South Korea · 2019 · New York show concept

Kia HabaNiro

An electric crossover study that treated the cabin and body as a single experiment.

Concept cars

Clear front three-quarter view of the physical silver/white HabaNiro, dark front cladding, distinctive lamps, red C-pillar and far-side raised butterfly door. Display-floor reflections and background screen remain. Not a production Niro and not proof of proposed powertrain or autonomy. Whole image resized and JPEG re-encoded; derivative retains CC BY-SA 4.0.

Front three-quarter show-floor view · Photo shows Clear front three-quarter view of the physical silver/white HabaNiro, dark front cladding, distinctive lamps, red C-pillar and far-side raised butterfly door. Display-floor reflections and background screen remain. Not a production Niro and not proof of proposed powertrain or autonomy. Whole image resized and JPEG re-encoded; derivative retains CC BY-SA 4.0..
Kia HabaNiro physical show concept, New York 2019 · Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0

Auction-based estimated value

Research pending

A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.

Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.

A place in vehicle history

More than a set of wheels.

HabaNiro was a physical show concept, not a production Niro trim. Its California design mixed practical crossover cues with theatrical doors and contrasting surfaces.

Look a little closer.

Kia called the study an ECEV: an Everything Car Electric Vehicle.

Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.

An electric crossover deliberately escaped one category

HabaNiro mixed the ground clearance and cladding of an adventure vehicle with butterfly doors, a vivid show-car cabin and an electric platform. Kia's ECEV label was a way to resist reducing that combination to a conventional compact crossover before its ideas had been tested in production.

Source: Motor Authority — HabaNiro at New York, April 17, 2019 ↗

The targets need concept labels

The reveal's range and Level 5 language describe an aspiration, not an EPA rating or a demonstrated consumer autonomous system. Reading the physical show car alongside those proposals keeps visible design evidence separate from capabilities that a photograph cannot prove.

Source: Kia Motors America — HabaNiro reveal, April 17, 2019 (official release via PR Newswire) ↗

Where these facts come from

Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-15T10:22:47.039Z.

Choose your next turn

Keep exploring.

Follow a familiar badge or home, stay in the same era, or leap across automotive history.

Same maker2015 Kia Soul EV BaseAnother Kia

Kia turned its boxy five-seat hatchback into an electric car without taking away its bright personality or useful rear seat.

Take this turn Same era2019 Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle prototypeAlso from the 2010s

A flat electric platform let Canoo imagine a compact vehicle with a lounge-like cabin.

Take this turn Big time jump1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen No. 1133 years apart

Three wheels, one cylinder, and a purpose-built machine that helped start the age of the motor car.

Take this turn