Kia has teased its next-generation Niro crossover, which it’ll reveal at the Seoul Mobility Show on November 25, 2021.
The new Niro will launch locally in late 2022, rendering the current car a stopgap.
As previous spy photos have already revealed, the new Niro’s design hews closely to the 2019 Habaniro concept.
“The stylish and bold crossover embodies Habaniro’s adventure-ready attitude with a clean and high-tech two-tone body,” said Kia in a press release, indicating the Habaniro’s racy two-tone paint job will reach production.
The production Niro also looks set to ditch Kia’s signature “tiger nose” grille for a slimmer affair, while the Habaniro’s alloy wheel design has carried over to the new Niro.
As is becoming increasingly common, there’s a full-width LED daytime running light at the front of the car, plus distinctively-shaped DRLs underneath.
High-mounted, boomerang-shaped tail lights flank the rear window.
The butterfly doors are gone, while we expect the rear bumper treatment to be toned down somewhat. Otherwise, it’s quite faithful to the Habaniro concept.
Inside, the digital instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen are in one wraparound housing, and there’s a minimalist centre stack with what looks like a single row of touch-capacitive switches.
The front doors feature a striking, steeply-raked line that rises upwards and connects with the dashboard, while there look to be horizontal ambient lighting elements.
Like the current model Kia Niro, the second-generation Niro is expected to be offered with three different powertrains: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric.
It won’t use Hyundai-Kia’s e-GMP dedicated electric vehicle platform, and instead will continue to use a front-wheel drive setup.
Though only launched in Australia in 2021, the current Niro was first introduced in markets like Europe and the US back in 2016.
“It took a little longer than expected due to strong global demand exceeding production capacity. Naturally, in that situation, it’s understandable that stock will be prioritised for regions with CO2 regulations and tax penalties,” said Kia Australia product planning manager Roland Rivero earlier this year.
2021 Kia Niro EV 
Kia Habaniro Concept 
Kia has sold 515 Niros to the end of October, more or less what it had anticipated.
It’s outselling its corporate cousin the Hyundai Ioniq, even though that model has been on sale the entire year and also offers a choice of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric models.
Hyundai has sold 356 Ioniqs year-to-date.
MORE: Everything Kia Niro
