Compare the2023 Kia NiroVS 2022 Jeep Renegade

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
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 Renegade doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Niro’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 Renegade doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Niro and the Renegade 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available front and rear parking sensors.

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 Renegade’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Jeep covers the Renegade. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Renegade ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 19th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 4 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Niro gets better mileage than the Renegade:

			MPG
Niro
	FWD	1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/54 hwy
		Touring 1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/45 hwy
Renegade
	FWD	1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy
	AWD	1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
		Trailhawk 1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy

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

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

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 Renegade doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Tires and Wheels

The Niro’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 Renegade’s standard 65 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro’s wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than on the Renegade (107.1 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Niro is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Renegade.

For better maneuverability, the Niro’s turning circle is .5 feet tighter than the Renegade Trailhawk 4x4’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.3 feet). The Niro’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Renegade’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 Renegade (.35 to .37) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Niro get better fuel mileage.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Niro has standard flush composite headlights. The Renegade has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

Passenger Space

The Niro has .3 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front shoulder room, 4.7 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Renegade.

Cargo Capacity

The Niro has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Renegade with its rear seat up (22.8 vs. 18.5 cubic feet). The Niro has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Renegade with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 50.8 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Niro SX’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Niro’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Renegade doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Servicing Ease

The Niro uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Renegade 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

When two different drivers share the Niro SX, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Renegade doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Niro SX’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Renegade doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

On a hot day the Niro’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Renegade can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Renegade doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Niro’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Renegade’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Renegade has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited.

When the Niro SX 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 Renegade’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Niro has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Renegade.

Both the Niro and the Renegade offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Niro EX/SX/Touring has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Renegade 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 Kia Niro EX/SX/Touring has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Renegade doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.