Showing the 2023 Niro SX. 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
48–53 mpgcombined; city 49–53, highway 45–54; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 108 MPGe on electricity
Five years of fuel
$6,130–$6,630U.S. average; Ohio $5,480–$5,920 at local prices; every version of this model year, electric versions apart; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026. Electric versions: $4,020 at U.S. average electricity prices. Plug-in hybrid versions: $7,000, 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's VIN data lists these trims for the 2023 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 65 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 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
Unknown or other
23
4
0
3
Electrical system
22
1
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
10
2
0
4
Power train
10
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
8
1
0
0
Air bags
7
4
0
5
Service brakes
7
3
0
4
Vehicle speed control
6
1
0
0
Engine
4
0
0
0
Wheels
3
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
0
0
0
Steering
2
0
0
0
6 more parts
Structure
2
1
0
0
Chest clip, buckle, harness
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
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 4 recall campaigns for the 2023 Niro over its history. 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.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Niro EV, Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and Hybrid vehicles. The floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat may become damaged, which can prevent the front air bags and seat belts from deploying properly or cause an unintended side curtain air bag deployment.
Risk: Air bags and seat belts that deploy improperly or an air bag deploying unintentionally can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, replace and reroute the floor wiring assembly, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, dealers will install wiring covers. Owner notification letters were mailed February 27, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC332.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Niro EV and 2024 EV9 vehicles. The differential gear bolts in the gear drive unit may not be tightened properly, which can result in a loss of drive power or cause the differential to lock up.
Risk: A loss of drive power or differential lock up can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the gear drive unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC308.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Niro EV and 2023 EV6 vehicles. One of the drive shafts may have been improperly heat-treated, allowing it to break under load and resulting in a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the drive shaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC295.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen. The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk: A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 87 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2023 Niro, the latest on Aug 28, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (62), fuel/propulsion system (19), engine (15), power train (11), equipment (5).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
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 2023 Niro.
EPA class: small station wagons. EPA greenhouse gas score: 8–10 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 (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline
53 / 45 / 49
Niro Electric Front-Wheel Drive
TBD
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 253 miles of range
126 / 101 / 113 MPGe
Niro FE Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline
53 / 54 / 53
Niro Plug-in Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline or Electricity 34 miles on electricity, 510 miles in all
49 / 47 / 48 on gasoline 108 MPGe on electricity
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