Kia showcases eco-friendly Niro crossover with hybrid tech

Kia has revealed the next-gen Niro which showcases the brand’s commitment towards a more eco-friendly and sustainable lineup of cars.

Built from the ground up, the Niro will be powered by a 1.6 litre gasoline engine mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The petrol motor will be coupled with an electric motor to ensure maximum fuel efficiency.

The exterior of the car showcases Kia’s Tiger Face design language with the front featuring a pair of 'heartbeat' design daytime running lights. A bold C-pillar gives the Niro a very cool looking side profile. At the back you will find a pair of vertical LED taillights and a heartbeat-shaped rear reflector.

Step inside and you will be greeted with a very spacious cabin featuring ambient mood lighting. Kia says that one can choose between 74 different colour combinations for the mood lighting. WOW.

Other features of the interior are its 10.3-inch touchscreen, rotary shift knob and digital instrument cluster. Below the big touchscreen you will find buttons for climate control and a large cup holder tray - which is very convenient. 

The infotainment system also has Kia’s various connected car features Digital Key 2 Touch system and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. Nearly all the connected features can be controlled using the Kia Connect smartphone app.

For safety, Kia has given the Niro a whole host of different ADAS features Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), High Beam Assist (HBA), Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control (NSCC), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Highway Driving Assist (HDA), Rear View Monitor (RVM), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA-R) and Front/Rear Parking Distance Warning (PDW-F/R).  

As compared to its predecessor, the all-new Niro has a longer wheelbase and a bigger boot. This means that the crossover will have more space for passengers and luggage. To give passengers a better ride, the Niro features Kia’s new suspension system and an optimized steering gear ratio which gives the driver more steering feel. 

The Kia Niro is all set to launch globally later this year in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) and battery electric vehicle (BEV) forms.