My car was shifted into drive but when I press accelerate my car went backwards. I’ve reported this to kia numerous times and they refuse to fix it
The worst 2025 Kia Niro problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical3
- Suspension3
- Driver assistance2
- Engine2
- Acceleration1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical3
- Suspension3
- Driver assistance2
- Engine2
- Acceleration1
- Airbags1
- Seat belts1
- Steering1
- Tires1
- Transmission1
- Wheels1
Recalls 1
Seats
- What is wrong
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Niro EV, Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and Hybrid vehicles. The floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat may become damaged, which can prevent the front air bags and seat belts from deploying properly or cause an unintended side curtain air bag deployment.
- Risk
- Air bags and seat belts that deploy improperly or an air bag deploying unintentionally can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect, replace and reroute the floor wiring assembly, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, dealers will install wiring covers. Owner notification letters were mailed February 27, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC332.
Recall number 25V024000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2025 Kia Niro 12
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Partial repair – electrical a/c compressor
- AVN gen 5.0 wide software update
- Infotainment system software update using update.kia.com
- AVN5.0W DTC P17A000 daignostic procedure
- Voluntary service campaign: incorrect amount of air conditioning refrigerant (SC358)
- Voluntary service campaign: owner notification (SC358)
- Voluntary service campaign: dealer principal memo ()
- Voluntary service campaign: dealer parts and service manager memo
- Voluntary service campaign: question and answer (SC358)
- Right front body panel sealant application (SA607)
2025 Kia Niro fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4‑cyl Hybrid | FWD | 53 | 45-54 | 49-53 |
| 1.6L 4‑cyl Plug-in hybrid | FWD | 49 | 47 | 48 |
| Electric motor Electric 253 mi range | FWD | 126 | 101 | 113 MPGe |
What 2025 Kia Niro owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The vehicle began shaking violently on the Florida Turnpike, and the factory-installed tire completely separated from the factory rim at highway speeds. This was a life-threatening equipment failure on a brand-new vehicle fully covered under Kia’s 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. The vehicle is at the dealership awaiting repairs. The tire size is 205/60R16
Finally got car back from previous repairs and it was making a loud groaning noise all the time. Took it back to dealership and they said they had to repair the rack and pinion system and the gears were shredded. Employee says they now have another niro with the same problem as my original symptoms when transmission was replaced twice. Car has consistently had problems with the RPMs being incredibly high at low speeds but the dealership can’t seem to replicate the problem. Car randomly switched over to manual mode after a long drive. Video of problems given to employee and just said he’s going to give them to his field technician. Car has now been at the dealer for over 4 months and was finally returned because they can’t reproduce the problem.
Re: Driver Safety Downgrade Stemming from Recent Software Update Complicating Tire Pressure Display Accessibility I am writing as the owner of a 2025 Kia Niro HEV to express my concerns regarding a recent software update that altered how tire pressure information is accessed on the instrument cluster. Prior to the update, tire pressures were available through the steering wheel page button, allowing drivers to view this safety-critical information with a single press and a quick glance. After the update, the tire pressure screen was removed from the page sequence and relocated into a deeper Vehicle Information submenu that requires multiple button presses and menu navigation. This change has created a significant safety issue. Tire pressure can only be displayed while the vehicle is in motion, yet the update now requires the driver to divert attention from the road to navigate several screens in order to access it. This is a clear regression from a human factors and safety standpoint. The previous method was intuitive, efficient and aligned with safe driving practices. The new method increases cognitive load and driver distraction at precisely the moment when attention should remain on the road. I respectfully request that Kia reevaluate this change and consider restoring tire pressure visibility to the steering wheel page button or another single-action, high-visibility location. Tire pressure is not a secondary diagnostic item; it is essential real‑time safety information that should remain immediately accessible. I appreciate Kia’s commitment to innovation, but updates that alter established safety workflows should be communicated clearly and designed to not be at odds with a driver's attention to the road. I hope Kia will take this feedback seriously and consider adjustments in future software releases. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
I purchased this vehicle new from the dealer last year. The second time I went to them for an oil change the tires were worn out oddly and needed to be replaced. They said the car needed an alignment that I had to pay for. I purchased replacement tires from another shop and had the alignment paid for at another shop. The dealer refused any responsibility. This vehicle has not been in any accidents and miles driven are highway miles
Transmission was replaced but then completely shut down as I was making a right turn. Multiple indicators on dash went off and safety errors kept scrolling across dash. Vehicle then wouldn’t shift at all. TCM was replaced but vehicle has high RPMs at low speeds. Has been at the dealership now for over 90 days.
Situation: Slowing on exit lane from freeway while in I-Pedal mode. Anomaly: As i gradually lifted the accelerator pedal, at about 61 mph the car strongly accelerated. My response: I lifted my foot entirely off the accelerator pedal and scanned the dash to confirm that cruise control was not active. Acceleration continued. I tapped the accelerator pedal and the acceleration stopped. We were now at 69 mph and close to the car in front of us.
The contact leased a 2025 Kia Niro. The contact was stopped at a traffic light during the night. When the light changed, the contact was partially turning when the other vehicle slammed into the contact's vehicle. No injuries were reported. The contact stated that the front collision sensor failed. The contact was not warned of the impending collision. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was taken to the collision center. A police report was filed. The contact believed that the sensor failed in the evening and worked as intended during the daytime. The insurance company was notified of the accident. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,500.
On now 4 occasions--intermittently my car will go into drive when shifted into the reverse shift I don't know what component is impacting this. My safety and others safety is at risk by my car literally going forward when it's supposed to be in reverse. I've taken my car to the dealership two times and they have not been able to recreate it or fix anything. I've reached out to KIA corporate for a resolution but have not gotten follow up: Case#XXX (case where I was supposed to get a response from a case manger) and XXX (original case). To my knowledge I don't know if it's been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others No warning lamps or signs. It happens intermittently and seemingly no rhyme or reason when it happens. This happened back in November 2025 and most recently this April.
I believe the issue is related to something connected to the AC system or a component underneath the hood. The exact part that malfunctioned has not been confirmed. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because some kind of leak or fumes were being sent into the car through the AC vents, causing myself and others in the vehicle to feel sick. I have taken the car to 3 Kia Dealerships. All of which have been extremely dishonest (have tons of proof) and say they cannot verify problem. I took it to an outside independent shop and they verified it instantly and wrote a very detailed invoice about the problem. They couldnt pin point where it was coming from though. The vehicle has only been inspected by the 3 Kia Dealerships and the independant shop Brake Busters I purchased the car in November of 2025 and had no problems until February 22nd 2026. No warnihg lights or messages came on prior. The symtoms that started were Nausea, Headaches, light headedness, vision blurry, and almost caused me to pass out at wheel several times.
Compare the 2025 Kia Niro
Other model years
Questions about the 2025 Kia Niro
Is the 2025 Kia Niro reliable?
Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2025 Kia Niro, fewer than a typical Niro model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2025 Kia Niro?
Electrical system, with 3 complaints. Next is suspension (3).
How many recalls does the 2025 Kia Niro have?
1 recall, covering seats.
What year does the Kia Niro have the most electrical problems?
The Kia Niro model years with the most electrical complaints are 2017 (23 complaints), 2018 (18 complaints) and 2023 (14 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2025 Kia Niro get?
Official estimates for the 2025 Kia Niro range from 48 to 53 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.6L 4-cyl hybrid, FWD) gets 53 city and 45-54 highway.
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