The 2016 Kia Niro in production guise is being previewed here in a couple of official teasers ahead of next year’s market launch. This is a hybrid crossover set to become a global model and will have a five-door layout instead of the three-door body style of the namesake concept from 2013. It will utilize the same hardware setup as the upcoming Prius-like model from Hyundai, so it will combine a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine with an electric motor, a 1.56 kWh battery pack and a six-speed dual clutch transmission. The combustion engine will have 77 kW & 147 Nm of torque whereas the electric motor is going to generate an additional 35 KW.
Other details concerning the hybrid crossover are not available at this point, but chances are it will also spawn a plug-in hybrid derivative later during its life cycle as Kia wants to improve fuel economy across its entire range by a whopping 25% in the next four years, so they will need more green models.
As for the design, the Kia Niro looks quite appealing with its sleek body that has been aerodynamically optimized to cut fuel consumption as much as possible. It has a low roofline and plastic body cladding while at the back it has a roof-mounted spoiler that makes it sportier.
Source: Kia
