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Verdict

2023 Kia Niro: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues

What the public record actually says about the 2023 Kia Niro — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.

The read

More reported complaints than most wagon.

Owners filed 61 NHTSA complaints — more complaints than 75% of 2023 wagons. Electrical System leads the reports (26%). 2 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.

Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2023 wagons, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.

Complaints filed

61

Reports to NHTSA, 2023

Safety recalls

2

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

49

EPA estimate

Complaint volume vs. segment peers

More complaints than 75% of 2023 wagons

The bar is this car's percentile among 2023 wagons by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.

Known issues

Electrical System issues lead owner complaints (26% of 61 reports), followed by unknown or other (23%).

Electrical System26% · 16 reports
Unknown Or Other23% · 14 reports
Power Train15% · 9 reports
Air Bags8% · 5 reports
Forward Collision Avoidance5% · 3 reports
Service Brakes5% · 3 reports
Vehicle Speed Control5% · 3 reports
Fuel/Propulsion System3% · 2 reports

+ 5 more component categories with fewer reports.

Share of all 61 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11674651, ODI 11702976, ODI 11702025, ODI 11684015, ODI 11655598.

Recalls(2)

Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.

Electrical System · 23V298000Details +

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.

Seats · 25V024000Details +

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.

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

0 NHTSA investigations on record

No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.

Crash-test ratings

2023 Kia Niro SUV FWD NHTSA source

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Fuel economy by trim

TrimEngineDrivetrainCityHwyCombined
Niro1.6L 4-cylFront-Wheel Drive534549

EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.

Before you buy

Useful next checks

Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.

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Compare model years

"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.

2023 Kia Niro: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2023 Kia Niro?

Owners filed 61 NHTSA complaints about the 2023 Kia Niro — more complaints than 75% of comparable 2023 wagons, so it sits toward the weaker end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.

What are the most common problems on the 2023 Kia Niro?

The most-reported problem areas are Electrical System (26% of complaints) and unknown or other (23%).

How many recalls does the 2023 Kia Niro have?

2 recalls have been issued that affect the 2023 Kia Niro, covering components such as electrical system. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.

What gas mileage does the 2023 Kia Niro get?

The EPA rates the 2023 Kia Niro at 49 mpg combined.