FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Kia's compact Niro crossover

Kia used the Frankfurt motor show to whip the covers off its Niro baby SUV concept, of which the first images were released just under two weeks ago.

As previously reported, the edgy design study previews a new B-segment challenger that will slot in below the existing Sportage and target the likes of the Nissan Dualis and Holden Trax.

Underpinned by an all-new platform that will form the basis of all future B-segment products from Kia, the Niro measures a compact 4185mm long, 1850mm wide and 1558mm tall.

These dimensions position the Niro firmly in the city-car genre, but Kia says it has maximised packaging efficiency via the vehicle’s wheel-at-each-corner stance. This, along with the chop-top roofline, also alleviates the slabsidedness that’s a hallmark of some baby SUVs.

Penned under the watch of Kia’s Europe design chief, Gregory Guillaume, the Niro features a raft of pure showcar elements – such as the dihedral doors, stainless steel roof and futuristic LED lights – but the concept provides at least a general indication of how the showroom reality could shape up.

The Niro’s sinister ‘Nightfall’ paintwork is offset by 20-inch milled aluminium wheels shod with 225/40R20 rubber, endowing the vehicle with a far beefier stance than is the norm for the small SUV segment.

Among the novel design elements are running-board type “blades” above the lower side-sills and Plexiglas door mirrors (mounted directly on the side quarter windows) with in-built downward-facing cameras.

Another surprise-and-delight feature is that part of the tail-light cluster swings up with the hatch to illuminate the cargo space, leaving behind the secondary section of the cluster to enable other road users to still see the car in the dark.

Although the concept is designed as a 2+2 (with clamshell seats and an adjustable pedal box), the eventual production vehicle is expected to feature a conventional five-seat layout, with enough cargo space to enable weekend excursions.

In addition to an all-new platform, the Niro also previews a new hybrid powertrain that features a 118kW 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine sending power to the front wheels via a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission.

While the engine drives the front wheels, an electric-hybrid system powered from regenerative braking delivers up to 33kW to the rear wheels – when slippery conditions necessitate extra traction.

Here's the full run down on the latest news from Frankfurt motor show

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