2023 Kia Niro Reviews, Pricing & Specs

When Kia arrived in North America in the early 1990s, no one cared. Kia who? But that was so 90s. Nearly 30 years later, only one model name remains from the original lineup (the Sportage) and Kia sales now are nearly at 70,000 annually in Canada.

For Kia, 2022 marks a heavy push toward electrification. The automaker plans to have 14 battery electric vehicles (BEV) on sale globally by 2027. Kia is also introducing the all-new 2023 Niro with three electrified—and only electrified—powertrains. No single-life internal combustion engines (ICE) here. The ICE will either be wedded to an electric motor (hybrid), battery pack (plug-in hybrid), or divorced completely (battery-electric). This review will focus exclusively on the new Niro Hybrid. The Niro PHEV and Kia Niro EV are reviewed separately.

The new Niro is beefier in look and dimensions than its predecessor but still maintains its (sub)compact crossover footprint. Its wheelbase increases 20 millimetres to 2,720 mm and its overall length extends another 63.5 mm to 4,420 mm. The 2023 Niro is also more than 12 mm wider to measure 1,825 mm. The vehicle’s height (1,545 mm) and ground clearance (16 centimetres) remain unchanged.

Design-wise, all three variants look similar, and that’s a good thing. One shouldn’t be forced into a completely different design theme simply because of powertrain preference, especially on the same model. For the most part, the Niro EV has an EV-standard smooth-surface front fascia because no engine means no passthrough airflow is required. The Niro Hybrid and PHEV, on the other hand, could pass off as twins.

For 2023, the Niro features more defined edges and sharper character lines. Where the previous generation offered softer curves and an unassuming manner, the all-new Niro is tailored with style and purpose. For a small crossover, the 2023 Niro is drawn up with a strong profile and handsome proportions from almost any angle. But it also brings another contrast-colour trend to the design table. Sigh.

Automakers added black cladding (usually cheap plastic) to wheel wells to give not-so-tall, not-so-rugged vehicles a misleading idea of such qualities. Then came black or white contrast-colour roofs, an idea borrowed from luxury brands. Now, it’s contrast moulding in just random places (i.e., C-pillar on Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf; front fender on Subaru Solterra, Toyota bZ4x). Leave it to Kia to go a little further with the “impact” trim.

Called the Aero Blade, this design element does provide aerodynamic support by aiding airflow beneath the D-pillar. Naturally, it’s also shaped like a blade or a bloated boomerang. This depends on the exterior colour choice, of which body colour is standard and contrasting shades like the ever-popular black (though there are other options) will cost $250 extra. On the Niro EV, for example, silver is a blade colour option and it looks great paired with lighter colours like white. A black blade is available for hybrid and PHEV models but even in darker tones, the vehicle looks like it’s trying too hard to be different.

In Canada, the 2023 Niro Hybrid is offered in LX, EX, EX Premium, and SX trims. There are eight exterior colour choices. Only the CityScape Green and Mineral Blue colours can be optioned with black Aero Blades. Interiors are charcoal with materials being cloth (LX) or vegan leather (EX, SX trims). In spite of the limited cabin choices, the Niro interior still offers a premium vibe thanks to its two-tone colouring.

The 2023 Kia Niro is offered in a front-wheel-drive (FWD) drivetrain configuration only, regardless of powertrain. The Niro Hybrid is equipped with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, same as the PHEV. Under the hood is a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engine paired with a 32 kW electric motor. Total output specs for the Niro Hybrid are 139 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque.

Before getting into the driving dynamics, though, let us preface its performance chops with the fact that the Niro Hybrid has a driving range of nearly 950 kilometres—on a single 42-litre tank of regular octane fuel. The NRCan-estimated fuel economy rating is 4.4 litres per 100 kilometres combined for the most efficient Niro Hybrid trims. City and highway are rated at 4.5 and 4.4 L/100 km, respectively. For SX models, fuel economy is 4.5 city, 5.2 highway, and 4.8 combined—all still highly impressive.

The drive, however, leaves a bit to be desired. On location at Kia’s recent San Diego press launch, we were exposed to all three Niro powertrains and the hybrid felt the most bloated of the bunch. With a maximum curb weight roughly 250 kilograms (556 pounds) less than the EV, the hybrid was the one to feel heavy when cornering. Acceleration isn’t apples-to-apples since an advantage of EVs is instant torque. But when considering the Niro Hybrid on its own, acceleration felt every bit as quick as its 10.4-second zero to 100 km/h. Ergo, it’s not quick.

When getting behind the wheel for the first time, the shift points were intrusively wonky. Gearing was excruciating long at high rpm. The Niro does have machine learning that is programmed into the optional adaptive cruise control, but it likely continues to learn outside of highway driving.

It’s the only reason we can think of as to why the long gears seemed to settle down as we traveled along the 150-kilometre drive route. A guesstimation is that the previous driver was flogging the thing and holding shifts longer. With a change in driver and driving style, the Niro Hybrid adapted and ultimately ended up being a comfortable and pleasant vehicle to drive.

The Niro Hybrid has a quiet cabin for the segment. Wind noise exists but isn’t annoying. The hybrid does seem to let in a bit more road noise than its PHEV and EV counterparts, though. Perhaps those battery packs provide extra sound deadening. But like the slight wind noise, the Niro fares well in the hushness department for a vehicle its size. And on rough asphalt, vibration is minimal.

Now about that fuel economy. After 160 kilometres of varying roads, elevation, and speed, we did in fact average 4.4 L/100 km combined. There was no hypermiling and gentle driving involved. Come as you are. The Niro Hybrid will not penalize you for the weight of your foot.

Although this hatchback only slightly larger in size, every bit counts, particularly in the cabin. Cargo space behind the second row improves by 11 litres to measure 645 litres. With the back seats folded down, the holding area behind the front seats is also larger at 1,803 litres. Overall interior capacity equals 2,976 litres, which means another 119 litres for more people and their stuff. And the Kia Niro offers best-in-class interior room, cargo room, and 2nd-row legroom versus other subcompact CUVs.

The Niro interior is more ergonomically friendly with things you need within reach. Storage space is accessible and useable. Even the cupholders have been redesigned to keep drinks and items more separated. The adjustable sizer insert returns to keep standard containers from sloshing around. And it can be easily hidden away to accommodate larger or less conventionally shaped cups.

A note that Kia’s philosophy on future products is called Plan S. Its focus is not only on reducing carbon emissions but doing so in a sustainable manner. The vegan leather in the Kia Niro, for example, is a mixture of bio polyurethane and Tencel fibres, the latter derived from eucalyptus leaves. Also, the paint used on the door panels is free of BTX toxins and the headliner is made of recycled wallpaper. Koalas and house renovations are all part of Kia’s sustainability movement! And, yet, the interior doesn’t scream, “Hey, look at me! I’m a recycled tree!” for the sake of attention.

The 2023 Kia Niro certainly receives plenty of updates, but not so much when it comes to its in-car tech offerings. An 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system remains as standard but this time around is relegated to the base LX model. All other trims receive the 10.25-inch system that also includes navigation, a premium Harman/Kardon sound system, and SiriusXM satellite radio.

Also carrying over is the fact that wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay is limited to the 8-inch system. Paying more for a higher trim level means reverting to wired smartphone connectivity. Nevertheless, because of the redesigned interior, the centre display now sits atop the dash versus being flush within the console. Even though the screen sizes haven’t changed, the placement evokes a new, updated feel. Perception is everything, isn’t it?

One new bit of tech is Green Zone Drive Mode. In addition to Eco and Sport, this new drive mode automatically puts the vehicle into electric-only power when traveling near schools, hospitals, and certain residential areas. The concept of Green Zones is common in Europe where drivers of non-electrified vehicles are charged higher tolls or fees to travel through such designated areas or are banned completely.

The drive mode utilizes navigation data and driving history to determine a city’s green zone, or areas where vehicle traffic is limited with a renewed focus shifted to bike lanes and walking paths. And unlike Eco and Sport modes, Green Zone is activated via the Vehicle Settings menu in the infotainment display rather than a physical button or switch. A destination needn’t be entered for the system to work either.

For creature comforts, the Niro Hybrid comes standard with dual-zone climate control, USB-A and USB-C ports, heated front seats, and keyless entry. Starting with EX, standard equipment includes wireless smartphone charging, a heated steering wheel, and a Smart Key with push-button start. EX Premium adds customizable mood lighting. On SX trims, ventilated front seats, memory seats, a head-up display, and an external subwoofer are added. Also with EX models, Kia Connect becomes available and allows for remote vehicle access, including a shareable Digital Key.

Safety is such a top priority for the new Kia Niro that previously optional advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) are now standard. This includes blind-spot monitoring with collision warning, forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection and junction turning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, lane-following assist, and rear seat occupant alert.

Available safety features are smart cruise control with stop and go, Hyundai Group’s highway driving assist as well as front and rear parking distance warnings.

Safety ratings for the 2023 Kia Niro are not yet available from either the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). For the previous model year, the Kia Niro Hybrid earned “Good” ratings in the IIHS tests except in the LATCH child restraints category where it is listed as “Acceptable.” In crash safety tests conducted by the NHTSA, the previous-generation Kia Niro garnered a four-star (out of five) score.

The 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid starts at a new car price $32,833 (including a $2,449 destination fee) for the entry LX model. On the high end would be the Niro SX at $41,533. The Kia Niro isn’t offered with additional options packages. Extra costs from the factory would be premium paint choices.

The all-new Niro is packaged and priced to be competitive. Versus other small and compact hybrid crossovers like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Honda HR-V, Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Toyota RAV-4, the Kia Niro holds its own.

Also, no other new vehicle beats the Niro in fuel economy. A combined mpg of 4.4 L/100 km outshines the rest of the segment. Also, the Kia Niro offers smart design that is matched with a high-quality spacious interior. The fact that reusable and sustainable materials are used is an unexpected but much-appreciated bonus. Like its fuel economy, the Niro Hybrid does plenty good without really trying.

Note: Images show a US model.