Video: Cars.com's Best Car of 2023

market that offers all three powertrain options, and it's redesigned for 2023 with tons of new features, improved efficiency and a funky, futuristic personality we love. This year, our award for the Best Car of 2023 goes to none other than the Kia Niro. With its 2023 redesign, the sensible, efficient, compact hatchback has finally found its groove. The Niro shows that an affordable, efficiency-focused vehicle needn't be boring. It now sports fun design touches inside and out, including functional arrow blades offered in different colors. The Niro gives shoppers three powertrain choices: an EV, hybrid, or a plug-in hybrid. After evaluating the three, our favorite is the Niro hybrid. The hybrid offers the broadest range of trim levels, and it's the most affordable version of the Niro. An improvement over the previous generation, the Niro hybrid gets 53 mpg city/highway/combined thanks to its 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor for a total output of 139 horsepower. Yeah, well, we also wanna tip our cap to the other Niro offerings, as efficiency has improved there, too. The plug-in hybrid now has an EPA-estimated all-electric driving range of 33 miles, and the Niro EV now has an improved EPA estimated driving range of 253 miles. And on the inside, the Niro's quality has been enhanced with its redesign, livening up its sensible-shoes demeanor. Eco-friendly recycled materials create an elevated and attractive interior for the money. Among our favorite features is the available and dynamic dual 10.25-inch screens for the instrument panel and multimedia touchscreen, giving it a high-end look similar to its sibling, the Kia EV6. And best of all, the Niro is affordable. The Niro hybrid starts just under $28,000, while the plug-in hybrid starts a little over $35,000, and the EV starts at just under $41,000. There's a lot to like about the three Niro offerings, but as we said, the Niro hybrid stands out because of its tremendous value, fuel efficiency and a trim that can appeal to nearly every shopper. The Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid have the more accommodating backseat for adults versus the EV, which contributes to a comfortable interior. It feels like it's a class larger than its exterior size would suggest. Yeah, what stands out to us is that Kia substantially improved the look and feel of the Niro without making it significantly more expensive, and that keeps fuel efficiency accessible to more shoppers. And that's why we're thrilled to call the Kia Niro Cars.com's Best Car of 2023. To check out our full list of finalists ... And there's some great ones. ... Or to see the rest of our 2023 award winners, you can find everything on Cars.com.