Frankfurt 2013: Kia Niro, Soul & Optima
New Crossover concept, plus revised Soul and Optima for Europe
By Shahzad Sheikh
Kia’s self-style trend for dramatic-looking cars and concepts continues with the unveiling of this hybrid crossover concept called the Niro.
It’s said to hint at a possible contender in the compact SUV segment, and is a mix of sci-fi and robust off-roady looks in a tightly drawn form.
It has menacingly dark ‘Nightfall’ exterior finish with a brushed stainless steel roof. It has ‘butterfly’ scissor doors and sits on 20-inch wheels.
Nice to see Kia’s commitment to striking design continues.
Not that all Kia’s must look the same, as evidenced by the debut of the European edition of the second generation Soul seen at the show.
It’s smoother but still quite upright and rather funky. All the exterior panels are new and inside there’s a new design too.
One of my favourite affordable saloons is the Kia Optima and thankfully they haven’t messed too much with the strong sharp-edged lines of this popular four-door.
It’s said to be quieter, and appeared to have these four individual driving lamps. However I still prefer the original alloy wheel design on this car.
