Kia Niro Frankfurt concept is a Rio on HGH

Kia is muscling up for the Frankfurt auto show next month with the Niro concept. The Korean brand says the vehicle hints at a possible future B-segment contender.

The Niro looks like a Rio on steroids. It sits higher, with bigger wheels and only two doors. It’s painted in black, hence the Niro name, with yellow and stainless steel accents.

Kia says the Niro concept is “ready to take on the urban environment with style and tenacity.” And scissor doors, which we can’t see making it into production. But on a serious note, it will preview a new powertrain when it hits the stand in Germany; we’ll have to wait until the motor show gets underway to find out the details.

The car was styled at Kia’s Frankfurt studio, providing for a short trip to the show floor. Kia’s chief designer in Europe, Gregory Guillaume, penned the lines.

Its lifted stance reminds us that it could compete with other small crossover-like vehicles such as the Nissan Juke or Mini Cooper Countryman. We don’t deny that it looks a little evil, but a lot of its looks will end up on the styling studio floor before a production version arrives.

Kia says it was built in Europe, with European tastes in mind. The company will reveal the concept in Frankfurt to gauge potential customer interest.

By Jake Lingeman