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Matt Brogan29 Nov 2014
NEWS

Kia's CX-3 fighter a year or so away

Production version of Korean brand's first small SUV won't change much from edgy Niro concept when it arrives in 2016

Kia will be the latest brand to enter Australia's fastest growing sales sector when it enters the booming small SUV segment in 2016.

Holden has its Trax, Ford its EcoSport, Peugeot its 2008, Nissan its JUKE, Mitsubishi its ASX, Skoda its Yeti, Suzuki its S-Cross, Nissan its QASHQAI and Subaru its XV.

And let's not forget the entourage of all-new city-crossovers due here next year, led by Honda's new HR-V, the Mazda CX-3, Renault's Captur, Fiat's 500X, Suzuki's Vitara and even the SsangYong Tivoli.

Hyundai’s ix25 is also on the drawing board and will form the basis of a similar model from its Korean sister, so the obvious question is: how far away is Kia’s baby SUV?

The vice-president of Kia’s overseas marketing group, Soon-Nam Lee, told motoring.com.au today that the answer is 12 to 18 months, adding that KMC’s R&D team is working hard to ensure the body looks as close as possible to that of the dramatic Niro concept shown at last year’s Frankfurt motor show.

“It is the hard issue,” Lee explained. “At the LA motor show we saw Mazda introduce the CX-3 — and we have studied the western European market and [cars like the] Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008. We need a lower [segment] SUV.”

Lee said that the China-only KX3 was slated for release in the world's largest car market next year, but would not reveal precise timing for the Western market version.

“Next year in the Chinese market our new B-segment SUV will be unveiled… but our model for the western European market is still under development. We are discussing now, in conjunction with R&D, product strategy and finance division, so I cannot unveil the exact date. However, we have the plan,” he added intriguingly.

Hyundai has yet to confirm the ix25 for the Australian market but has said the model is “likely” for local release, which is expected to happen in by 2016.

When quizzed as to whether the Niro would stay true to the shape of the concept model, Lee indicated that positive customer and press reaction had inspired Kia to stick closely to the design of the show-car.

“It was well accepted from the customer side and we will do our best to reflect our Niro concept [in the final product],” he concluded.

In production form, the Kia Niro is likely to measure close to the ix25’s 4270mm overall length, 1780mm width and 1630mm height, and will share an identical wheelbase at 2590mm — 50mm shorter than the ix35’s.

Power will come from a Kia-Hyundai ‘Nu’ 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine initially, though downsized turbocharged units of 1.6- or even 1.4-litre displacement are expected towards the middle of the vehicle’s product cycle.

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Written byMatt Brogan
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