Compare the2023 Kia NiroVS 2022 Nissan Rogue Sport

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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Both the Niro and the Rogue Sport 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, crash mitigating brakes, 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 Rogue Sport’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 Nissan covers the Rogue Sport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Rogue Sport 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 Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 10th.

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 Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 60 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 20th.

Engine

The Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 147) than the Rogue Sport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Niro gets better mileage than the Rogue Sport:

			MPG
Niro
	FWD	1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/54 hwy
		Touring 1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/45 hwy
Rogue Sport
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 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 Rogue Sport doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Niro’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the Rogue Sport (107.1 inches vs. 104.2 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Niro’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Rogue Sport’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.9 feet).

Chassis

The Kia Niro may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 pounds less than the Nissan Rogue Sport.

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 Rogue Sport (.33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Niro get better fuel mileage.

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

Passenger Space

The Niro has .9 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 6.4 inches more rear legroom and 6.1 inches more rear hip room than the Rogue Sport.

Cargo Capacity

The Niro has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Rogue Sport with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 61.1 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 Rogue Sport 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 Rogue Sport 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 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 Rogue Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Niro’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Rogue Sport’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Niro and the Rogue Sport have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Niro is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Rogue Sport prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Niro SX’s front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches, and the driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Rogue Sport’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

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

The Niro EX/SX/Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Rogue Sport’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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

The Niro’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Rogue Sport SV/SL.

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 Rogue Sport’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 is only available on the Rogue Sport SV/SL.

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 is only available on the Rogue Sport SV/SL.

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 Rogue Sport doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.