Compare the2024 Kia NiroVS 2024 Buick Envista

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Niro 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 Buick Envista doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Kia Niro 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 Envista doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Niro EX/SX has standard Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Envista doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Niro EX/SX has standard Parking Distance Warning to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or, optionally, in front of the vehicle. The Envista doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Niro has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Buick charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Envista and the Envista’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The Niro’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 Envista doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Niro and the Envista have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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 and rearview cameras.

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

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

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Niro’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Envista’s camshafts. If the Envista’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

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 Buick vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Buick is ranked second.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 2 places higher in reliability than Buick.

The Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 2 more horsepower (139 vs. 137) and 33 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 162) than the Envista’s 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Niro is faster than the Buick Envista:

On the EPA test cycle the Niro gets better mileage than the Envista:

Regenerative brakes improve the Niro’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Envista doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Niro offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Envista doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Niro stops shorter than the Envista:

For superior ride and handling, the Kia Niro 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 Buick Envista has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the Envista (107.1 inches vs. 106 inches).

The Niro SX handles at .84 G’s, while the Envista Sport Touring pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Niro SX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Envista Sport Touring (27.9 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Niro’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Envista’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Niro’s turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the Envista 19” Wheels’ (34.8 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The Niro is 8.6 inches shorter than the Envista, making the Niro easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Niro has 7.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Envista (105.1 vs. 97.5).

The Niro has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear headroom, 1.1 inches more rear legroom, 7.2 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Envista.

The Niro has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Envista with its rear seat up (22.8 vs. 20.7 cubic feet). The Niro has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Envista with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 42 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Niro’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Envista doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

When two different drivers share the Niro 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 Envista doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Niro’s standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Envista’s power windows’ switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully. The Niro SX’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches.

The Smart Key standard on the Niro EX/SX allows you to unlock the driver’s door, cargo door and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Buick Envista’s Pushbutton Start doesn’t unlock the doors or the cargo door.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Niro has a standard rear wiper. The Envista doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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

The Niro’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 Envista doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

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

The Niro EX/SX’s standard GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Envista’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

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