Compare the2022 Ford EcoSportVS 2022 Kia Niro

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Ford EcoSport 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.

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

The EcoSport has standard 911 Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions 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 EcoSport and the Niro 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 blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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

	EcoSport	Niro
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	38%	80%
Neck Stress	200 lbs.	207 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 Ford EcoSport is safer than the Kia Niro:

	EcoSport	Niro
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	71	138
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	95 lbs.	196 lbs.
Hip Force	337 lbs.	342 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	77 G’s
Hip Force	685 lbs.	993 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	549 lbs.	712 lbs.

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

Warranty

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

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the EcoSport’s warranty.

Engine

The EcoSport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 27 more horsepower (166 vs. 139) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the EcoSport and Niro have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. The EcoSport has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The EcoSport has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (13.8 vs. 11.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The EcoSport has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Niro doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	EcoSport	Niro
Front Rotors	11.8 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.7 inches	10.3 inches

The EcoSport stops much shorter than the Niro:

	EcoSport	Niro
60 to 0 MPH	132 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The EcoSport offers an optional space-saver spare tire 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.

Chassis

The EcoSport is 10.2 inches shorter than the Niro, making the EcoSport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the EcoSport uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Niro doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The EcoSport has 1.2 inches more front legroom and 2.6 inches more rear hip room than the Niro.

Cargo Capacity

The EcoSport has a much larger cargo volume than the Niro with its rear seat up (20.9 vs. 19.4 cubic feet).

Towing

The EcoSport has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Niro has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the EcoSport uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Niro doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the EcoSport’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Niro doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The EcoSport’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’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The EcoSport’s standard 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. The EcoSport SES/Titanium’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The EcoSport (except S) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Niro doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

The Ford EcoSport outsold the Kia Niro by over two to one during the 2021 model year.