Compare the2023 Kia Niro Plug-In HybridVS 2023 Chevrolet Bolt

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Bolt doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has standard Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Bolt doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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 and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Bolt’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Bolt.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’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 Bolt doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Niro Plug-In Hybrid and the Bolt have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available front parking sensors.

Warranty

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

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

Reliability

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 Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 10th.

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

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Bolt (225/45R18 vs. 215/50R17).

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Bolt’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX has standard 18-inch wheels. The Bolt’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Chevrolet Bolt has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s wheelbase is 4.7 inches longer than on the Bolt (107.1 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid is 3 inches wider in the front and 3.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Bolt.

Chassis

The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 300 pounds less than the Chevrolet Bolt.

The design of the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid amounts to more than styling. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is lower than the Bolt (.31) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Niro Plug-In Hybrid get better fuel mileage.

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

Passenger Space

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has .4 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear legroom, 2.4 inches more rear hip room and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Bolt.

Cargo Capacity

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume than the Bolt with its rear seat up (19.4 vs. 16.6 cubic feet).

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

Servicing Ease

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Bolt 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 Plug-In Hybrid 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 Bolt doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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 Bolt doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches. The Bolt’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has a standard locking fuel and charge port 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 Bolt doesn’t offer a locking charge port.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’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 Bolt’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

When the Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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 Bolt’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Bolt. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Bolt.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Bolt doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’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 Bolt doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Niro Plug-In Hybrid and the Bolt offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Bolt 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 Plug-In Hybrid has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Bolt.