Most common 2019 Kia Niro Phev problems
Share of the 26 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Niro Phev complaints by model year
Best Niro Phev years: 2020, 2023. Years to avoid: 2022. Compare all years →
2019 Kia Niro Phev recalls (1)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Internal › Clutches/bands › Actuators/solenoids
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Niro and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Fluid may leak into the printed circuit board inside the hydraulic clutch actuator, which can result in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2019 Kia Niro Phev:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2019 Kia Niro Phev owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
I don't know what components are involved. When attempting to move forward from a stop the car does not respond immediately. Then there is clunk noise and a lurch forward. Sometimes when this happens it feels like the car has been hit from behind. The problem began about a year ago and has been into the dealer's service center several times. I believe during one of those service visits a reset of something was done that seemed to resolve the issue for several months. The problem is intermittent. Dealer has been unable to reproduce the issue, but stated the last time the car was in for service that another customer with the same year and make was having the same symptoms and a tech that had been allowed to use the car for over a week did not experience the issue. No warning lights or codes are associated with the issue. …
My car sometimes lurches when I am moving from a stopped position. This is dangerous as it causes the car to hesitate when I am sometimes pulling out across traffic for a left turn. It is especially frequent when I am on a slight incline. It feels like it might have something to do with the transmission shifting from the EV mode. I have read about other people having the same problem with this car on online forums but there have been no recalls and they have the same trouble getting their dealerships to fix it. I took my car to the dealership multiple times, and they were able to reproduce the issue and thought it was initially something to do with calibrating the computers. It seemed to temporarily "fix" it so I picked it back up, just to have the same problem a week later. …
Engine & cooling
I don't know what components are involved. When attempting to move forward from a stop the car does not respond immediately. Then there is clunk noise and a lurch forward. Sometimes when this happens it feels like the car has been hit from behind. The problem began about a year ago and has been into the dealer's service center several times. I believe during one of those service visits a reset of something was done that seemed to resolve the issue for several months. The problem is intermittent. Dealer has been unable to reproduce the issue, but stated the last time the car was in for service that another customer with the same year and make was having the same symptoms and a tech that had been allowed to use the car for over a week did not experience the issue. No warning lights or codes are associated with the issue. …
On 7-31-2022 while traveling on the freeway the gas engine shut down, HEV triangle came on and the information center on the car displayed "turn off car restart" on this trip it happened three times. I took the car to the dealer and they had it for a month and could not get it to act up. On 5-5-2023 it did it again twice, I called the dealer and they did not have a loaner car, they said they would let me know when they do. On the 6-30-2023 it did it eleven times. I called the dealer and they checked the car into service a mouth later 7-2023. The car has been at the dealer since then, now it is 12-2023. The dealer has not been able to get it to act up. I call KIA customer service and they told me they would not do the recall unless the dealer can repeat the problem. When this happens, I have only a limited amount of room to get the car off the road. …
Fuel & propulsion system
I don't know what components are involved. When attempting to move forward from a stop the car does not respond immediately. Then there is clunk noise and a lurch forward. Sometimes when this happens it feels like the car has been hit from behind. The problem began about a year ago and has been into the dealer's service center several times. I believe during one of those service visits a reset of something was done that seemed to resolve the issue for several months. The problem is intermittent. Dealer has been unable to reproduce the issue, but stated the last time the car was in for service that another customer with the same year and make was having the same symptoms and a tech that had been allowed to use the car for over a week did not experience the issue. No warning lights or codes are associated with the issue. …
I have a used 2019 Niro PHEV. I started getting a loud jerk when starting from a full stop. At first it started happened in EV mode only but I've had it happen in Hybrid mode a couple of times ( not sure if the engine is actually working or just on for Heating). The sound and jerk can best be described as what happens when you drive a stick shift and you pull the clutch too quickly in first gear without any gas and the car jerks forward. It also feels like I've been rear ended. The car feels unsafe the drive. There were no warning lights. Dealer hasn't reproduced it yet. I just brought it in. Please see these forum posts about this issue. Many others are experiencing this: https://www.kianiroforum.com/threads/brand-new-2019-phev-loud-jerking-noise-when-starting-from-full-stop.8740/ https://www.kia-forums.com/threads/occasional-hard-loud-shift-from-start-on-new-niro-phev.342780/
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2019 Kia Niro Phev a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the Niro Phev to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2019 Kia Niro Phev?
The transmission & drivetrain — 9 complaints, 35% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (4) and fuel & propulsion system (3).
How many recalls does the 2019 Kia Niro Phev have?
There is 1 recall for the 2019 Kia Niro Phev, the most recent from July 31, 2023 (actuators/solenoids). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Niro Phev?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022. See the full Kia Niro Phev years comparison.
At what mileage do 2019 Kia Niro Phev problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 3,000 miles; 89% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.