The Kia Niro Is South Korea's Sexy Juke Rival

Once the producer of competent yet dull runabouts, Kia seems to be knocking out some genuinely enticing motors these days. So it should come as no surprise that the South Korean manufacturer has cooked up something pretty dramatic to unveil at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, in the form of this Niro compact SUV concept.  

The sleek triangular headlights and low roofline make for an aggressive look, while things are livened up with splashes of yellow and a set of wheels reminiscent of old Alfa teledials. The grille is the clearest link to Kia's current line up, and isn't a million miles away from the one found on the Pro_cee'd GT hot hatch we're rather fond of.

The lashings of stainless steel on the roof and doors explain the name - Niro refers to a type of steel. In true concept style these aren't ordinary doors either, entering the Niro is done via scissor doors.

The interior is minimalist but awash with lots of cool touches: both front seats and the centre console are formed of one piece, and those slim vertical air vents somehow make a usually boring feature sexy.  Even if you're not a fan of the whole compact SUV thing, you have to admit it's a fine looking motor, both inside and out.

The concept hints at Kia's possible intention to steal sales from the hugely popular Nissan Juke. And if what Kia comes up with looks even remotely like this, it'll be a far easier beast on the eyes.