Kia’s Niro crossover/SUV goes radical with a very different look, could be in Singapore 2022

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Seoul, Korea – Kia has released its first official images of the new version of its small electrified crossover, the Niro. 

The second-gen Niro has been revealed in the flesh at the 2021 Seoul Mobility Show in Korea. Kia has only revealed what the car looks like, without any specifications or details at this time.

Kia has translated much of the HabaNiro concept from 2019, as well as shades of the brand’s flagship EV, the EV 6, and the current Sorento seven-seat SUV : There’s a broad, wide Tiger Nose grille flanked by unique LED DRL signatures, and a wide grille lower – interestingly Kia has not opted for the ‘closed off’ EV look like it did with the current car, where the EV looks different from the hybrid/PHEV.

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There’s also the typical SUV contrast fenders, but now Kia has made this front wheel section into a styling cue, connecting it to a black bar that runs almost down the entire length of the body. The C-pillar also has shades of the VW Golf and Volvo XC40, but it’s also contrast-coloured for a stronger statement. 

Inside, Kia has gone classy and clean with what looks like dual 10.25-inch screens under a single pane of glass (like the BMW iX flagship) flanked by a dramatic curve in the dashboard. There’s also a rotary gear selector, so we can assume the car has a shift-by-wire gearbox now, freeing up console storage space. Another shout out to EV-dom? The light-up dash panel on the passenger side. 

Like the first-gen model, the Niro will be available as a petrol-electric hybrid, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and full electric vehicle (EV). Kia Singapore says there’s no indication of when the new Niro arrives, but we expect mid-2022, barring delays from the chip shortage.

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If the current model is anything to go by, the new Niro will likely be launched in Singapore as a regular hybrid and as an EV. The car’s new visual spice is a big contrast to before – this should help it win buyers in one of the most challenging segments today, the electrified small crossover space. Challengers include the forthcoming Toyota BZ4X and of course the Hyundai Kona. 

Kia Niro Model History 

The Niro is Kia’s first hybrid model for Singapore debuting in 2017, which we tested and found to be a practical and efficient hybrid that didn’t scream hybrid-ness. Keep in mind back then even hybrids hadn’t taken off like they have now.

In 2019 the facelifted model launched in Singapore with 130hp – making it COE Cat A eligible – meaning it was, and still is, one of the least expensive officially-imported hybrids around. We tested it and found it to be particularly cost effective, practical, and efficient, though not the most refined car around. 

The fully electric Niro EV model also came to Singapore in 2019, and with a similar feature set to the hybrid but with an impressive electric range of nearly 500km tested in real life, we rated it one of the best mainstream EVs here.

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