Kia Niro Concept is the miniature Soul of the future

Wed, 11 Sep 2013

The Kia Niro Concept has officially made its Frankfurt Motor Show debut, and aside from the product specialist who would not get out of our photographer's way, this was our first in-person look at the Niro Concept, which first broke cover near the end of last month. The compact, rough-and-tumble crossover would slot in below the Soul were it to enter production, with Kia calling it a B-segment competitor.

The Niro sports neon accents, although both the trim and the actual color of the car itself are far lighter than they appeared in the original press photography. The cabin, meanwhile, looks like it was completely crafted from a single piece of rubber. We suppose that'd make it easy to clean out, sort of like a Jeep Wrangler.

Kia claims the Niro was designed "in Europe with European tastes" in mind, and that its production options will be based on the response of the general public. Take a look above for a full gallery of live photos, and then down below for the press release and images from Kia.

KIA NIRO CONCEPT TO BE UNVEILED AT FRANKFURT

Kia has confirmed that its dramatic new European concept, to be unveiled at the 65th Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt, will be called the Kia Niro.

The Kia Niro 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 when it is revealed on 10 September. The car was designed at Kia's Frankfurt design studio – less than a kilometre away from the IAA – under the direction of Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Europe.

Accepting any challenge that the assured modern motorist may throw at it, Niro combines a mischievous character in a clearly robust and substantial yet stylish bodyshape featuring a mix of contrasting materials – including stainless steel elements – in compact, purposeful dimensions.

Born out of Kia's determination to seek new compact-car options for the individualistic and demanding driver for whom size is an issue, Niro features intriguing elements not always associated with smaller cars and has been created in Europe with European tastes and expectations very much in mind.

Niro's unveiling in Frankfurt will be used to gauge potential customer response for future showroom models.

By Brandon Turkus