Kia's compact SUV concept: Less Soul, more attitude

FRANKFURT -- Rule No. 1 at an auto show: Unless it's a Lamborghini or some other supercar, any concept on display is going to lose those trick scissor doors before it goes into production.

The Kia Niro concept will likely lose these — and a lot of other showy bits — if Kia decides to build a production version.

But the compact crossover with hybrid powertrain on display at the Frankfurt Auto Show does give clues about the size and overall look of a future production vehicle.

Kia says the Niro's appearance in Frankfurt will be used "to gauge public opinion and possible demand," so nothing's off the table yet. A stance and footprint reminiscent of a Nissan Juke likely will stay. That shiny, rubbery interior won't.

According to Kia, the Niro is designed as an "urban-lifestyle" vehicle that "hints at a readiness for action." The concept features a hybrid, all-wheel drive powertrain, with Kia's 1.6 L four-cylinder engine powering the front wheels and a 45 hp electric motor at the rear for when the back wheels slip.

The Niro concept was drawn up at Kia's European design headquarters, just a few hundred feet from the convention center floor. Still, it's an interesting study and an indication that Kia is paying attention to a growing segment.

Remove the concept car frippery and mix it with dash of the Europe-only Kia Ce'ed's realism, and you've got yourself another compact crossover.

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