Compare the2022 Nissan Rogue SportVS 2022 Kia Niro

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Nissan Rogue Sport 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 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Rogue Sport has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Niro doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Rogue Sport offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Niro doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Rogue Sport (except S) offers an optional Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Niro 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 Rogue Sport has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Rogue Sport has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium has a rear cross-path warning system.

The Rogue Sport SL has standard NissanConnect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Niro 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 Rogue Sport and the Niro 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 and available driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Rogue Sport is safer than the Kia Niro:

	Rogue Sport	Niro
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	132	224
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35.3%	80%
Neck Stress	189 lbs.	207 lbs.
Neck Compression	34 lbs.	63 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Rogue Sport is safer than the Kia Niro:

	Rogue Sport	Niro
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	106	138
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	156 lbs.	196 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	77 G’s
Hip Force	504 lbs.	993 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	590 lbs.	712 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Rogue Sport’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Niro runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are over 40 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Rogue Sport’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 Rogue Sport’s reliability 17 points higher than the Niro.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan fifth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 6th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 2 places higher in reliability than Kia.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Rogue Sport is faster than the Kia Niro:

	Rogue Sport	Niro
Zero to 60 MPH	9.8 sec	9.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	80.6 MPH	80.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Rogue Sport has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (14.5 vs. 11.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Rogue Sport has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Niro doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Rogue Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Niro:

	Rogue Sport	Niro
Front Rotors	11.65 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.5 inches	10.3 inches

The Rogue Sport’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 are solid, not vented.

The Rogue Sport stops shorter than the Niro:

	Rogue Sport	Niro
60 to 0 MPH	134 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Rogue Sport has larger standard tires than the Niro (215/60R17 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Rogue Sport S/SV has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium. The Rogue Sport SL’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Niro Touring SE.

The Rogue Sport has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Niro doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Rogue Sport has a standard space-saver spare (not available on SL AWD) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Niro; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Rogue Sport has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Niro doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

Passenger Space

The Rogue Sport has 1.1 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more front shoulder room and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Niro.

Cargo Capacity

The Rogue Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Niro with its rear seat up (22.9 vs. 19.4 cubic feet). The Rogue Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Niro with its rear seat folded (61.1 vs. 54.5 cubic feet).

The Rogue Sport’s cargo area is larger than the Niro’s in almost every dimension:

	Rogue Sport	Niro
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	33.3”/62.3”	31.8”/64”
Max Width	54.2”	48.2”
Min Width	43.5”	41”
Height	33.3”	36”

Payload

The Rogue Sport has a higher standard payload capacity than the Niro (1115 vs. 962 lbs.).

Ergonomics

When different drivers share the Rogue Sport SV/SL, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Niro doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Rogue Sport’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Niro’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Rogue Sport and the Kia Niro, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Nissan Rogue outsold the Kia Niro by almost 13 to one during the 2021 model year.