The all-new Kia Niro has been unveiled at the 2021 Seoul Motor Show, just weeks after the Korean carmaker also unveiled the EV9 concept alongside its sister company’s Seven concept. The second-generation Kia Niro makes use of sustainable materials on the exteriors as well as its interiors, and while Kia hasn’t mentioned much about the powertrains, it has confirmed that the Niro will be offered in HEV, plug-in hybrid, and electric configurations in global markets come 2022.
Design-wise, the Kia Niro has traces of the 2019 HabaNiro concept and it follows the Opposites United design philosophy. The front fascia receives Kia’s signature ‘tiger face’ treatment, followed by the LED DRLs with a ‘heartbeat’ pattern. The body receives dual-tone treatment with the wide rear pillar finished in a contrasting shade. The rear pillar also houses the vertical boomerang-shaped tail lamps.
The Kia Niro receives a ‘Greenzone Drive mode’, but what is it exactly? The Greenzone drive mode automatically switches the Niro between plug-in hybrid to full electric mode while driving in residential areas, schools, and hospitals based on your driving habits and navigation data. The Greenzone mode will also remember your favorite areas, your home and work address if they are registered in the car’s navigation system.
We mentioned that the Kia Niro makes use of sustainable materials, but what exactly and where? Kia says the door panels of the Niro make use of BTX free paint, which essentially means that it uses a water-based paint, and it does not consist of benzene, toluene, and xylene isomers. The interiors too make use of sustainable and recycled material — the roofliner is made out of recycled wallpaper, while the seats are made out of Bio PU material with Tencel from eucalyptus leaves. The seat mechanism used here is also made of a lightweight material. You can also make use of the coat hangers at the back of the headrest.
The digital instrument cluster and the infotainment system seem to blend together as a single unit, and it is expected to receive a valet mode, climate control, quiet mode, online payments, navigation, and smartphone connectivity among others.
The Kia Niro isn’t expected to arrive here anytime soon, given the fact that Kia Motors hasn’t said anything about an India launch. The Niro goes on sale internationally from 2022, so even if the Niro is on the radar for India, we will have to wait for quite a while. However, Kia is expected to launch a seven-seater SUV here sometime next year. Let’s see what the Korean carmaker brings us next.