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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2017 Kia Niro is associated with 98 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 5 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 16 reports (16% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 3 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.6L 4-Cyl hybrid powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 43 to 50 MPG combined. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 98 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 5 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (16 / 16%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 4 crash / 5 fire / 3 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: Not rated by NHTSA
  • • EPA Certified Range: 43–50 MPG across 3 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2017 Kia Niro?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Niro FE Hybrid 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM6) 52 MPG 49 MPG 50 MPG — $1,250 / yr
Niro Hybrid 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM6) 51 MPG 46 MPG 49 MPG — $1,250 / yr
Niro Touring Hybrid 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM6) 46 MPG 40 MPG 43 MPG — $1,450 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2017 Kia Niro?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
Hybrid SUV FWD —
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2017 Kia Niro models.
View complete 2017 Kia Niro crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2017 Kia Niro?

Summary of 98 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
98
Crash Reports
4
Fire Reports
5
Complaints w/ Injury
3
Total Injuries
5

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 16 complaints
Powertrain 9 complaints (1 crash)
Structure & Body 7 complaints
Electrical System 6 complaints
Steering 4 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2017 Kia Niro problems & component breakdown (42 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2017 Kia Niro?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #23V534000 Active Recall
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS:ACTUATORS/SOLENOIDS

Defect Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Niro and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Fluid may leak into the printed circuit board inside the hydraulic clutch actuator, which can result in an engine compartment fire.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC276.
NHTSA Campaign #22V836000 Active Recall
Affected Component: HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

Defect Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Niro hybrid electric vehicles previously recalled under recall 18V-666. The Main Relay within the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) may have inadequate connections between its contacts, causing increased electrical resistance, which can overheat the rear seats.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect the PRA and replace either the PRA or the Main Relay, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 9, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC256. This recall supersedes NHTSA recall number 18V-666. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
NHTSA Campaign #18V666000 Active Recall
Affected Component: HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

Defect Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Niro hybrid electric vehicles. The Main Relay within the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) may have inadequate connections between its contacts, causing increased electrical resistance.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) for damage. If no damage is found, the main relay will be replaced. If damage is found, the PRA will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 23, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC168.
View all 2017 Kia Niro recalls & campaign history (5 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2017 Kia Niro

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2017 Kia Niro

How many safety recalls does the 2017 Kia Niro have?

The 2017 Kia Niro is associated with 5 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2017 Kia Niro?

NHTSA records list 98 consumer defect complaints for the 2017 Kia Niro. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 16 filings (16% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is there an official NHTSA crash safety rating for the 2017 Kia Niro?

An official NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test rating is not available for the 2017 Kia Niro in AutoUtility's current federal dataset.

NHTSA publishes crash safety evaluations for a selected sample of passenger vehicles each model year. Consult NHTSA.gov for active safety equipment records and vehicle safety bulletins.

Source: NHTSA NCAP Registry

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2017 Kia Niro get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2017 Kia Niro range from 43 to 50 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.