The South Korean giant Kia likes to identify the Niro to be a crossover but it doesn’t have the ground clearance nor the rugged exterior design that crossovers usually carry. The 2019 Kia Niro is the only hybrid offering in its form factor and price range making it stand out from the rest. Another feat of achievement for the Niro would be the fact that it has 0 recalls but there have been 28 complaints officially registered which are detailed below. Even though there aren’t other Hybrids in the segment, there are crossovers that perform great and fall under a similar price bracket which people have been showing interest in. The major contenders are the Honda HR-V, the Hyundai Kona, and the Subaru Crosstrek.
User complaints and problems
Electrical Problems
- Staring battery – The owner was driving on the highway when they suddenly applied the brakes as another car switched into the lane and this immediately turned the car off. The car refused to start and the owner had to make risky lane switches to reach the roadside before stopping completely. Upon inspection, the starting battery was found to be swollen which required a replacement.
- Key fob – The car was turned off and when the owner got off the car with the key fob, it started beeping loudly as if the keys were taken while the car is on. Getting back in and restarting the car and back off solved this issue.
- Forward collision warning – When the car is at an absolute stop, the forward collision warning lights up. Even the vehicles around were claimed to be still and yet the warning was activated.
Mechanical Problems
- Transmission – The transmission was replaced as the gears were grinding especially when shifting from 3rd to 4th. Users also complained saying the car would move forward at times after shifting the gear to reverse which is a really dangerous issue.
- Brakes – There have been multiple reports stating that the brakes on the Kia Niro failed to work. Since the car was at low speeds, the occupant didn’t end up in a crash as the car came to a rolling stop.
- Steering – The steering wheel was reported to make a loud squealing noise when making slow turns.
Exterior Problems
- Headlights – It was reported that when driving at night, the owner used the low beam but it was way too bright and was positioned slightly higher. The oncoming traffic flashed their lights to indicate that I was using a high beam but upon checking, the headlights were positioned on low beam.
- Reverse lighting – The lights for the reverse camera at night aren’t bright enough and the image produces is grainy and of poor quality.
- Windshield – It was reported that many users noticed a crack form on the windshield without any reason.
Recalls
There haven’t been any recalls for the 2019 Kia Niro yet.
Should you buy the 2019 Kia Niro?
Cars like the Subaru Forester and the Honda HR-V offer a better ground clearance than the Kia Niro and the rivals are equipped with a larger engine but the fact that the Niro is a hybrid makes it pack more torque and ginormous gas mileage. The 52 MPG range is far-fetched for its rivals which barely push out 30 MPG. As far as reliability is concerned, the Kia has the upper hand and considering that most of the drivers in this segment would be sticking to plain asphalt, it doesn’t matter if the car has a massive ground clearance or off-road ability and hence making the Kia Niro a better deal overall. The Niro is the most expensive car on the lot at $23,490 but it’s worth the extra money as it offers a refined and reliable drive with a class-leading fuel economy. The only downside to the Kia Niro would be that it does not offer the option of an all-wheel-drive system.
