Compare the2025 Kia NiroVS 2025 BMW X1

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Kia Niro have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The BMW X1 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Niro are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X1 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Niro are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X1 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Niro and the X1 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, driver alert monitors and available front and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Niro is safer than the BMW X1:

	Niro	X1
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	29%	35.1%
Neck Stress	201 lbs.	299 lbs.
Neck Compression	57 lbs.	77 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	106/154 lbs.	363/373 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Niro is safer than the BMW X1:

	Niro	X1
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Niro is 5.6% less likely to roll over than the X1.

Warranty

The Niro comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The X1’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X1. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the X1 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Niro’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 21st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Niro gets better mileage than the X1:

			MPG
Niro
	FWD	1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/54 hwy
		Touring 1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/45 hwy
X1
	AWD	xDrive28i 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy
		M35i 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Niro uses regular unleaded gasoline. The X1 M35i xDrive requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the X1 (107.1 inches vs. 106 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Niro’s turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the X1’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Chassis

The Kia Niro may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 700 pounds less than the BMW X1.

The Niro is 3.2 inches shorter than the X1 xDrive28i, making the Niro easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Niro has 1.1 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 2.8 inches more rear legroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the X1.

Cargo Capacity

The Niro has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X1 with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 57.2 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Niro SX’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X1 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Niro has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X1 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Niro’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The X1 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Niro SX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X1 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Niro and the BMW X1, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Kia Niro outsold the BMW X1 by 28% during 2024.

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