2022 Kia Niro: MPG and fuel economy
The 2022 Kia Niro is a hybrid rated at 49 combined MPG by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It returns 51 MPG in the city and 46 MPG on the highway.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2022 Kia Niro. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- The most efficient car in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2022 model year is the Chevrolet Bolt EV at 120 MPG.
- EPA estimates this car saves around $4,750 in fuel over five years compared with an average new vehicle of the same model year.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2022 Kia Niro. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 49 MPG |
| City MPG | 51 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 46 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $1,200 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 183 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 2022 Kia Niro compares
The 2022 Kia Niro returns 49 combined MPG. Cars in the Small Station Wagons class for the same model year average 52.5 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 7%.
The most efficient car in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2022 model year is the Chevrolet Bolt EV at 120 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Kia Niro alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2022 model year (across all classes) returns 30.7 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2022 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 306.1 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $600 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $1,200 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $2,000 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Kia Niro
The EPA has rated the Kia Niro across 10 model years, from 2017 Kia Niro through 2026 Kia Niro. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run, hovering close to 49 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 49 MPG | 2026 Kia Niro |
| 2025 | 49 MPG | 2025 Kia Niro |
| 2024 | 49 MPG | 2024 Kia Niro |
| 2023 | 49 MPG | 2023 Kia Niro |
| 2022 | 49 MPG | this page |
| 2021 | 49 MPG | 2021 Kia Niro |
| 2020 | 49 MPG | 2020 Kia Niro |
| 2019 | 49 MPG | 2019 Kia Niro |
| 2018 | 49 MPG | 2018 Kia Niro |
| 2017 | 49 MPG | 2017 Kia Niro |
Compare against other Small Station Wagons for 2022
If you are cross-shopping the 2022 Kia Niro, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Small Station Wagons class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Chevrolet Bolt EV leads this group at 120 MPG, 71 MPG ahead of the 2022 Kia Niro.
Specifications
The 2022 Kia Niro runs a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a automatic (am-s6), sending power through front-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Small Station Wagons
- Engine
- 1.6L 4-cylinder
- Transmission
- Automatic (AM-S6)
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 6.1 barrels per year
- Start-stop system
- Yes
Common questions about the 2022 Kia Niro
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2022 Kia Niro.
-
Is the 2022 Kia Niro fuel efficient?
It is in line with the rest of the class. The 2022 Kia Niro returns 49 combined MPG, and the average car in the Small Station Wagons class for the same model year sits at 52.5 MPG. -
What MPG does the 2022 Kia Niro get?
The EPA rates the 2022 Kia Niro at 49 combined MPG, 51 MPG in city driving, and 46 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2022 Kia Niro per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $1,200 for the 2022 Kia Niro. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
What fuel does the 2022 Kia Niro use?
The EPA lists the 2022 Kia Niro as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the Kia Niro become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2017 Kia Niro, 49 MPG) and most recent (2026 Kia Niro, 49 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 2022 Kia Niro emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 183 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 2,745 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2022 Kia Niro?
City driving returns 51 MPG and highway driving returns 46 MPG. A flat (or city-better) split is the signature of a hybrid or electric drivetrain, where regenerative braking recovers energy that would otherwise be lost in stop-start city traffic. -
What engine is in the 2022 Kia Niro?
The 2022 Kia Niro has a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine (EPA description: SIDI; Hybrid). -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2022 Kia Niro have?
The 2022 Kia Niro comes with a automatic (am-s6) transmission and front-wheel drive. -
How does the 2022 Kia Niro compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2022 model year is the Chevrolet Bolt EV at 120 combined MPG. The Kia Niro returns 49 MPG, a gap of 71 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.