Kia’s subcompact Niro SUV gets a fresh look, but loses some powertrain options.
SUVs are the bread and butter of any automaker’s lineup, so it makes sense for brands like Kia to keep as many options on the menu as it can. As we roll into 2027, the Niro gets a range of updates with styling and technology. However, it’s the powertrain changes that headline this year’s changes, and clarify its position against the rest of Kia’s SUV range (including the Seltos, which got bigger with its recent update).
The 2027 Kia Niro gets some more angular styling for the new year, with the refreshed model making its South Korean debut a few months back. Under the hood, though, your only option will be a 139-horsepower hybrid, using a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gas engine with a single electric motor and 6-speed automatic transmission. It’s been the best value and most popular option in the lineup, though I noted in my last Niro Hybrid review that it is slooooow, and that situation isn’t changing here.
What else has changed, and why no EV?
Inside, the 2027 Kia Niro gets an updated dual-screen layout, featuring 12.3-inch displays on some models (a 4-inch digital gauge cluster comes standard), while you get a 360-degree camera, blind-spot view monitor and Kia’s Highway Drive Assist 2 functionality on the top-end SX Touring trim. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the lineup, and you further get new HVAC vents and an updated steering wheel design similar to the larger Sportage.
With the EV3 joining the lineup, the hybrid Kia Niro now slots below the Seltos for those who don’t want to take the full-electric plunge just yet. That way, you have an upgrade path to a larger vehicle (the Seltos) or a full BEV (the EV3), cementing the Niro’s status as the brand’s entry-level hybrid SUV.
The LX, EX and SX trims remain for the 2027 Kia Niro, but the automaker is also adding an S trim for a bit more variety. Pricing is not available just yet, but odds are we won’t see the 2027 model deviate much from the outgoing Niro HEV’s $28,885 starting price.
