2021 Kia Niro

For 2021, the Niro gets a few tweaks, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other updates include a smarter adaptive cruise control and wider availability of remote start.

The Niro offers a range of powertrains on a front-drive platform. The base model uses a small electric motor in tandem with a 1.6-liter inline-4 engine to produce 139 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. It returns fuel economy ranging from 53 mpg city, 48 highway, 50 combined on the base trim to 46/40/43 mpg on high-zoot models with bigger wheels and more amenities.

A plug-in hybrid is also available. It uses the same basic powertrain as the standard hybrid but swaps in a much larger battery. The extra juice allows for up to 26 miles of all-electric driving, according to the official EPA estimate. It gets 105 MPGe when operating as a hybrid and 46 mpg combined when running just the gas engine.

If that isn't green enough, an all-electric version is also offered. It tosses the 1.6-liter engine in favor of an electric motor that makes 201 horsepower and 291 lb-ft of torque. It gets to 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds, making it the fastest Niro of the bunch, and delivers more than 200 miles of range.

For a brand that is usually generous with standard safety gear, the Niro is oddly stingy with many of the driver aids buyers have come to expect. The base Niro doesn't get automatic emergency braking, which is reserved for the next trim up, the LXS. That model also comes with blind-spot monitors and active lane control. Adaptive cruise control and a more advanced emergency braking system are standard on the top two trims.

Crash-test stores are average: four stars out of five from the NHTSA and a 'Good'? rating from the IIHS in most of their tests. It isn't a Top Safety Pick due to the lack of standard automatic braking.
Full Review