Compare the2025 Kia NiroVS 2025 Subaru Impreza

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Niro EX/SX has standard Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Impreza doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Niro’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Impreza doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Niro EX/SX has standard Parking Distance Warning to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or, optionally, in front of the vehicle. The Impreza doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

The Niro has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Impreza’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Niro has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Impreza and its not available on the Base and the Impreza’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the Niro and the Impreza have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Niro is safer than the Subaru Impreza:

	Niro	Impreza
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	182	194
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	692 lbs.	721 lbs.

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

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 Impreza’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Impreza. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Impreza ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

There are over 24 percent more Kia dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it 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 Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 12th.

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 Subaru 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, Subaru is rated below average.

Engine

The Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 50 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 145) than the Impreza’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 178) than the Impreza RS’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Kia Niro is faster than the Subaru Impreza 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Niro	Impreza
Zero to 30 MPH	3.3 sec	3.8 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.9 sec	9.4 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.6 sec	6.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16.9 sec	17.3 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Niro
	FWD	1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/54 hwy
		Touring 1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/45 hwy
Impreza
	AWD	2.0 DOHC flat-4	27 city/34 hwy
		2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/33 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Niro’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Impreza doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Brakes and Stopping

The Niro stops shorter than the Impreza:

	Niro	Impreza
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	144 feet	149 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Niro has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Impreza doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the Impreza (107.1 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Niro is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Impreza.

The Niro SX handles at .84 G’s, while the Impreza RS pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The Niro has 4.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Impreza (105.1 vs. 100.5).

The Niro has .7 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, 3.3 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Impreza.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Niro SX’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Niro’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Impreza doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Servicing Ease

The Niro uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Impreza uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Niro SX, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Impreza doesn’t offer a memory system.

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 Impreza doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Niro and the Impreza have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Niro is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Impreza prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

On a hot day the Niro’s driver can lower the front windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Impreza can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Niro EX/SX’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Impreza’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Niro’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Impreza and aren’t offered on the Impreza Base.

When the Niro SX is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Impreza’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Kia Niro and Subaru Impreza offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Niro offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Impreza’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

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 Impreza doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Niro SX’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Impreza doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the Niro and the Impreza offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Niro EX/SX has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Impreza doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Recommendations

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

The Kia Niro outsold the Subaru Impreza by 8% during 2024.

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