Compare the2022 Toyota MiraiVS 2022 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Mirai have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The Toyota Mirai has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Mirai has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Mirai has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Mirai offers optional Automated Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Mirai offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Mirai has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

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

The Toyota Mirai weighs 805 to 944 pounds more than the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

The Mirai’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Mirai for 3 years and 35000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Niro Plug-In Hybrid.

There are over 62 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Mirai’s warranty.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Kia is ranked 15th.

Engine

The Mirai’s electric motor produces 43 more horsepower (182 vs. 139) and 105 lbs.-ft. more torque (300 vs. 195) than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Mirai higher (10 out of 10) than the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid (7). This means the Mirai produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Mirai’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Mirai has larger standard tires than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid (235/55R19 vs. 205/60R16). The Mirai Limited’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid (245/45R20 vs. 205/60R16).

The Mirai’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s standard 60 series tires. The Mirai Limited’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Mirai has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 16-inch wheels are available on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid. The Mirai Limited offers optional 20-inch wheels.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mirai’s wheelbase is 8.6 inches longer than on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid (114.9 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Mirai is 1.7 inches wider in the front and .9 inches wider in the rear than on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid.

Passenger Space

The Mirai has .5 inches more front legroom, 2.8 inches more front hip room, 2.4 inches more front shoulder room and 4.5 inches more rear hip room than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid.

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, valet key and remote trunk release lockout, the Mirai offers cargo security. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s sport utility bodystyle defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Mirai. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The Mirai uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Mirai Limited has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Mirai’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Mirai’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Mirai the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Niro Plug-In Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Mirai’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Mirai Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the Mirai Limited to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The Mirai’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX/EX Premium.

The Mirai has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats are only available on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX/EX Premium. The Mirai Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Niro Plug-In Hybrid.

Standard air conditioned seats in front and rear seats keep the Mirai Limited’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

Both the Mirai and the Niro Plug-In Hybrid offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Mirai has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Mirai has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX/EX Premium offers wireless charging.

The Mirai Limited’s Intelligent Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.