Compare the2023 Kia Niro Plug-In HybridVS 2022 Hyundai Nexo

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 Plug-In Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Nexo doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Nexo doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Nexo doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Niro Plug-In Hybrid and the Nexo have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, driver alert monitors and available front parking sensors.

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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 17th, 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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked third.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 19 more horsepower (180 vs. 161) than the Nexo’s electric motor.

For better maneuverability, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Nexo’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.7 feet).

The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 800 pounds less than the Hyundai Nexo.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid is 9.9 inches shorter than the Nexo, making the Niro Plug-In Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 Nexo (.32) 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 Nexo doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more rear headroom and 1.2 inches more rear legroom than the Nexo.

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 Nexo 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 Nexo doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Nexo’s standard 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 Nexo’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Niro Plug-In Hybrid and the Nexo have standard heated front seats. 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 Nexo.

The Kia Niro outsold the Hyundai Nexo by over 66 to one during the 2021 model year.