Compare the2022 Kia NiroVS 2022 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Niro are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Ioniq Hybrid doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Niro has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Ioniq Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Niro and the Ioniq Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Niro’s reliability 17 points higher than the Ioniq Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 8th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 7th.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Niro is faster than the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid:

The Niro stops much shorter than the Ioniq Hybrid:

For better traction, the Niro has larger standard tires than the Ioniq Hybrid (205/60R16 vs. 195/65R15).

The Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ioniq Hybrid’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium has standard 16-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Ioniq Hybrid. The Niro Touring SE’s 18-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels optional on the Ioniq Hybrid Limited.

The Niro has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Ioniq Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer rear gas-charged shocks.

The Niro Touring SE handles at .82 G’s, while the Ioniq Hybrid SEL pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Niro is 4.5 inches shorter than the Ioniq Hybrid, making the Niro easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Niro has 4.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Ioniq Hybrid (100.9 vs. 96.2).

The Niro has 1 inch more front headroom, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Ioniq Hybrid.

The Niro LXS/Touring/Touring Special Edition/EX Premium has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Ioniq Hybrid doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Niro’s standard front power windows lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Ioniq Hybrid’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Niro has a standard rear wiper. The Ioniq Hybrid doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

When the Niro with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Ioniq Hybrid’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Niro EX Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Ioniq Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Niro EX Premium’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Ioniq Hybrid doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Niro Touring SE/EX Premium has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Ioniq Hybrid doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Niro and the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Consumer Reports performed a comparison test in its September 2017 issue and they ranked the Kia Niro LXS higher than the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid SEL.

The Kia Niro outsold the Hyundai Ioniq by 17% during the 2021 model year.