2025 Kia Niro Problems & Complaints

Use caution2.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Niro at the same age

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2025 Kia Niro with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 2.8× as many as a typical Niro model year at the same age — above average, so look closely at the problem areas below before you buy. The most reported problem area is the electrical system (3 complaints). One recall covers this model year.

17complaints
1recalls
2crashes
0fires
0injuries
0deaths

Most common 2025 Kia Niro problems

  • Other / not specified
    847%
  • Electrical system
    318%
  • Suspension
    318%
  • Driver assistance~35,000 miles
    212%
  • Wheels & tires
    212%
  • Engine & cooling
    212%
  • Air bags
    16%
  • Seat belts
    16%
  • Steering
    16%
  • Speed control & acceleration
    16%
  • Transmission & drivetrain
    16%

Share of the 17 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Kia Niro complaints by model year

20172018201920202021202220232024202582605639931441017
Owner complaints per model year, Kia Niro. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best Niro years: 2021. Years to avoid: 2023, 2025, 2022. Compare all years →

2025 Kia Niro recalls (1)

Seats

NHTSA recall 25V-024 · Jan 17, 2025 · 80,255 vehicles

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.

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.

What 2025 Kia Niro owners say

Electrical system

Finally got car back from previous repairs and it was making a loud groaning noise all the time. Took it back to dealership and they said they had to repair the rack and pinion system and the gears were shredded. Employee says they now have another niro with the same problem as my original symptoms when transmission was replaced twice. Car has consistently had problems with the RPMs being incredibly high at low speeds but the dealership can't seem to replicate the problem. Car randomly switched over to manual mode after a long drive. Video of problems given to employee and just said he's going to give them to his field technician. Car has now been at the dealer for over 4 months and was finally returned because they can't reproduce the problem.

Jun 2026

Took car in and dealership kept it. Recall indicated that parts were available, however, dealership says that because there's additional fraying of wires, they don't have the parts. When I contacted Kia corporate, they confirmed that they have release of parts indicated as "TBD." According to NHTSA records, they should have the parts but they say they don't and can't indicate when parts will be available.

Jan 2025

Suspension

I visited Car Pros Kia Tacoma for a wheel alignment on my 2025 Kia Niro EV. After the service, I was told the alignment was completed correctly and I was given a printout showing all values in the green. However, the vehicle did not feel stable or safe to drive afterward. The steering felt off, and the car did not track straight. Because the vehicle felt unsafe, I took it to Firestone the next day for a second opinion. Firestone performed a full alignment check and their "before" measurements showed that the alignment was significantly out of specification, including major issues with front toe, rear toe, and thrust angle. These values were far outside normal ranges and could affect handling and safety. Firestone then corrected the alignment, and their "after" measurements showed the vehicle was properly aligned and driving normally again. …

Feb 2026

Finally got car back from previous repairs and it was making a loud groaning noise all the time. Took it back to dealership and they said they had to repair the rack and pinion system and the gears were shredded. Employee says they now have another niro with the same problem as my original symptoms when transmission was replaced twice. Car has consistently had problems with the RPMs being incredibly high at low speeds but the dealership can't seem to replicate the problem. Car randomly switched over to manual mode after a long drive. Video of problems given to employee and just said he's going to give them to his field technician. Car has now been at the dealer for over 4 months and was finally returned because they can't reproduce the problem.

Jun 2026

2025 Kia Niro engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combinedRange
ElectricSingle-speedFWD126 / 101 / 113 MPGe253 mi
1.6L 4-cyl hybrid6-speed dual-clutchFWD53 / 54 / 53—
1.6L 4-cyl plug-in hybrid6-speed dual-clutchFWD49 / 47 / 48—

EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Kia Niro a good car?

Based on 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2025 Niro rates use caution: 2.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Niro at the same age. It is one of the Niro years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.

What is the most common problem with the 2025 Kia Niro?

The electrical system — 3 complaints, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the suspension (3) and driver assistance (2).

How many recalls does the 2025 Kia Niro have?

There is 1 recall for the 2025 Kia Niro, the most recent from January 17, 2025 (seats). 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?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2025 and 2022. See the full Kia Niro years comparison.

At what mileage do 2025 Kia Niro problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 35,000 miles; 100% 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.