The Kia Niro is a vehicular Swiss Army Knife for those looking for a cost-effective A-to-B daily driver. It’s just big enough to have reasonable utility and the option for three different drivetrains (hybrid, PHEV, or EV) gives buyers plenty of choices depending on their lifestyle and commuting needs. It certainly has its shortcomings, like a second row of seats that does not fold flat, or the lack of an AWD option for those who live in snowy climates. However, the Kia Niro remains a solid, cost-conscious choice.

That’s why we shouldn’t be surprised that the “new” 2025 Kia Niro doesn’t change much from the 2024 model year. In fact, almost nothing changes except for its price, which gets a marginal bump and some new standard equipment on a few trims.

We’re going to warn you now, the “what’s new” list is very short. For starters, all trims of the 2025 Kia Niro will have rear seatbelt pre-tensioners standard. That’s a great safety feature to have and it’s good to see it implemented across the board, but it isn’t exactly the stuff of bragging rights.

The second update is that the SX PHEV trim will come standard with the Cold Weather package, which includes heated rear seats and a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater to preserve all-electric mode range. We’ll never scoff at heated rear seats or anything that helps squeeze more range out of a vehicle, but we really wish Kia would have also opted for an AWD drivetrain. As much as folks in Chicago, New York, or Detroit would appreciate heated rear seats in the winter time, we’re also fairly certain they’d also like some extra grip, too. Just saying.

The Kia Niro Hybrid and PHEV get moderate price bumps across the board with the exception of the SX Hybrid trim, which is actually $50 cheaper. We’re not exactly sure how Kia pulled fifty bucks out of that trim, but we won’t complain. What you’ll find missing from this price list is the Niro EV. We've confirmed that the Kia Niro EV is coming back for 2025, but the automaker isn’t ready to reveal its MSRP yet. Stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, the EX Hybrid and EX Hybrid Touring both go up by $150. The LX Hybrid and SX Hybrid Touring get $50 increases. The outliers are the EX PHEV which gets a $100 price bump and the SX Touring PHEV which goes up by a relatively whopping $650. At a total of $42,165 the SX Touring PHEV exceeds the 2025 Sorento EX Hybrid AWD’s $41,865. With the Sorento you’d lose the PHEV ability but gain more space and AWD. The Kia Niro EX PHEV is the sweet spot for value and range.