Compare the2023 Kia Niro EVVS 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

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

Safety

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Both the Niro EV and Crosstrek Hybrid have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Niro EV offers optional power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Niro EV has standard Parking Distance Warning to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or, for the Niro EV Wave in front of the vehicle. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

Both the Niro EV and the Crosstrek Hybrid 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Warranty

The Niro EV comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

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

There are over 22 percent more Kia dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Niro EV’s warranty.

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 Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 35 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 20th, 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 Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 81 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 22nd.

Engine

The Niro EV’s standard electric motor produces 53 more horsepower (201 vs. 148) than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Niro EV can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 253 miles. The Crosstrek Hybrid has to start its internal combustion engine after only 17 miles.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro EV’s wheelbase is 2.1 inches longer than on the Crosstrek Hybrid (107 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Niro EV’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Crosstrek Hybrid’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

Passenger Space

The Niro EV has .7 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more rear headroom and .2 inches more rear legroom than the Crosstrek Hybrid.

Cargo Capacity

The Niro EV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek Hybrid with its rear seat up (22.8 vs. 15.9 cubic feet). The Niro EV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek Hybrid with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 43.1 cubic feet).

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

Servicing Ease

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

When two different drivers share the Niro EV Wave, 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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Niro EV Wave’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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Niro EV offers an optional 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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Niro EV’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Crosstrek Hybrid has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

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

The Niro EV’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

When the Niro EV Wave 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 Crosstrek Hybrid’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Niro EV and the Crosstrek Hybrid have standard heated front seats. The Niro EV also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Crosstrek Hybrid.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Niro EV Wave keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Niro EV’s 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. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

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

The Niro EV 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 Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Niro EV Wave’s Smart Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Crosstrek Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.