The Kia Niro is a gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle that competes with the Honda Insight, Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, and Toyota Prius. Shape-wise, it’s somewhere between a hatchback and a wagon. It receives light changes for 2021.

Kia sells the Niro in five trims: LX, LXS, Touring, Touring Special Edition, and EX Premium. Each packs a 1.6-liter inline-four engine, an electric motor, a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and a 1.56-kilowatt-hour battery pack, making for 139 system horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is the only option across the range. Depending upon which trim you choose, fuel economy is as high as 53 mpg city, 48 mpg highway, and 50 mpg combined and as low as 46 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 43 mpg combined.

The base LX trim comes with 16-inch wheels with wheel covers, projector-beam headlights, LED headlights, a six-speaker audio system, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and roof rails. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are new for 2021, and standard on the LX.

The LXS gives you 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless access and start, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a folding rear center armrest with cup holders, and satin chrome exterior appointments. For 2021, the keyless access function also includes remote start.

The Touring comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, power-folding and heated side mirrors with turn signals, a power sunroof, front fog lights, LED taillights, rear console vents, ambient interior lighting, and a 10-way power driver’s seat.

The Touring Special Edition bundles LED projector-beam headlights, a 10.25-inch infotainment system with navigation, satellite radio, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Harman Kardon eight-speaker sound system that includes a subwoofer, and leather upholstery.

Finally, the EX Premium includes heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, leatherette upholstery, and wireless Qi phone charging.

Every Niro Hybrid comes with a reversing camera and a new rear-occupant alert system. The LXS and higher trims get forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, driver attention warning, leading vehicle departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic detection. The Touring and higher trims come with cyclist detection for the automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control that works at full speeds, and lane-following assist. The Touring Special Edition and higher trims get a new navigation-based adaptive cruise control system, while the EX Premium alone comes with front and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2021 Kia Niro Hybrid an overall safety rating of four out of five stars, while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave it top “Good” ratings in all crash-test categories.

The Kia Niro is a middle-step between a car and an SUV, and one that happens to excel on fuel economy.