2026 Kia Niro Facelift Unveiled with EV9-Inspired Looks

The second-gen Kia Niro crossover has been given a facelift, featuring EV9-inspired looks and equipment upgrades.

It has been almost five years since Kia unveiled the second-gen Niro, and this B-segment crossover is finally getting a proper facelift. Unveiled in native South Korea, the facelift model brings several of Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design cues made famous by the flagship EV9, as well as several minor equipment upgrades.

We’ll start with the exterior visuals, where the facelifted Niro gets an EV9-esque front face, thanks to its new LED headlights with the signature L-shaped ‘Star Map’ DRLs that are flanking its grill-less front fascia. The contrasting side panels on the front bumper have also been extended to the front wheel arches and to the lower side parts of the car, while new 18-inch wheels with a “cubic” spoke design complete the facelift treatment on the side.

Moving further back, you’ll notice that Kia has simplified the rear part of the new Niro, with the previous contrasting accents on the C-pillars having been removed in favour of simpler dark-hued window surrounds. To match the EV9-inspired front face, the back of the new Niro now comes with slim L-shaped LED taillights that are joined by a thin black strip rather than a full-width light bar.

Rounding off the rear changes are the lower license plate holder with the same dark panels as the front for a cleaner tailgate design, plus a redesigned rear bumper with a diffuser-like accent finished in silver.

The facelift treatment continues inside the Niro, where the automaker has swapped the unique “raised” dashboard design on the pre-facelift model for a more conventional setup seen on many other Kia models.

Some key features include the dual 12.3-inch screens, a dedicated control panel for both climate and media controls, an asymmetrical central console with a dial-style gear selector and multiple physical buttons, a new two-spoke steering wheel, and many more.

As of writing, Kia has yet to publish any detailed powertrain specifications for the facelifted Niro, with several rumours suggesting that the crossover will continue to be offered in either parallel hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), or battery electric (BEV) guises.

For reference, the outgoing Niro HEV is powered by a 1.6-litre 4-cyl nat-asp SmartStream G engine that is mated to a single electric motor, a six-speed DCT gearbox, and a small 1.32 kWh battery to deliver a combined output of 139 hp and 265 Nm. The PHEV version uses the same engine and DCT gearbox but with a peppier e-motor and a larger 11.1 kWh battery for a combined output of 180 hp and 265 Nm, plus a pure electric range of up to 60 km.

Malaysian-spec Kia Niro EV

As for the Niro EV, which was briefly on sale here in Malaysia, this electric crossover is exclusively powered by a single, front-mounted (FWD) electric motor rated at 201 hp and 255 Nm, while its 64.8 kWh battery pack is good for up to 460 km of WLTP range.

We can learn more about the new Kia Niro facelift once the crossover makes its official market entry in South Korea later in March this year. With the Kia brand now being represented in Malaysia through a new national sales company (NSC), Kia Sales Malaysia, is there a chance for the Niro to make its return into our local market, perhaps in both hybrid and electric forms?