Reliable Auto DB

2021 Kia Niro reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2021 Kia Niro has 9 complaints with NHTSA after 6 years, or 1 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Niro years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Actuators and solenoids.

2017 Kia Niro
Photo by Vauxford, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

9

Per year

1

Recalls

1

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (3 of 9), then Electrical system (2) and Engine (2). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Niro has 0 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2022 has 31 complaints, 4 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Kia Niro. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, internal, clutches and bands, actuators and solenoids 2023-07-31 · NHTSA campaign 23V534000
Summary 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.
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.

Complaints by component (9 total)

Powertrain
3
Electrical system
2
Engine
2
Speed control
1
Visibility
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

1202112022220232202432026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I own a 2021 Kia Niro. The rear backup camera intermittently fails to operate. When shifting into reverse, the display screen will either go completely black or the camera will not activate at all. This issue occurs…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-04-13
  • "This is a hybrid vehicle. It has Dual clutch transmission. Since I have owned it, intermittently the clutch does not disengage completely. This causes the vehicle to try to pull ahead but my foot is on the brake. The…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-04-10
  • "EV motor and drive train have a clattering noise, much like a playing card attached to a bicycle clattering against the wheel spokes. it speeds up and slows down with the acceleration of the motor."
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-03-20
  • "I was backing out of a tandem parking spot in a private garage and got too close to a pillar, and tried to pull forward into the spot. It felt like the car got snagged on the pillar, but while pulling forward slowly,…"
    Speed control · filed 2024-07-10
  • "I received important safety recall letter for NHTSA recall # 23V534. the HCA & or Fuse might need to be replaced . I brought the 2021 Nero to my local Kia dealership, Eagle kia ,Riverhead NY on January 18th. The…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system, Engine · filed 2024-02-07

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Kia Niro Electric SUV FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2021 Kia Niro Hybrid SUV FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid SUV FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Niro 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S6) Front-wheel drive 51 46 49 MPG $1300
Niro Electric — Automatic (1-speed) Front-wheel drive 123 102 112 MPG / 239 mi range $700
Niro FE 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S6) Front-wheel drive 53 48 50 MPG $1300
Niro Plug-in hybrid 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S6) Front-wheel drive 48 44 46 MPG / 560 mi range $1400
Niro Touring 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S6) Front-wheel drive 46 40 43 MPG $1500

Specs and fitment

First generation (Hybrid / PHEV / EV), 2017–2022
Body styles Crossover
Oil SAE 0W-20 full synthetic (Hybrid/PHEV); none (EV)
Tire size 205/60R16, 225/45R18 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

First-generation Niro Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid models (roughly 2017–2022 Hybrid and 2018–2022 PHEV) are covered by NHTSA campaign 23V-534 (Kia SC276): hydraulic clutch actuator fluid can leak onto the actuator circuit board and create an engine-compartment fire risk; the remedy replaces the actuator and related parts. A separate older campaign (NHTSA 18V-666 / Kia SC256) addressed power-relay assembly overheating and rear-seat fire risk on early hybrids. HEV/PHEV powertrains also use a dual-clutch transmission that owners frequently report for low-speed shudder. Confirm both fire-related campaigns are closed on the VIN before treating a first-gen Hybrid or PHEV as remedied.

Compare

Next year 2022 Kia Niro See every Kia Niro model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Kia Niro reliable?

The 2021 Kia Niro has 9 complaints with NHTSA after 6 years, or 1 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Niro years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Actuators and solenoids.

What are common problems with a 2021 Kia Niro?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (3 of 9), then Electrical system (2) and Engine (2). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2021 Kia Niro more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Niro has 0 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2022 has 31 complaints, 4 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Kia Niro been recalled?

The 2021 Kia Niro has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Kia Niro?

Owners have filed 9 complaints about the 2021 Kia Niro with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Kia Niro get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Kia Niro is 60 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Kia Niro Hybrid take?

First-generation Hybrid and PHEV owner manuals list about 4.01 US qt (3.8 L) of full-synthetic SAE 0W-20. Second-gen Hybrid/PHEV also list 0W-20. The Niro EV has no engine oil.

What does NHTSA campaign 23V-534 cover on first-gen Niro?

First-generation Niro Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid models: hydraulic clutch actuator fluid can leak onto the actuator circuit board and create an engine-compartment fire risk (Kia SC276).

When did the second-generation Niro start?

Model year 2023 on this site.