Compare the2024 Toyota MiraiVS 2024 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Mirai have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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

The Mirai has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Mirai has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Mirai offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Mirai and the Niro Plug-In Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Toyota Mirai weighs 919 to 999 pounds more than the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Mirai’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Mirai for 3 years and 35000 miles. Toyota will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Niro Plug-In Hybrid.

There are over 59 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Mirai’s warranty.

The battery on the Mirai is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Mirai’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 10th.

The Mirai’s electric motor produces 2 more horsepower (182 vs. 180) and 26 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 195) than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

The Mirai can travel with zero emissions on a full tank of hydrogen for 357 to 402 miles. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has to start its internal combustion engine after only 33 miles.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Mirai higher (10 out of 10) than the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid (7). This means the Mirai produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Mirai’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid:

The Mirai’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid are solid, not vented.

The Mirai stops much shorter than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid:

For better traction, the Mirai has larger standard tires than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid (235/55R19 vs. 205/60R16). The Mirai Limited’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid (245/45R20 vs. 225/45R18).

The Mirai’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Mirai has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX. The Mirai Limited’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mirai’s wheelbase is 7.8 inches longer than on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid (114.9 inches vs. 107.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Mirai is 1.1 inches wider in the front and .5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid.

The Mirai’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s (57% to 43%). This gives the Mirai more stable handling and braking.

The Mirai XLE handles at .84 G’s, while the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Mirai has .7 inches more front legroom, 3.2 inches more front hip room and 2.2 inches more front shoulder room than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid.

With its sedan body style, valet key and remote trunk release lockout, the Mirai offers cargo security. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s sport utility bodystyle defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Mirai. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX, the Mirai Limited has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster) and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Mirai’s front and rear power windows all 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 Plug-In Hybrid’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Mirai the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Niro Plug-In Hybrid can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the Mirai Limited to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

Standard air conditioned seats in the front and rear seats keep the Mirai Limited’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Mirai Limited 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 Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.