2023 Kia Niro Hybrid Starts at $26,490

• The 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid starts at $26,490, plus $1,295 for delivery.
• With 53 mpg in the city, 54 on the highway, and impressive space for a small crossover, it’s a practical choice… with one funky twist.

The 2023 Kia Niro is weird. Sensible, but weird.

From its 2016 introduction, it was a functional little car that fit easily into many people’s lifestyles without breaking the bank or calling much attention to itself. For 2023, it gets a full redesign that stays just as pragmatic as ever but cries out, “Look at me!”

It keeps the living space of a small crossover, has reasonable pricing, and has one of the longest warranties in the business. But the 2023 Niro is something like a reliable but quiet friend who dyes their hair pink and purple. It has stayed as pragmatic as ever but added an unusually noticeable accessory.

A Prominent Aerodynamic Feature on an Otherwise Missable Crossover

Kia calls it the “aero blade.” It’s a chevron-shaped body panel at the extreme rear of the car, set an inch from the rest of the bodywork so that air flows through it. You can get it painted body color, but why would you? It’s best painted in a contrasting shade, and that’s how most of the paint jobs Kia offers this year treat it.

Kia claims the chevron improves fuel economy and reduces road noise. Maybe it does. It makes us think of the mid-engine Audi R8 supercar while staring at a nice, affordable crossover, which is amusing.

And it makes people notice a Niro. Cool trick.

The Niro also gets a complete makeover inside for 2023, with the handsome two-screens-as-one styling of most new Kia models and a more upscale look than you might expect.

The 2023 Niro is available as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, or an electric vehicle. We now know pricing for the hybrid version. We expect to learn the cost of the rest of the lineup soon, as Kia is announcing 2023 prices regularly this month.

The Niro Hybrid mates a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine paired to an electric motor running off a lithium-ion battery. The total output is 139 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. Ever the dependable friend, it gets 53 mpg in the city and 54 on the highway.

2023 Kia Niro Hybrid Pricing:

Kia also charges $1,295 to deliver the Niro.