[Drewsel]

Really liked this car online and at the dealer, maybe even got attached to it... kinda sorta still want to buy it.

Great space. Great mileage. Solid reliability and satisfaction on Consumer Reports review site.
The EX with Tech Pkg (for the safety stuff, esp blind spot are rear cross traffic alert) is near the top end of my $ range (yep really).
Niro is around the top end for size car i want (don't laugh, I drive a 98 Honda Civic HB).

Sort of a perfect car fantasy -- match made in heaven etc.

Then I came across this forum.
Many messages about mileage decrease. Hmmm, but I could live with it if it turned out to be true.
Reports of gas leaking into oil (!) What? that's not good!!
Report of getting an error message instead of a car that starts up when it is supposed to (!!!!!!). WTF? Big problem.
In the 20 years with my current car, 3 times it hasn't started. Twice when I knowingly essentially ran it out of gas before parking it, once when the battery was done (got a jump and then went to buy a new battery).

So the fantasy is gone and unease has set in (maybe like some of my relationships, but i digress ha ha).
I'm a sensitive guy but y'all figured that out seeing how my thoughts have changed based on what I've read here.
Hard to tell how real these issues are, and whether they are like 1 in 10,000 or like 1 in 50.

My new car decision just got more complicated. Yes, it's not a bad thing to be more informed of what could go wrong. But will it?
Any experience/input from owners, especially from those that have had no issues or minor issues and maybe haven't spoken up. And even better if 2019 model Niros, non-plugin.

Reliability is such a big deal for me. My car priorities
(1) reliability - seemed great now I'm not so sure :-/
(2) utility - it's got a hatch and great space
(3a) safety - IIHS top safety pick
(3b) mileage - cuz I'm eco-conscious and cheap like that.
(4) image - (>5 years ago this didn't matter to me at all, somehow it does now, this car hits all the right image buttons for me)
(5) price - (hey if it's a great match and anywhere within my $ range, I'm all in)

Generally don't like the idea of leasing, but also thinking about that for the first time now so I could have an exit plan for a problematic car after 2-3 years. I'd rather it turn out to be super dependable and have it for 10 or 15 years cuz that's what I tend to do.

Okay that was maybe cathartic do get that all written down and "out there" albeit to a fairly small audience.

If I end up a Kia Niro owner, I promise to come back here at let everyone know how it goes over the (hopefully many) years.
Cheers,
Drewsel

 

[MFKiaNiro]

Hey Drewsel
Its easy to get caught up in the negative stuff when buying anything. These days its a crap shoot buying any car. I used to think Volvos where the toughest most dependable car made. Tough maybe, but my research found not so good on reliability. Anyway......I just bought a brand new 2018 Niro EX PHEV. I'm really loving it. Yes......there were not one, but two recalls before I even picked it up. Nothing major, so I'm not worried. I haven't bought a new car since 1975. I have always purchased pre owned from friends or business partners. I really did the research (like you have apparently done) and I am completely satisfied. I even had to go to Utah (from Southern Cal) to get the car I wanted. I believe the EX is a good choice as you get some good bells and whistles for the money. I think Kia has come a long ways in the last several years and is giving it's bed partner Hyundai a run for their money. I know Hondas a dependable, but comparably speaking aren't they a bit more pricey? Well....either way you sound like a great person. You'll make the right decision for you regardless of the pros and cons. Besides...….with a forum like this, you could overcome just about any obstacle.

 

[brandent]

Don't ever google medical symptoms. You'll convince yourself in ten minutes that you won't survive the month unless you are able to travel to Tibet to get treated by an ancient remedy that requires Sasquatch urine mixed with UFO brain fluid while standing inside a metal and glass pyramid that is really a communication device to the alien home world via telepathic powers. That's just the nature of looking on the internet.

1. I think forums invite lots of 'outlier' situations. Neither the members of the forum nor their issues are representative of the average owner. Kia sold 88,000 thousand Niros in 2018. Like any model/brand, there are always issues.

2. This isn't cutting edge technology....it's bleeding edge. This isn't Golf Mark VIII or a mid cycle refresh of a vehicle that's been in production 4 years using 90% of the same parts as most of the company. This is a brand new everything with little to no historical performance/manufacture/reliability comparatives.

3. I have a 2018 PHEV version. As far as I can tell, most of the issues were with 2017 and the first part of the 2018 build. I got mine in August 2018 and it has not been subject to ANY of the recalls and technical service bulletins mentioned here and elsewhere. They only refer to vehicles build before mine. My presumption is the 2019s are incrementally better than that and are pretty much bug free.

4. Related issue. In 26 years of marriage we have bought mostly used but also 4 new vehicles. They are in order:

a. 1995 Plymouth Neon. That's the model year the Neon debuted. Overall great car. But we found out there was a half year model the 1995 1/2 (yes that's what the dealer called it) because there were a couple issues so bad they decided to update mid model year. Found that out after the throttle stuck to the floor. Or rather not the throttle pedal and no not that sorta odd throttle issue Toyota had where it all turned out to be either user error or floormats in the way. Nope. This wasn't even the pedal but rather when the linkage entered the throttle body there was a valve or flap or whatever inside regulating the actual throughput....duh. That valve stuck wide open. So the pedal and the linkage were loose but the internal valve was stuck open. Luckily we didn't crash but let's just say when it happened, it was extremely bad situation. I got it unstuck by banging on the throttle body with a hammer. Took it to the dealer and they said there's a technical service bulletin but no recall. And the TSB wasn't free. $800 please to fix your dangerous vehicle. And that part was only the first six month of production and is why they issued a 95.5 model. Why no recall? Well apparently nobody had died yet. Recalls don't happen when problems are found. Recalls happen when it's obvious lawsuits will rain down otherwise.

b. 2000 Hyundai Elantra wagon---cruise control was flaky but nothing else. Model had been out awhile and in fact was the last year there was an Elantra wagon. For 2001 they launched the first Hyundai SUV which (the dealer even showed me) was exactly part for part an Elantra wagon other than black plastic cladding around wheel wells, larger wheels, and AWD added. Everything else was exactly the same. I got the very last Elantra on his lot and they never got any more because the SUVs had showed up. And said 'yeah, it's the same exact vehicle but even in the FWD version of the SUV, we can charge $5000 more than if it were a 'wagon' '.

c. 2001 Hyundai Accent--5 speed clutch simply wouldn't let you shift decent. Would grind into every gear (I had a commercial truck driving license at the time so know how to drive a 5 speed). Took it back to the dealer to get the clutch adjusted and that's when I found there was such a thing as an automatically adjusting clutch. The service manager's explanation was 'that's a feature'. He said Hyundai made them that way 'extra stiff' because people don't know how to drive them and they wanted more wear to be available. By 40,000 miles the clutch should be broken in he said. But for now (TSB) we are changing out the transmission grease and putting a pure synthetic in at no charge for customers who the shifting bugs them. They did....it helped....not completely....and yes by 40,000 it was smooth as silk.

d. 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan. At that point Dodge was nearly 30 years into making vans. Issues? Just the bad ones. 1. Brand new transmission desing. 6 speed. Terrible freaking transmission. Jumps and grabbed and skipped gears and all kinds of whacky crap. Nearly got stranded on a road trip. Numerous attempts at 'this time the coding upgrade is going to fix the shifting' Yep...made it worse. Took a solid 18 months before they could get the transmission to work at an acceptable (not good though) level. Sliding power doors? I want to throttle the designer. Owed it 7 years and they never did work right AND rattled and squeaked incessantly. All kinds of visits to 'fix' it. Very frustrating....just a badly designed door. and 3. The demons in the HVAC. Every freakin spring and every fall you could not get it to switch from AC to heat or vice versa. It was just plain strange. You'd get things like the defrosters blowing hot air at full speed while the AC vents threw cold air at max AC. Or front did one thing and back did another (regardless of position of the switches). Or left didn't do what the right did AC one side, heat the other (and yes the dual zone was synced/off). Or all of those at once where something different is going on at every vent. Once season transitioned played out it would settle down.

MPG issues? Nothing to do with any lack of performance on the part of Kia. All cars do it and all hybrids do it worse. So says the feds.....
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/coldweather.shtml?fbclid=IwAR1yisZbBiSn78BZi_ZaNvvZ1tGQQXL6UXvqtniBgSFgbwSRpvEstJH5auY

 

[Nouseformonkeys]

To echo what the others said:

Remember that people with negative experiences are most likely going to post their issues. The thousands of other owners who are happy with their purchase won’t feel the need to say so. There are a few happy owners that will express their satisfaction on these forums, but most who are posting are having some issue that they are trying to resolve.

That being said, if a lot of people complain about the same thing then maybe there is a serious flaw with the car.

Ultimately, it’s for you to decide how much risk that you’re willing to take. I always look at VW cars, but in the back of my mind, there are those voices that say that VWs always have problems and are expensive to fix.

 

[charlesH]

To echo what the others said:

Remember that people with negative experiences are most likely going to post their issues. The thousands of other owners who are happy with their purchase won’t feel the need to say so. There are a few happy owners that will express their satisfaction on these forums, but most who are posting are having some issue that they are trying to resolve.

That being said, if a lot of people complain about the same thing then maybe there is a serious flaw with the car.

Ultimately, it’s for you to decide how much risk that you’re willing to take. I always look at VW cars, but in the back of my mind, there are those voices that say that VWs always have problems and are expensive to fix.

yep, we LOVE our Niro. No regrets. We had a Hyundai Accent for 7 yrs and we loved it. I expect the same from the niro.

 

[FlNiro]

We love our Niro also. We only have 9500 mi. on it so far, but so far no issues at all.

 

[badyellowvette]

I to was on the fence after reading negative comments. But it was the perfect vehicle for me with an hour commute to work and 58 MPG. The price was the only thing holding me back at first then I found a 2017 EX last February and got a pretty good discount on it in the color and interior I wanted. Haven't had a single issue yet.

 

[fredct]

If 100 out of 100,000 people have problems, you’ll read about all 100 of them online and not near from most of the 99,900 who are happy with it.

Try any other car forum and you’ll find problems. That’s a large reason why people would come to a forum.

It’s only a real problem when lots and lots of people are complaining about the same thing. The fact that there seems to mostly be one or two or three people with that same problem actually seems like a pretty good sign to me. I’ve had mine for a year and a half now and haven’t had any issues.

 

[hawke]

We still own our 1999 Hyundai Elantra. The car won't quit and has been the most cost effective vehicle we've ever owned including after the 10 year warranty expired. We purchased our Kia Niro PHEV EX last July and while we only have a little over 2,000 miles on it, we haven't had any issues to date. As with the Elantra, we plan on owning the Niro long term.

 

[69385vette]

I have had my 2018 NIRO PHEV EX for about 6 months and just rolled over 10K miles. No problems at all and I really like the car. Most of my travels are in EV mode. Currently, my combined mileage is approaching 70 eMPG. When on long trips, I get the advertised 45mpg. The safety features are outstanding. rear cross traffic alert is flawless as is blind spot warning. I really like the active lane keeping assist as well. Overall it is a terrific car.

 

[eddarrah]

Really liked this car online and at the dealer, maybe even got attached to it... kinda sorta still want to buy it.

Great space. Great mileage. Solid reliability and satisfaction on Consumer Reports review site.
The EX with Tech Pkg (for the safety stuff, esp blind spot are rear cross traffic alert) is near the top end of my $ range (yep really).
Niro is around the top end for size car i want (don't laugh, I drive a 98 Honda Civic HB).

Sort of a perfect car fantasy -- match made in heaven etc.

Then I came across this forum.
Many messages about mileage decrease. Hmmm, but I could live with it if it turned out to be true.
Reports of gas leaking into oil (!) What? that's not good!!
Report of getting an error message instead of a car that starts up when it is supposed to (!!!!!!). WTF? Big problem.
In the 20 years with my current car, 3 times it hasn't started. Twice when I knowingly essentially ran it out of gas before parking it, once when the battery was done (got a jump and then went to buy a new battery).

So the fantasy is gone and unease has set in (maybe like some of my relationships, but i digress ha ha).
I'm a sensitive guy but y'all figured that out seeing how my thoughts have changed based on what I've read here.
Hard to tell how real these issues are, and whether they are like 1 in 10,000 or like 1 in 50.

My new car decision just got more complicated. Yes, it's not a bad thing to be more informed of what could go wrong. But will it?
Any experience/input from owners, especially from those that have had no issues or minor issues and maybe haven't spoken up. And even better if 2019 model Niros, non-plugin.

Reliability is such a big deal for me. My car priorities
(1) reliability - seemed great now I'm not so sure :-/
(2) utility - it's got a hatch and great space
(3a) safety - IIHS top safety pick
(3b) mileage - cuz I'm eco-conscious and cheap like that.
(4) image - (>5 years ago this didn't matter to me at all, somehow it does now, this car hits all the right image buttons for me)
(5) price - (hey if it's a great match and anywhere within my $ range, I'm all in)

Generally don't like the idea of leasing, but also thinking about that for the first time now so I could have an exit plan for a problematic car after 2-3 years. I'd rather it turn out to be super dependable and have it for 10 or 15 years cuz that's what I tend to do.

Okay that was maybe cathartic do get that all written down and "out there" albeit to a fairly small audience.

If I end up a Kia Niro owner, I promise to come back here at let everyone know how it goes over the (hopefully many) years.
Cheers,
Drewsel

I hope you get to read this. We have a 2003 Honda Civic with 99,000 miles on it, NO major problems with it other than routine maintenance and wear & tear issues, but it was just time to trade..........we were really attached to that Civic,,,,,,,,,,,,but I gotta say, there's a LOT of good info out there about the Korean brands, Kia and Hyundai,,,,,,,, the Korean brands have now this past year, beat out the Japanese across the board in terms of reliability ratings. You can't beat the warranty...........I used to think yeah that's great 10yrs/100,000 miles but what if it's in the shop all the time, compared to hardly ever with the Civic?? Well, like Honda, Kia also has side impact beams, a biggie in my opinion. We let our beloved 2003 Civic go to trade in on the 2017 Niro EX..........so far FANTASTIC experience............ yes, there were two door handles that popped off, quickly fixed, no hassle, and I've read that it's happened even on Jaguar's and BMW's ...........
ALL cars even NON hybrids suffer drastic MPG reduction in COLD winter weather.......unless you live in a warmer state, then you will STILL suffer some MPG reduction primarily because ALL 50 states get a "winter" blend of gas October - April and is less efficient MPG wise but better in colder temps in other regards.
NIRO came out in 2017..............it's new, gonna have a few bugs..............all fixable mostly by software updates..........some by old fashioned recalls............ this car feels SOLID,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, heavy snow area here in Northern NY,,,,,,,,,,,,,put on 4 snow tires (NO studs just snow tires) and it handles better than ANY vehicle I have EVER driven.........we used snow tires on the Honda too. You may come across my and/or others posts (just a few) about rodents chewing the soy coated wiring in the NIRO,,,,,,,,,,,,my experience as 7 months in and $2,300.00 but guess what? Insurance covered all but the $50 deductible and come to find out SOY wiring has replaced plastic and rubber coated wiring in ALL cars (not just hybrids) 2008 and on...............You sound like me, someone who is NOT going to lease, someone who is NOT going to trade in every 3 or 4 years..........and wants to keep a car LONG TERM..............with the 10yr/100,000 mile powertrain and 10yr/100,000 hybrid components warranty.........5 yr/60,000 bumper to bumper (that beats all others also),,,,,,,,,,,, it was a gamble we were willing to take.............. Spring Summer and Fall we see 50-63MPG,,,,,,,,,, short trips in cold winter weather can knock that down to 20MPG, short trips being 5 miles or less commuting, but even in dead cold winter, longer trips of 20 miles or more and we are in the 40's and higher.................I also had to over come a life time of MANUAL/STANDARD transmission love and move to this automatic.............BUT I learned in advance before buying what the DCT Dual Clutch Transmission was all about,,,,,,,,,,,it's and AUTOMATED STANDARD!!! When in Sport mode is shifts manually by YOU, just like a manual/standard without a clutch pedal!!! Great as I love downshifting when passing................................ ours will be 2 years old in July..............great so far.............this thing feels SO solid.............it's just quality all around.............I hope you have a great experience should you decide to join the Niro family.

 

[eddarrah]

Really liked this car online and at the dealer, maybe even got attached to it... kinda sorta still want to buy it.

Great space. Great mileage. Solid reliability and satisfaction on Consumer Reports review site.
The EX with Tech Pkg (for the safety stuff, esp blind spot are rear cross traffic alert) is near the top end of my $ range (yep really).
Niro is around the top end for size car i want (don't laugh, I drive a 98 Honda Civic HB).

Sort of a perfect car fantasy -- match made in heaven etc.

Then I came across this forum.
Many messages about mileage decrease. Hmmm, but I could live with it if it turned out to be true.
Reports of gas leaking into oil (!) What? that's not good!!
Report of getting an error message instead of a car that starts up when it is supposed to (!!!!!!). WTF? Big problem.
In the 20 years with my current car, 3 times it hasn't started. Twice when I knowingly essentially ran it out of gas before parking it, once when the battery was done (got a jump and then went to buy a new battery).

So the fantasy is gone and unease has set in (maybe like some of my relationships, but i digress ha ha).
I'm a sensitive guy but y'all figured that out seeing how my thoughts have changed based on what I've read here.
Hard to tell how real these issues are, and whether they are like 1 in 10,000 or like 1 in 50.

My new car decision just got more complicated. Yes, it's not a bad thing to be more informed of what could go wrong. But will it?
Any experience/input from owners, especially from those that have had no issues or minor issues and maybe haven't spoken up. And even better if 2019 model Niros, non-plugin.

Reliability is such a big deal for me. My car priorities
(1) reliability - seemed great now I'm not so sure :-/
(2) utility - it's got a hatch and great space
(3a) safety - IIHS top safety pick
(3b) mileage - cuz I'm eco-conscious and cheap like that.
(4) image - (>5 years ago this didn't matter to me at all, somehow it does now, this car hits all the right image buttons for me)
(5) price - (hey if it's a great match and anywhere within my $ range, I'm all in)

Generally don't like the idea of leasing, but also thinking about that for the first time now so I could have an exit plan for a problematic car after 2-3 years. I'd rather it turn out to be super dependable and have it for 10 or 15 years cuz that's what I tend to do.

Okay that was maybe cathartic do get that all written down and "out there" albeit to a fairly small audience.

If I end up a Kia Niro owner, I promise to come back here at let everyone know how it goes over the (hopefully many) years.
Cheers,
Drewsel

Another point worth noting,,,,,,,,, I was surprised to learn of some serious engine issues with the Honda Civics of the past few years..............just a thought........ Again, we have the EX and I'm sure you'll love it.

 

[eddarrah]

Really liked this car online and at the dealer, maybe even got attached to it... kinda sorta still want to buy it.

Great space. Great mileage. Solid reliability and satisfaction on Consumer Reports review site.
The EX with Tech Pkg (for the safety stuff, esp blind spot are rear cross traffic alert) is near the top end of my $ range (yep really).
Niro is around the top end for size car i want (don't laugh, I drive a 98 Honda Civic HB).

Sort of a perfect car fantasy -- match made in heaven etc.

Then I came across this forum.
Many messages about mileage decrease. Hmmm, but I could live with it if it turned out to be true.
Reports of gas leaking into oil (!) What? that's not good!!
Report of getting an error message instead of a car that starts up when it is supposed to (!!!!!!). WTF? Big problem.
In the 20 years with my current car, 3 times it hasn't started. Twice when I knowingly essentially ran it out of gas before parking it, once when the battery was done (got a jump and then went to buy a new battery).

So the fantasy is gone and unease has set in (maybe like some of my relationships, but i digress ha ha).
I'm a sensitive guy but y'all figured that out seeing how my thoughts have changed based on what I've read here.
Hard to tell how real these issues are, and whether they are like 1 in 10,000 or like 1 in 50.

My new car decision just got more complicated. Yes, it's not a bad thing to be more informed of what could go wrong. But will it?
Any experience/input from owners, especially from those that have had no issues or minor issues and maybe haven't spoken up. And even better if 2019 model Niros, non-plugin.

Reliability is such a big deal for me. My car priorities
(1) reliability - seemed great now I'm not so sure :-/
(2) utility - it's got a hatch and great space
(3a) safety - IIHS top safety pick
(3b) mileage - cuz I'm eco-conscious and cheap like that.
(4) image - (>5 years ago this didn't matter to me at all, somehow it does now, this car hits all the right image buttons for me)
(5) price - (hey if it's a great match and anywhere within my $ range, I'm all in)

Generally don't like the idea of leasing, but also thinking about that for the first time now so I could have an exit plan for a problematic car after 2-3 years. I'd rather it turn out to be super dependable and have it for 10 or 15 years cuz that's what I tend to do.

Okay that was maybe cathartic do get that all written down and "out there" albeit to a fairly small audience.

If I end up a Kia Niro owner, I promise to come back here at let everyone know how it goes over the (hopefully many) years.
Cheers,
Drewsel

Somewhere on this forum you will find a use who has posted pics and video, of his 2017 Niro, and he has already surpassed 200,000 miles with NO problems,,,,,, lots of miles in a short time but he drives extensively for work. His is a very good testament.

 

[DBJM]

Drewsel -- as others have said, a forum like this probably attracts a disproportionate number of complaints. Don't let the number of complaints posted here deter you from buying this car. Look at the numerous reviews on YouTube and in the car magazines -- very positive reviews, on average. If you think it's a dream car, and you still feel that way after test driving it, then follow your instincts. If you are in the market for a small crossover, in the 25K to 32K price range, and you want one that gets great gas mileage, this is a smart choice.

 

[jaxterra]

I like it but I'm disappointed in the gas mileage the sticker stated 46 hwy on my touring but I normally get 36-42 mpg maybe its the cold since I bought it in November but we don't get extremely cold weather here in Memphis. And I get confused my coworker has a 2019 base model and his says 545 on a fillup till empty mine never says over 475.

I think I've gotten 46 once on a 35 mile trip on the hwy but it was like 65 degrees.

 

[yticolev]

I easily exceed sticker mpg rating in summer. Never in cold weather. Hang in there.

 

[ralser]

We had problems the day after we bought (they were just issuing a recall). Since then no problems. Mileage is down, but we've had some pretty cold weather this winter (in Madison, WI).

 

[jaxterra]

I easily exceed sticker mpg rating in summer. Never in cold weather. Hang in there.

I hope it gets better. Thats why I bought it for 46+mpg.

 

[yticolev]

I've owned mine for just over a year. At the 12 month mark in four season weather and 16,000 miles, I was at 52.04 mpg for the year on a trim rated 49 mpg. I would have done even better had I not prioritized riding my motorcycle in the summer (which has a lifetime average of 79 mpg). Mind you, I drive pretty slow in the car and with a max speed of 65 mph.

 

[Drewsel]

Thanks everyone...

Don't let this stop you, but I did want to say a sincere thanks for everyone's input here! I read them all (after all, I asked for input) Good to get some balance with the unlucky ones. Still have a few brands/models to look at and drive. Really seem like most of the issues have been with the 2017 and 2018 models.

If the mpg turned out to be lower, wouldn't be awful for me. Also, a recall would be a pain but not awful. What would be awful is coming back from a 20-mile trail run, still 10 miles from cell service, sun going down, and having the thing not start. But it looks like that isn't very common at all - and most chiming in here about that problem commented about cold temperatures of some sort, 32F or lower. That'd be rare for me, and I'll likely not leave Cali (I'd have to be dragged out kicking and screaming by my wallet or something like that).

Drewsel