MODELYEARINDEX

Which Kia Niro years to avoid

No Kia Niro model year in 2017–2020 falls into the flagged band. The weakest are 2017 and 2019, and even those sit close to this model’s own median.

Ownership label · Kia Niro Full report
C
Grade 2017–2020
2017 vs model median 1.1×
Model median3× median
Body & Interior 6
Electrical 5
Drivetrain 4
Weakest

2017 · 2019

Best

2018 · 2020

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2017
1.09× 40 C
2018
0.91× 32 C
2019
1.17× 54 C
2020
0.72× 24 B
2022 P
1.56× 58 C
2023 P
2.47× 81 F
2024 P
0.77× 18 B
2025 P
0.73× 28 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2017 C 40 reports · median 19,000 mi

  1. Body & Interior 6

    Passager door handle completely came apart while trying to open the door; rendering the door inoperable. In an emergency, this can leave a passenger stuck if the driver or first responders cannot access them. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 5

    Leased the 2017 kia niro ex hybrid car, late sunday, february 19, 2017 and drove home 10+ miles. Odometer had 15 miles at start. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Drivetrain 4

    While driving my 2017 kia niro on regular roads, it had a dramatic down shift in first gear from a stop. Continued four more stops when approaching a hill, the sport mode did not work and barely made it up hill, no… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

2 crash · 3 fire · 4 injuries

2019 C 54 reports · median 6,600 mi

  1. Drivetrain 16

    The consumer rented a 2019 kia niro. The consumer stated that when the vehicle was started and placed in reverse, the vehicle moved forward without warning. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Fuel System 9

    As I was driving on the highway, the AC stopped working. There were no warning lights, alarms or indicators that something was wrong, but I immediately got off the highway because I thought this is not right. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Engine 4

    First the air conditioner stopped working for 2 days. Then on the 3rd day, 8/13/19, the hev light and oil lights went on. The engine slowed down. The car was towed to the kia dealership in ontario, ca. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

3 crash · 1 fire · 5 injuries

The best year for the Niro

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2020 is the best-scoring Niro model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 79.6 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2020 0.72× 24 B
2018 0.91× 32 C
2019 1.17× 54 C

Recalls

6 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
23V534000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS:ACTUATORS/SOLENOIDS 2017–2022 121,411
23V298000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2023 108,936
25V024000 SEATS 2023–2025 80,255
18V666000 HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 2017, 2018 27,030
22V836000 HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 2017, 2018 27,030
18V257000 HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 2017 27,029

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2017 were reported at a median of 19,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Kia Niro years should you avoid?
No Kia Niro model year in 2017–2020 scores in the flagged band. The weakest are 2017 and 2019.
What is the best year for the Kia Niro?
2020 is the best-scoring Kia Niro model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 79.6 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Kia Niro have?
6 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Kia Niro model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2017 Niro
Complaints in window
40
Severity-weighted
61.5
Model median (weighted)
57
vs model median
1.09×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
4
Open investigations
0
Score 62.8 C