Compare the2023 Jeep RenegadeVS 2023 Kia Niro

The Renegade has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Niro doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

Both the Renegade and the Niro 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights and rear parking sensors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, its “Acceptable” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Renegade the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 184 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Niro has not been tested, yet.

The Renegade’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Niro runs out after 100,000 miles.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Renegade for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Niro.

There are over 3 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Renegade’s warranty.

The engine in the Renegade has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Niro has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

The Renegade’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 38 more horsepower (177 vs. 139) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (210 vs. 195) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

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

The Renegade has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (12.7 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Renegade 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.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Jeep Renegade, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Niro.

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

The Renegade stops shorter than the Niro:

For better traction, the Renegade has larger standard tires than the Niro (215/60R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Renegade’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Niro (235/45R19 vs. 225/45R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Renegade has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Niro. The Renegade’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Niro Touring.

The Renegade Trailhawk offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Niro; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Renegade’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Niro doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For greater off-road capability the Renegade has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Niro (8 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the Renegade to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Renegade Trailhawk’s minimum ground clearance is 2.4 inches higher than on the Niro (8.7 vs. 6.3 inches).

The Renegade is 7.4 inches shorter than the Niro, making the Renegade easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Renegade has .6 inches more front headroom, 7.7 inches more front hip room and 1 inch more rear headroom than the Niro.

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Renegade. The Niro doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Renegade has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Niro has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Renegade uses the Electronic Stability Control 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.

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

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Renegade offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Niro doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Renegade 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.