The Kia Niro is one of Kia’s latest forays into the hybrid market. It’s a subcompact crossover with both hybrid and electric versions, and is essentially Kia Motors’ version of the Hyundai Ioniq (with which it shares a powertrain). It competes directly with the Toyota Prius C (though not necessarily with the larger standard Prius) in a growing market of small, fuel efficient vehicles. But if it’s going to serve as a family vehicle, its’s going to need to fit some car seats. Let’s take a look at if it does.
Before getting into 3 across setups, it’s worth reviewing the core elements of car seat safety. From the get-go, they involve rear-facing. It’s the safest position available in every vehicle, statistically speaking, and the benefits of extended rear-facing extend from childhood through adulthood. I typically suggest keeping children rear-facing as long as possible (until 4 to 5 like the Swedes), followed by harnessing until they can safely use booster seats (until at least 5, like the Swedes), and then boostering until the 5 step test is passed (typically between 10, 11, and 12). Beyond that, I suggest keeping kids in the back seat until at least 13, and delaying teen solo driving until 18 if possible. The goal isn’t to move through seats as quickly as possible; it’s to keep kids as safe as possible whenever they’re in motor vehicles.
If you find my list of what I believe to be the most detailed 3 across guide for the Kia Niro on the Internet, you can shop through my Amazon link below. I’ll add more seats as I test or confirm them over time.
You can access the complete 3 across guide for every vehicle here and the complete list of recommended seats here. The Canadian car seat guide is here. 3 across car seat images are taken by yours truly or are courtesy of Wikipedia or the NHTSA.
2018, 2019, 2020 Kia Niro
Guaranteed 3 across installations:
Clek Fllo (x3).
Clek Foonf (x3).
Diono Radian 3RXT (x3).
Diono Radian 3RX (x3).
Clek Oobr (x3).
Diono Radian R100 (x3).
Chicco KeyFit 30 (x3).
Tips and Tricks:
The initial generation of the Kia Niro is just over 171 inches long and 71 inches wide, which means you’re not going to be able to fit anything aside from the narrowest seats in 3 across setups. The good news is that if you use your seat belts and take your time, you can mix and match rather easily among the seats above. Front to back space will also be rather limited, so if you need to seat an infant, you’ll want to use an infant seat (e.g., the KeyFit) instead of a convertible, particularly if you have taller drivers or passengers. If you’re using a Radian and rear-facing, you’re going to want the angle adjuster to give you more room, although this will preclude use with infants without head control. These setups apply equally to hybrid and electric versions of the Niro.
If you find my information on best practices in car and car seat safety helpful, you can buy my books here or do your shopping through this Amazon link. Canadians can shop here for Canadian purchases. It costs nothing extra to do so, but when you shop through my links, a small portion of your purchase, regardless of what you buy, will go toward the maintenance of The Car Crash Detective.