Compare the2022 Kia NiroVS 2021 Fiat 500X

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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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 500X doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Autonomous Emergency Braking optional in the Niro as “Superior.” The 500X scores only 4 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The 500X doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Niro and the 500X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

Warranty

The Niro comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The 500X’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Fiat covers the 500X. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the 500X ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are Fiat dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Niro’s warranty.

Reliability

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 40 points higher than the 500X.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Niro gets better mileage than the 500X:

		MPG
Niro
	LX 1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/48 hwy
	LXS/EX 1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	51 city/46 hwy
	Touring 1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	46 city/40 hwy
500X
	1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Niro’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The 500X doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Niro uses regular unleaded gasoline. The 500X requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Niro higher (7 out of 10) than the Fiat 500X (6). This means the Niro produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 500X every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Niro offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The 500X doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

The Niro stops shorter than the 500X:

	Niro	500X
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro’s wheelbase is 5.1 inches longer than on the 500X (106.3 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Niro is .7 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the 500X.

The Niro Touring SE handles at .82 G’s, while the 500X Trekking pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Niro Touring SE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the 500X Trekking (27.3 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Niro’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the 500X’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.3 feet).

Chassis

The design of the Kia Niro amounts to more than styling. The Niro has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly lower than the 500X (.35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Niro get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The Niro has 9.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 500X (100.9 vs. 91.7).

The Niro has 1 inch more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 2.6 inches more rear legroom and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the 500X.

The front step up height for the Niro is 3.9 inches lower than the 500X (15.5” vs. 19.4”). The Niro’s rear step up height is 3.4 inches lower than the 500X’s (16.2” vs. 19.6”).

Cargo Capacity

The Niro has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the 500X with its rear seat up (19.4 vs. 14.1 cubic feet). The Niro has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the 500X with its rear seat folded (54.5 vs. 39.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Niro easier. The Niro’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the 500X’s liftover is 31.4 inches.

The Niro’s cargo area is larger than the 500X’s in every dimension:

	Niro	500X
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	31.8”/64”	n/a
Max Width	48.2”	41.3”
Min Width	41”	37.8”
Height	36”	28.8”

Ergonomics

The Niro has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The 500X doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Niro has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The 500X only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

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 500X’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 500X 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 500X doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The 500X doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Niro has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the 500X and isn’t available on the 500X Pop.

The Niro’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The 500X Pop doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Niro has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The 500X doesn’t offer rear vents.

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 500X doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.