Kia’s European-designed Niro made its North American debut at the Chicago Auto Show. This butterfly-doored crossover coupe concept is similar in spirit to rugged coupe concepts that have been floating around at other auto shows, and was first seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The big-tired body is set off by a striking brushed-stainless steel roof, ice-cube shaped headlight clusters and blacked-out wheels. The simple interior has hints of desert rally vehicles, while lime-green anodized aluminum tow hooks and other off-road accouterments give it a rugged, dirt-ready look. A wide track and short wheelbase hint at nimble off-road handling, while the short overhangs front and rear provide a road-ready look for the city.
The Niro’s wrapped around a hybrid powertrain that uses the 160-horsepower 1.6 liter four-cylinder currently used in the Forte5. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission drives the front wheels, while up to 45 horsepower is sent to the rear wheels by an electric motor that’s powered by regenerative braking.
Though there are no plans to put it directly into production, Kia doesn’t entirely discount the possibility that the Niro will influence future production vehicles, especially compact crossovers.
