Kia teased its concept version of a Nissan Juke rival earlier this month, and showed us an aggressive shape, with a green-outlined front grille and lots of LED lighting. Now, the concept has been fully revealed, and given a name, less than two weeks before it debuts in the metal at the Frankfurt motor show on September 10.
Called the Niro, Kia admits that it “hints at a possible future B-segment contender ready to take on the urban environment with style and tenacity, and will preview an innovative new powertrain.” They go on to say, that it “combines a mischievous character in a clearly robust and substantial yet stylish bodyshape featuring a mix of contrasting materials – including stainless steel elements.”
Judging from the photos, it’s certainly has an eye-catching design with the use of a stainless steel contrasting roof, set against the black color theme chosen for the rest of the body – okay, there’s a bit of green, but its use is very restrained. There’s also gullwing/Lambo doors which look cool, but will never make it into the production version of this.
One little criticism I do have concerns the amount of metal there is between the rear wheel and the window line. It not only makes the (big) rear wheel look small, but also makes the entire vehicle look weird from some angles. Many new cars suffer from design similar to this, which can be directly attributed to the vehicle being front wheel-driven with a short, squat front end, and the need for space in the back for both (some) cargo and (hopefully) passengers.
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
