Showing the 2018 Niro EX Premium. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 1.6 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
43–50 mpgcombined; city 46–52, highway 40–49; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 105 MPGe on electricity
Five years of fuel
$6,500–$7,550U.S. average; Ohio $5,810–$6,750 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026. Plug-in hybrid versions: $7,250, EPA's own estimate for plug-in hybrids: its national gasoline and electricity prices and the share of miles it expects on electricity; not priced for any state
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
Recall campaigns
3over its history, 1 replaced by a later one; check a VIN for open onesRepaired under campaign 18V666000? NHTSA's record says it still needs the newer remedy of campaign 22V836000.
Owner complaints
73filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Trims
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2018 Niro. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Niro. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Power train
25
0
0
0
Engine
21
0
0
0
Electrical system
20
2
0
1
Unknown or other
13
1
0
1
Service brakes
7
4
0
3
Vehicle speed control
6
0
0
0
Structure
5
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
3
0
0
0
Air bags
2
1
0
0
Exterior lighting
2
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
0
3 more parts
Forward collision avoidance
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
1
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Niro over its history, 1 replaced by a later one. A replaced campaign is listed at the end as history, not as a separate repair. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Repaired under campaign 18V666000? NHTSA's record says it still needs the newer remedy of campaign 22V836000. A repair under the earlier campaign doesn't complete the later one: check the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Niro and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Fluid may leak into the printed circuit board inside the hydraulic clutch actuator, which can result in an engine compartment fire.
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC276.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Niro hybrid electric vehicles previously recalled under recall 18V-666. The Main Relay within the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) may have inadequate connections between its contacts, causing increased electrical resistance, which can overheat the rear seats.
Risk: Overheated rear seats increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the PRA and replace either the PRA or the Main Relay, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 9, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC256. This recall supersedes NHTSA recall number 18V-666. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Replaced by campaign 22V836000, as NHTSA's record says: history, not a separate repair. Cars repaired under this campaign still need the newer remedy.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Niro hybrid electric vehicles. The Main Relay within the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) may have inadequate connections between its contacts, causing increased electrical resistance.
Risk: The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) for damage. If no damage is found, the main relay will be replaced. If damage is found, the PRA will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 23, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC168.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 101 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2018 Niro, the latest on Aug 28, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (38), engine and engine cooling (27), equipment (12), service brakes (9), steering (8).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2018 Niro.
EPA class: small station wagons. EPA greenhouse gas score: 9–10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Niro Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
51 / 46 / 49
Niro FE Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
52 / 49 / 50
Niro Plug-in Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline or Electricity 26 miles on electricity, 560 miles in all
48 / 44 / 46 on gasoline 105 MPGe on electricity
Niro Touring Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
46 / 40 / 43
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data