South Korean Kia Motors Corporation announces new hybrid SUV Kia Niro, who bet on the ecology and slenderness. Is it SUV? They call it HUV which stands for Hybrid Utility Vehicle. For now they showed only a sketch, the official disclosure can be expected on the 2016 Chicago Auto Show, which opens its doors to the press on February 11th and officially starts on February 13th.

Kia Niro tries to combine a compact SUV with a slender and aerodynamic shape

The new Niro is produced on an Eco platform. With its petrol-electric hybrid drive Niro promises a carbon footprint below 90 grams per kilometer. The shape of the car was the responsibility of the Californian and Korean Namyang design centers. Their main task was to combine the traditional compact SUV shape with the slim, versatile and aerodynamic design.

As described by Kia, emphasized high rear end gives Kia Niro a sporty look that is complemented by a high mounted LED rear light and a minimal number of details. Slim side line and rear windows underline the overall slenderness, while the muscular wheel arches provide more space in the cabin. High-mounted headlights willingly or not showing a lot of similarity with its recent sister model Sportage.

Read the full Kia Niro review here.

We can only guess about Kia Niro drivetrain. Based on Kia’s symbiotic relationship with Hyundai and the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq then we are talking about 1.6-liter petrol engine with 105 horsepower combiner with 43 horsepower electric motor fed from lithium-ion battery pack.

More details about new Kia Niro SUV here.

Read the official press release here.

Image credit: Kia