2021 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Review

Price Estimate: $19,554 - $22,394

The plug-in hybrid Niro boasts 26 miles of EV range. That's pretty good as plug-ins go. Just know you're paying significantly more for this model compared to a regular hybrid Niro. How often you can recharge it will make a big difference. Overall we like the 2021 Niro Plug-In Hybrid, but rival models are more refined and enjoyable to drive.

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Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid model years

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2021 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

Rear-seat reminder (alerts you to check the rear seat before exiting the vehicle) is now standard
Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is available
Available remote engine start
Minor changes to navigation and adaptive cruise control systems
Part of the first Niro Plug-In Hybrid generation introduced for 2018

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid LXS 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid 6AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.74 per gallon for regular unleaded and $0.15 per kWh for electricity in Texas.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Texas

$65/mo

$142/mo

Avg. Compact SUV

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Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.0

27 reviews

5(59%)

4(11%)

3(11%)

2(8%)

1(11%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

The Right Vehicle for my needs.

Jerry, 12/28/2018

2019 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)

Very pleased with the NIRO PHEV. Have been driving it for six months, with one long trip. The long trip was just over 2000 miles which was broken up to four 500 mile legs. Mileage for this legs where 49, 52, 50 and 53 in the hybrid mode. Granted I drove somewhat conservative staying at the posted speed limit, which was 70 most of the way on interstate five. The remaining miles, which is …

Compromise Can Be Good Updated Review 6/10/25

Doug, 05/06/2019

2019 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid 6AM)

Update 6/10/25 65k+- Finally had to change out the original tires. And I could have waited a few thousand more, but we were going on a road trip and I didn’t want to risk it. Needless to say, very pleased with them. Michelin Energy Savers. Other than the intermittent rattle which we believe is coming from the rear spoiler, the car is running fine. Update 12/9/24 Almost at 60k miles. … The 12 volt battery failed. One morning it wouldn’t start. I learned that it’s somewhat difficult to source. AAA doesn’t stock it. Pep Boys has to order it. So I opted to bring the car to Kia dealer for repair. The “service consultants”… I mean salespeople are something else. They tried to charge me more than their own parts department was quoting. I know that they ripped me off on the labor charge. What a racket!! Ive just passed the 5 year warranty threshold so this will be the last visit to Kia. The tires are still ok. I have another 5 k tread left on them. And even that measure is right at the beginning of the recommended safety threshold for tire depth. Brakes are still ok. Other issues- the rear spoiler is rattling again. Had to have it tightened. Battery level basically unchanged. Interior is still in good shape with a few signs of wear and tear- nothing major. Update 5/31/24 51k on car. We’ve lost about 4 percent on the battery capacity, which isn’t terribly alarming since we charge it every night. Tires need to be replaced (first set). Had some minor trim issues, the real spoiler over the back window was rattling and needed to be tightened, and the drivers side visor anchor broke off. Both were repaired under warranty. Brakes are still good. Seems like there is a yearly recall which is an inconvenience (we live 20 miles from the dealership). Car is pretty much what we expected: reliable, utilitarian, decent comfort. It’s not exciting, just practical. Wish it had more power especially at lower speeds. We find it ironic that the 100% ev version (at least model years 19-22) is pretty zippy. We are a two car family. We own a 100% EV (Nissan Leaf) and were looking to replace our 2008 CRV. It's important to us to reduce our carbon footprint, so we agreed that we would move to a "greener" car. However, we weren't ready to purchase another 100% EV due to range and charging infrastructure concerns. The Niro PHEV is a good, but not a perfect compromise. The size of the car is great for the city and it's hard to believe that the interior is so spacious, given its outside dimensions. Back seat is particularly comfortable with nice support and generous legroom. Headroom is excellent, even for those with long torsos. Safety features are really good. We chose the EX trim and it really has everything you need. The EX trim (not the premium) has HID headlamps, which have longer range than the LED's on the premium trim (check out the insurance institute's safety ratings). Love the adjustable cruise control, though I understand that some other makes (Tesla??) will take you down to a full stop without disconnecting. Performance is OK. We thought that it would supply more of the EV Torque, which we so love about our Leaf. If you floor the pedal it shifts into ICE mode, makes a lot of noise, but really doesn't get up and go. In regular Hybrid mode there is little regeneration to the battery. I understand that shifting into sport mode will regenerate the battery, however the MPG goes down, so isn't this defeating the purpose? Don't have anything to say about reliability (only had the car for a couple of weeks) but Consumer reports and other publications give it high ratings. In another couple of years maybe the battery technology will be better and charging infrastructure improved so that we could go 100% EV on both vehicles. Until then we will live with the compromises. NOTE: we will be watching the competitors (Tesla Model Y and others) and continue to evaluate the options. Update 11/12/2021 22000 miles on the car...Thank goodness for the factory warranty. The transmission failed at around 15 K miles. Yes, on long trips we would occasionally shift into sport mode to get through the mountains and regenerate the battery, but still, isn't that normal usage? I thank myself for purchasing the mid level trim that had blind spot, rear cross traffic detection, and great headlights. The car runs well, and the seats are pretty comfortable ( drivers side has power with lumbar support).Interior is wearing well. Access is good, and there is plenty of head room. We mainly run the car on electric, I wish that the range on battery was about 60 miles, instead of 26. The car really doesn't have a heck of a lot of pickup, which is really the main fault I have with it. Aside from the tranny failing, I am satisfied. Update 5/19/22 Just came back from a 2k road trip. Odometer is at 28K. I noticed that the cruise control doesn't work well when going up steep grades through mountains. I will bring it in for service. The annoying sound coming from the steering wheel has come back. This was subject of a service bulletin. Dealership "fixed" it, but now it has come back. We have had a couple of instances where the 12 volt battery has died and had to be charged by AAA. Fortunately it occurred at home and we weren't terribly inconvenienced. We've been told by dealer that the battery is at end of life and this is normal wear and tear, and it's time to replace it. Ok, if you say so... Overall it's been a pretty good car for us. The car will be paid off in April 2023 and then we will look to retire the Leaf and purchase another fully electric vehicle. Would I buy the 100% Niro EV? I like the size and utility of the Niro. It suits our needs, but I feel that there are better options now. Early favorites: Ioniq 5 and Nissan Ariya. 11/23/22 Chugging along just fine. No rattles or strange noises. Safety systems are working well. Excellent daily driver. Gonna hold on to the car for a while, especially given the cost to purchase a new vehicle. 5/30/23 39000 miles. Issues with retractable drivers side mirror and rear liftgate struts were repaired under warranty. Drivers side sun visor clip pulled out and may require some super glue. All minor repairs, but never the less are nuisances which require multiple trips to the dealership. Comparing to my other car, a Nissan Leaf which has over double the miles and none of these issues. We were rear ended and one of the replacement moldings finally arrived after 3 months on back order. By and large it's been a good car, the size, safety features and utility work well for us.

Great car! except for...

Former Subaru driver, 10/25/2020

2020 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid 6AM)

Bought this car about 2 months ago and love it! Except for the Very Loud backup alarm. I understand that this is required to warn pedestrians and cyclists as the engine in electric mode is very quiet. Warning sound is required to be between 56 and 75 dBA - mine measures at 73 which is LOUD. Leaving our garage early in the morning is excruciating; trying to back out quickly enough to …

Big Bucks for top of the line but I want it all!

Robert Brayley, 11/23/2018

2019 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX Premium 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6AM)

This car is not perfect in every way, no car is. But in 1999 (the last time I bought a new car), most of the features on this car were not available at any price. I live in South Central Texas where slippery roads and traction is never a challenge, so four wheel drive is not really an issue. Edmunds and other reviewers like to characterize a zero to sixty time of 9 to ten seconds as …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid, so we've included reviews for other years of the Niro Plug-In Hybrid since its last redesign.

See all 27 reviews of the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid

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2021 Niro Plug-In Hybrid Highlights

Trim:

LXS

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$29,590
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$4,100 Based on income
Engine Type	Plug-in hybrid
EPA Electric Range	26 miles
Combined MPGe (Electric + Gas)	105 MPGe^{MPGe is the official metric that the EPA uses to measure the efficiency of alternative-fuel (including electric) vehicles. Just like regular MPG shows how far a car will travel on one gallon of gas, MPGe shows how far a vehicle will drive on 33.7kWh of electricity - the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline. Combined MPGe is the combined total of 45% city MPGe + 55% highway MPGe.}
Cost to Drive	$65/month
Total Charging Time (240V)	2.3 hours
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	19.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Niro Plug-In Hybrid models:

Blind-Spot Detection: Detects and alerts you with visual and audio warnings when a vehicle in the adjacent lane is in your blind spot.
Smart Cruise Control: Maintains a set speed and distance behind the car ahead and will bring the car to a stop briefly before relinquishing control.
Lane Departure Warning: Identifies lane markings and alerts you if you begin to drift out of your lane.

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Review

Price & Payment

2021 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Review

What's new

Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

The Right Vehicle for my needs.

Compromise Can Be Good Updated Review 6/10/25

Great car! except for...

Big Bucks for top of the line but I want it all!

2021 Niro Plug-In Hybrid Highlights

Safety

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