo access
• Roof rack rail

Even the best drivers can’t be perfect 100% of the time and for those times, the Kia Niro is equipped with a ton of safety features. These features and equipment help in making your journey a whole lot safer.

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Side Impact Beams
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• UVO eServices 911 Connect Emergency Sos
• Blind Spot Detection (BSD) w/Lane Change Assist (LCA) Blind Spot Sensor
• and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
• Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags
• Airbag Occupancy Sensor
• Driver Knee Airbag
• Rear Child Safety Locks
• Outboard Front Lap And Shoulder Safety Belts -inc Rear Center 3 Point, Height Adjusters and Pretensioners

Honda HR-V

The Honda HR-V is among the top rated crossover as it comes with best in class passenger and cargo space. The Honda HR-V is the most practical subcompact SUV with generous cargo capacity, great balance of ride and handling and plenty of interior features. Although the HR-V is very fuel efficient for a conventional crossover, the Niro is hybrid and has a definite edge in fuel efficiency. However, Niro also commands a significant premium over the competitor.    

Buick Encore

The Encore’s performance is however disappointing due to the sluggish acceleration with 134 –horsepower four-cylinder engine. Buick’s optional 153 hp engine is a substantial improvement. The Encore based on the same underpinnings as the Chevrolet Trax. It makes a case for itself as an in-between by outclassing subcompact crossovers from mainstream makers Honda and Nissan. With the Encore, you pay more, but you get more. Though its performance is not lively, the Encore has a comfortable ride and composed handling. Larger and more powerful than the Niro, the Rogue doesn't approach Kia's fuel economy, but if cargo hauling is a bigger concern than mpg, it's a solid choice.

Subaru Crosstrek

The Subaru Crosstrek is all-wheel drive and has high ground clearance, unlike the Kia Niro. Surprisingly both have an identical amount of cargo capacity and interior space. The Subaru Crosstrek has an upscale interior, a ton of standard features, and decent off-road capability. However, it comes up short on cargo space and has mediocre overall performance. If you live off the tarmac then the Subaru will befit all your needs otherwise the Kia Niro is better to package allover.

The Kia Niro is a versatile package and offers the best value for your money. Unlike other hybrids, the Niro looks like a conventional subcompact crossover, it has excellent luggage capacity, spacious interiors, commanding driving position and spectacular fuel economy. Niro is attractively priced with a host of standard safety features. Niro is a good choice for buyers who want it all. Just as long as they don't want all-wheel drive, too, since the Niro doesn't offer it.

FAQs

Is the 2019 Kia Niro all-wheel-drive?

No, the Kia Niro is only available as front-wheel drive.

Does the Niro have heated seats?

Yes, heated front seats are available as paid options. 

How much can the Niro go on electric power alone?

The Kia Niro is capable of covering 26 miles on electric power alone. The overall range can go up to 560 miles along with the gasoline engine.