Kia wants a subcompact crossover to help
take on the likes of the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3 in the U.S., and this
prototype is likely that car. Despite the camouflage, it appears the car being tested is a close
relative of the Chinese-market Kia KX3, which in turn is related to the Hyundai
ix25 and Hyundai Creta small crossovers sold overseas.
The
look of this Kia subcompact
evokes some of the design cues seen on the 2013 Kia Niro concept car, which
gave us some hints about the design of a possible Kia B-segment crossover. Up
front, Kia's familiar
"Tiger grille" is visible on the rounded front end, while the large
headlights sweep up onto the car's front fenders. A curving roofline lowers the
car's height behind the
rear doors, where the liftgate bears tall, wide taillights.
Kia's future crossover would
likely offer both front- and all-wheel drive, and could be based on the same
platform as the Soul. However, we expected Kia to skip the process of
launching a new vehicle and simply add AWD to the Soul. Officials have hinted
over time that all-wheel drive might help bolster the boxy hatchback's sales in
cold-weather states. In fact, the Kia Trail'ster
concept shown at this year's Chicago auto show gave the Soul a more rugged look
and electrically powered all-wheel drive.
This
future Kia
crossover is likely still some way from hitting U.S. showrooms, with reports
suggesting a 2017 debut, so stay tuned for more news about Kia's potential
entry into the B-crossover segment.
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