The cabin is currently being completely renovated.
Kia has announced that it will no longer bring the Soul EV to America. Instead, the company will focus on the Niro. The three-in-one ecofriendly car, which is available as a hybrid, plug in hybrid and EV, will transition to the second generation within months. Our spy team is relentless in capturing prototypes on camera that are undergoing final testing.
The exterior is still camouflaged, and has been seen repeatedly over the past few months. It is expected that the design will be similar to the 2019 HabaNiro design. However, it will be less flashy since the production model will not have the butterfly doors or other extravagant design accents associated with showcars. We can see the exhaust system under the rear bumper. This means that we are dealing with a Niro prototype still using a combustion engine. Although it is unclear if Kia was testing the hybrid, or the PHEV variant, what matters most is that our spy team got a glimpse inside. Although the dashboard has been completely redesigned, it features two digital screens. However, they are not side-by-side as the touchscreen for infotainment is a little lower.
However, there are some missing pieces. The hazard lights button won’t stick out as much on the production model. Because they are now located below the display, the central air vents have been moved to the side of the infotainment. The 2022 Niro will likely have separate climate controls beneath those vents. Their blacked-out appearance indicates that Kia has installed touch-sensitive keys. The outgoing model’s chunky gearbox lever will be replaced by a rotary knob that takes up much less space and is in the same vein of the Niro. This has enabled Kia to place several buttons on the gear selector to provide quick access to heated and ventilated seats and drive modes (including electric vehicle) as well as other functions. The unveiling is expected to occur in the next months. An educated guess suggests that Kia will launch the redesigned Niro in South Korea first. It is still uncertain if the second-gen model will arrive in America in time for the 2022MY, or if it will take longer.