Compare the2026 Kia NiroVS 2026 Jeep Cherokee

Both the Niro and the Cherokee have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available front and rear parking sensors.

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 Cherokee’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 Jeep covers the Cherokee. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Cherokee ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 10 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Niro is faster than the Jeep Cherokee:

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

The Niro stops shorter than the Cherokee:

The Niro’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Cherokee’s standard 65 series tires. The Niro SX Touring’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Cherokee Overland’s 50 series tires.

The Niro SX handles at .84 G’s, while the Cherokee Overland pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Niro SX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Cherokee Overland (27.9 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.9 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Niro’s turning circle is 5.5 feet tighter than the Cherokee’s (34.8 feet vs. 40.3 feet).

The Kia Niro may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1050 to 1200 pounds less than the Jeep Cherokee.

The Niro is 1 foot, 2.1 inches shorter than the Cherokee, making the Niro easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Kia Niro amounts to more than styling. The Niro has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Cherokee (.335) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Niro get better fuel mileage.

The Niro has .3 inches more front headroom and 3 inches more front legroom than the Cherokee.

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