Kia · Niro · 2025
1
Recall
9
Complaints
4/5
Safety Rating
The 2025 Kia Niro has 1 recall and 9 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: unknown or other (6 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
11.8% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
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 Status
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. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC332.
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. Their report clearly shows the difference between the unsafe alignment I received from Kia and the corrected alignment they performed. In summary: • Kia performed an alignment that was not actually within proper specifications. • I was told the alignment was correct when it was not. • The vehicle felt unsafe to drive after Kia’s service. • Firestone’s diagnostic confirmed the alignment was significantly off. • Firestone corrected the alignment and the vehicle immediately drove normally. I am filing this complaint because the dealership returned my vehicle in a condition that affected its stability and safety, and the documentation from Firestone clearly supports this.
I believe the issue is related to something connected to the AC system or a component underneath the hood. The exact part that malfunctioned has not been confirmed. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because some kind of leak or fumes were being sent into the car through the AC vents, causing myself and others in the vehicle to feel sick. I have taken the car to 3 Kia Dealerships. All of which have been extremely dishonest (have tons of proof) and say they cannot verify problem. I took it to an outside independent shop and they verified it instantly and wrote a very detailed invoice about the problem. They couldnt pin point where it was coming from though. The vehicle has only been inspected by the 3 Kia Dealerships and the independant shop Brake Busters I purchased the car in November of 2025 and had no problems until February 22nd 2026. No warnihg lights or messages came on prior. The symtoms that started were Nausea, Headaches, light headedness, vision blurry, and almost caused me to pass out at wheel several times.
On now 4 occasions--intermittently my car will go into drive when shifted into the reverse shift I don't know what component is impacting this. My safety and others safety is at risk by my car literally going forward when it's supposed to be in reverse. I've taken my car to the dealership two times and they have not been able to recreate it or fix anything. I've reached out to KIA corporate for a resolution but have not gotten follow up: Case#XXX (case where I was supposed to get a response from a case manger) and XXX (original case). To my knowledge I don't know if it's been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others No warning lamps or signs. It happens intermittently and seemingly no rhyme or reason when it happens. This happened back in November 2025 and most recently this April.
On November 3, 2025 I had an accident/event in my KIA Niro. At 2:20 I had been sitting in my car with the engine running and the gear was in (P) park. I was on an incline. When I saw the child I was babysitting ‘s bus arrived, hopped out of the car (it was still running) and walked behind the car, and stood waiting for him. I told him to hold on and we would go inside after I grabbed my phone and turned the car off. I opened my drivers side door to grab my phone, when the car started moving very rapidly backwards. I made every effort get control of the car but I was unable to, as I was hanging half in half out of the car. I collided with a Toyota truck, and damaged the passenger side rear bumper and lights and the side panel on the passenger side. It all happened immediately after I opened the driver side door. By the grace of God my charge and myself were not hurt, as we were standing directly behind the car moments before I went to turn off my engine and get my phone.
I am reporting a serious safety concern regarding the 2025 Kia Niro Hybrid and its adaptive cruise control system. When the cruise control is activated and set to maintain a certain speed, the vehicle continues at that speed regardless of whether there are other vehicles in front of it. In multiple instances, the car approached slower-moving vehicles at 45 mph without reducing speed or giving any warnings. There was no automatic braking or even a prompt to alert the driver of the imminent danger. This is extremely dangerous and could easily result in a rear-end collision if the driver is not fully alert. It is especially surprising because the same vehicle features intelligent climate control functions—such as adjusting fan speed during phone calls and preventing windshield washer fluid odors from entering the cabin while the A/C is running. Given the level of attention to such minor details, the lack of basic forward collision mitigation behavior is unacceptable. The issue was reported to a Kia service center, but no clear explanation or resolution was provided. I believe this may be a software bug or a design oversight that has not been properly acknowledged. Recommendation to other drivers: always keep your eyes on the road and be ready to intervene, even if the adaptive cruise system is engaged. The risk of collision is high if you rely on the system to slow down for vehicles ahead. This needs to be investigated immediately before it leads to serious accidents. I urge the NHTSA to review this issue and, if necessary, request a recall or software update from the manufacturer.
I'm writing to express my disappointment and frustration with my recent car purchase. The salesperson's failure to clearly explain the contract has left me with unexpected expenses and a higher payment than anticipated. Furthermore, the car's persistent malfunctions have caused me significant stress and anxiety. The manager told me he was not inclined to help me because he did not like my survey answers so he wouldn't help me like any other customer and I made sure he clarified this . The first day I had it at 40 miles I tried to take it back because I could not get the car to get out of traffic it would not go in any gear it just wouldn't Now, thr R flashes red, the backup camera stays on while driving forward for a while, zero rpms when your going 75, then so fast you can't see #s, window fluid comes right back in your face, something new all the time. Went hunting and had to back down a small hill and get a running start to make it. It's a brand new car. Should not be having problems. Despite my efforts to address these issues, the dealer's lack of cooperation, and Kia Customer Care, have only added to my distress. I just get passed from one person to the next. I ask to speak to a certain person and they won't let me or look into my notes. They told me they were kia property and i could not. This car is going to get me killed or badly hurt. I hope that you will take my complaints seriously and take immediate action to rectify this situation. Car will not go into gear after backing up go to put it in drive. Nothing. Stuck in traffic for 10 minutes. I took the car back to them within 36 hours the car had 40 miles on it I told them it was a brand new car and this should not be happening already and I asked if I could just get my truck back which I knew was dependable. They refused I took it back two more times they never asked to get it looked at they had a kid the first time get in my car with me and drive from one side of the building to the next so
I'm writing to express my disappointment and frustration with my recent car purchase. The salesperson's failure to clearly explain the contract has left me with unexpected expenses and a higher payment than anticipated. Furthermore, the car's persistent malfunctions have caused me significant stress and anxiety. The manager told me he was not inclined to help me because he did not like my survey answers so he wouldn't help me like any other customer and I made sure he clarified this . The first day I had it at 40 miles I tried to take it back because I could not get the car to get out of traffic it would not go in any gear it just wouldn't Now, thr R flashes red, the backup camera stays on while driving forward for a while, zero rpms when your going 75, then so fast you can't see #s, window fluid comes right back in your face, something new all the time. Went hunting and had to back down a small hill and get a running start to make it. It's a brand new car. Should not be having problems. Despite my efforts to address these issues, the dealer's lack of cooperation, and Kia Customer Care, have only added to my distress. I just get passed from one person to the next. I ask to speak to a certain person and they won't let me or look into my notes. They told me they were kia property and i could not. This car is going to get me killed or badly hurt. I hope that you will take my complaints seriously and take immediate action to rectify this situation. Car will not go into gear after backing up go to put it in drive. Nothing. Stuck in traffic for 10 minutes. I took the car back to them within 36 hours the car had 40 miles on it I told them it was a brand new car and this should not be happening already and I asked if I could just get my truck back which I knew was dependable. They refused I took it back two more times they never asked to get it looked at they had a kid the first time get in my car with me and drive from one side of the building to the next so
The engine light went on. I took the car into the dealer, where they explained that the navigation system needs to be updated. But they couldn't update the navigation system, because the Kia website for that is down. Since this isn't actually an engine issue, I retrieved my car. The dealer suggested that I try to update the nav system myself, as the website for consumers is different from that for dealers. No dice: that website is down. 1. The fact that my car needs a map update causes the engine light to go on? That's misleading--bad design, in my opinion. 2. The navigation system update website being down means that I'm driving around with the engine light on. If an engine issue occurs now, I might disregard it because the light's on already. 3. According to Kia's technical service bulletin on this subject, nav system are available in spring and fall. So if I do get this fixed anytime soon, it'll just happen again in the fall.
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.
The 2025 Kia Niro has 1 recall recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 9 owner-reported complaints for the 2025 Kia Niro.
The 2025 Kia Niro received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2025 Kia Niro are unknown or other (6 reports), electrical system,air bags,seat belts (1 reports), forward collision avoidance (1 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 1 recall on record for the 2025 Kia Niro. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.