Kia Niro Concept points to a Kia Nissan Juke rival

The Kia Niro Concept -revealed ahead of a Frankfurt debut – points clearly at Kia’s intent to produce a compact urban SUV to rival the Nissan Juke.

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Earlier this month we had a teaser from Kia for a new compact urban SUV heading for a debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and here its is – the Kia Niro Concept.

Kia has obviously been careful with its concept naming this time after the storm in a teacup response to the Kia Provo last year, with a name that shouts ‘Famous Actor’ rather than ‘Famous Terrorist’. Sensible move.

It’s clear from Kia’s on-going compact SUV concepts that they intend building a car to take on the Nissan Juke, and the Niro looks a good effort, even if much of what’s on show – like the Gullwing doors and huge alloys – are unlikely to make production.

The Niro gets a slender tiger-nose grill between a set of headlights hugging the corner of the front wings, a set of LEDs nicked from the Cee’d, LED lights and twin exhausts at the back and a stainless steel roof and highlights all wrapped up in a butch and rounded compact SUV.

Under the bonnet is expected to be a hybrid powerplant with an ICE engine running the front wheels and an electric motor for the back axle to give the Niro decent economy, decent performance and 4WD.

Inside is concept typical with a set of front seats in silver cloth with the material crossing the centre console to join the seats together, stylised rocker switches in the centre and a pair of ‘struts’ running up from the centre console to the dash.

Much of what the Niro offers won’t make it in to production, but but the design makes all the right noises and manages to offer the odd but appealing styling of the Juke in a seemingly more contiguous package.

The Kia Niro Concept will get its public debut next month at Frankfurt.