Compare the2023 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2022 Kia Niro

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Equinox offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Niro doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Equinox LT/RS/Premier offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Niro only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Equinox has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Niro doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Equinox and the Niro have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Kia Niro:

	Equinox	Niro
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	17%	27%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	291 lbs.
Neck Compression	10 lbs.	37 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	26%	80%
Neck Stress	153 lbs.	207 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	63 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Kia Niro:

	Equinox	Niro
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	109	138
Abdominal Force	195 lbs.	196 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	55 G’s	77 G’s
Hip Force	630 lbs.	993 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Equinox’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Niro’s (6/100,000 vs. 5/100,000).

There are almost 4 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox first among compact suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Niro isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked fourth.

Engine

The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 36 more horsepower (175 vs. 139) and 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 195) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Equinox is faster than the Kia Niro:

	Equinox	Niro
Zero to 60 MPH	8.7 sec	9.9 sec
Quarter Mile	16.7 sec	17.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	83.1 MPH	80.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the Equinox and Niro have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Equinox has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Equinox FWD’s standard fuel tank has 3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (14.9 vs. 11.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Equinox AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (15.6 vs. 11.9 gallons).

The Equinox has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Niro doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Equinox’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Niro:

	Equinox	Niro
Front Rotors	11.8 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.3 inches	10.3 inches

The Equinox stops much shorter than the Niro:

	Equinox	Niro
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Equinox has larger standard tires than the Niro (225/65R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Equinox’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Niro (235/50R19 vs. 225/45R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Equinox LS/LT has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium. The Equinox’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Niro Touring SE.

The Equinox has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Niro doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Equinox has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Niro; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Equinox Premier handles at .83 G’s, while the Niro LXS pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Equinox Premier executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Niro LXS (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

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

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Niro doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Equinox has 2.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Niro (103.2 vs. 100.9).

The Equinox has .5 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, 2.5 inches more rear legroom, 3.4 inches more rear hip room and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Niro.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Equinox’s rear seats recline. The Niro’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Niro with its rear seat up (29.9 vs. 19.4 cubic feet). The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Niro with its rear seat folded (63.9 vs. 54.5 cubic feet).

The Equinox’s cargo area is larger than the Niro’s in almost every dimension:

	Equinox	Niro
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	34.9”/67.4”	31.8”/64”
Max Width	53.7”	48.2”
Min Width	40.7”	41”
Height	31”	36”

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Equinox LT/RS/Premier’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Niro doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Equinox (except LS) offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the Equinox Premier, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Niro doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The Equinox has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Niro has no towing capacity.

The Equinox can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Niro can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Equinox uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Niro doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Equinox Premier, 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 Niro doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Equinox Premier’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 Niro doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Equinox’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Niro does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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

The Equinox’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Niro’s standard power windows’ rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

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

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Equinox’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Niro doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Equinox’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Niro’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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

The Equinox’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Niro Touring SE/EX Premium.

The Equinox Premier’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Niro offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Equinox and the Niro offer available heated front seats. The Equinox Premier also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Niro.

Both the Equinox and the Niro offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Equinox has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Niro doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Equinox (except LS) 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 Niro doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Equinox Premier’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Niro doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

The Equinox will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Equinox will retain 44.91% to 45.97% of its original price after five years, while the Niro only retains 44.32% to 44.64%.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Chevrolet Equinox and the Kia Niro, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Kia Niro by almost 10 to one during the 2021 model year.