2022 Kia Niro spied with less camouflage

The Kia Niro has only just gone on sale in Australia, but the launch of the second-generation model isn’t far away.

Without the black shroud used on earlier prototypes, we can see the new Niro has a front end heavily influenced by 2019 HabaNiro concept, especially with the design for the main headlight pod and the ‘shark nose’.

The production car won’t be a facsimile of the concept, though. The pop-up butterfly doors have been replaced with more traditional units, and the surfacing looks to be less crisp.

At the rear, the tail lights bear a distinct influence from the HabaNiro, but we expect a toned down treatment for the tailgate and bumpers.

Given the production car’s focus on efficiency and low fuel consumption, it’s not a surprise to see the prototype wearing smaller wheels with higher-profile rubber.

As we’ve seen in photos from July this year, the concept’s hyper-minimalist cabin has been replaced by something far more normal.

The yoke steering wheel has junked in favour of a regular round steering wheel with two big spokes, and there’s a large rectangular slab at the top of dashboard housing a digital instrumentation display and a touchscreen infotainment system.

Unlike the Kia EV6, which is based on the E-GMP dedicated EV platform, the new Niro uses an architecture that supports internal combustion engines.

Buyers of the current Niro can choose between hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and pure electric drivetrains.

MORE: Everything Kia Niro