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: $4,120 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 2025 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 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 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
9
1
0
0
Electrical system
5
0
0
0
Suspension
3
0
0
0
Engine
2
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
1
0
0
Vehicle speed control
2
0
0
0
Air bags
1
0
0
0
Power train
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Steering
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
1 more part
Wheels
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 1 recall campaign for the 2025 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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 14 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2025 Niro, the latest on Aug 28, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (6), visibility/wiper (6), back over prevention (1), power train (1), structure (1).
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 2025 Niro.
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. 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
150 kW PMSM (IPM)
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 33 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