The Kia Niro has been on the market with us since late summer 2016. As the first model series of the Korean brand, the compact five-door model is available exclusively with electrified drives as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric e-Niro. He shares the technical basis with the Hyundai Ioniq.
The second generation of the Kia Niro will also rely on various levels of electrical support and again on a purely electric drive train. The five-door model will again come onto the market as a full hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and e-Niro. With the premiere of the new Niro at the Seoul Motor Show, there are now first pictures of the production model.
The Habaniro study anticipated the newcomer’s design language as early as 2019. At the front, the stainless steel has LED brackets for the daytime running lights and low-lying headlights. The design of the front mask again plays with the “tiger nose” theme. The C-pillar was contrasted in color on the concept car. The series model also shows this design element. The wide sheet metal area between the rear door and the tailgate is darkened.
It remains to be seen whether the C-pillar in a different color comes as an equipment option or is standard on every stainless steel. The taillights are now arranged vertically. But it is already clear that the new Kia Niro is more expressive than its predecessor. Above all, the front design is also very similar to the current design language of the sister company Hyundai.
Kia Niro 2022 Interior
Even in the new Niro, the cockpit carries the two displays known from the Kia EV6 under a shared, curved cover. As with the Kia EV6, the virtual button bar under the infotainment monitor can be toggled between two menu levels. The two-spoke steering wheel will also be part of the standard equipment in the future. A wide center console separates the driver and front passenger footwells. The plastics and covers in the interior are largely made from recycled material.
Technical details of the three engine variants of the new Kia Niro are not yet known. The plug-in hybrid comes with a “Greenzone Drive Mode”. This means that the system automatically switches to electric driving, for example when entering a residential area or a zero-emission area in the city center. As a driver, you can also save special “green zones” in the navigation system.
The exact dates of the changing of the guard at Niro are still open. The new generation will first roll out to dealers in Korea, and then in Germany in 2022.
