New Car from Kia set for the Geneva Motor show

Published Date: 19th Feb 2016

The Kia Niro

All-new Kia Niro to make European debut at 2016 Geneva Motor Show
Stand-out crossover design for the hybrid car market
Dedicated hybrid powertrain specifically developed for all-new model
Engineers targeting 89 g/km CO2 emissions
Predictive driving assistance maximises efficiency in all driving conditions
Lightweight, high-strength steel and aluminium body for maximum safety and low NVH
Infotainment options include Kia Connected Services and Android Auto™
On-sale in Europe from Q3 2016

The Niro from Kia has been engineered using a new platform in isolation from the existing Kia models and built from the ground up with hybrid and fuel efficiency in mind. The drivetrain on the new car is made up of a 1.6 litre GDI (gasoline direct injection) which is paired with a lithium-ion battery pack powering a 32Kw motor, with a combined power output of 141ps and 264Nm of torque.

Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe, commented, “The Kia Niro will offer buyers a compelling blend of crossover practicality with the cool, modern styling for which Kia is famous, and an efficient new hybrid powertrain to keep running costs down. The Niro fills a gap in the market for a crossover with typically low hybrid emissions, and will appeal to a broad range of European buyers.”

Cole added: “Hybrid sales have more than doubled in Europe over the last five years, and are forecast to account for around 700,000 sales in Europe by 2020. The Niro will allow Kia to meet this growing demand for alternatively-fuelled vehicles, and help us meet our 2020 global target to improve average fleet fuel efficiency by 25% over 2014 levels.”

The all-new Niro is available with many of the latest active hazard avoidance technologies, depending on market. Available systems will include:

Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)* with pedestrian detection, employing a radar detection system to detect potential collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians and help bring the car to a halt
Smart Cruise Control (SCC), which automatically adjusts the Niro’s speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles in front
Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) – fitted as standard to all Niro models in Europe – emits an audible alert when the driver strays from the current lane without using the indicators
Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) – also fitted as standard – detects the position of the Niro in relation to lane markings and takes automatic action to correct the steering line if it senses the car starting to draft without the use of indicators
Blind Spot Detection (BSD) which monitors cars behind the Niro and provides the driver with a visual warning in the door mirror when another car enters the driver’s blind spot
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), which warns against other cars driving behind the Niro in car parks while reversing.

This New car from Kia will also be the first to incorporate Android Auto in the Kia range. The system designed to minimize driver distraction and make use of the touchscreen infotainment system for apps like google maps for voice guided navigation. With the ever increasing smartphone market Kia has made the addition of a wireless smartphone charger with foreign object detection so will only switch on when a compatible smartphone is detected.

Following its European debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the all-new Kia Niro is due to enter full series production at Kia’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Hwasung, Korea in May 2016.

The Kia Niro will go on sale across Europe towards the end of Q3 2016, and – as with every Kia sold in Europe – will come with the brand’s unique 7-Year, 100,000 mile warranty.