Sometimes sibling rivalries work.  Such is the case with Hyundai and Kia.  Hyundai unveiled the tiny crossover Hyundai Venue this month at the New York International Auto Show.  Once it hits the market, it will be the shortest crossover available.  One of the downsides of the Venue and its main rival the Nissan Kicks is the lack of all-wheel drive.  Even Kia's own Soul does not have all-wheel drive.

Kia, with an eye on the Venue, is looking for its own small crossover, but with all-wheel drive capability.   They recently showed the Kia SP Signature Concept which shares its dirty bits with the next generation of the Hyundai Creta, a small SUV only sold overseas. Still larger than the Venue, this model is likely to see production for the US market under the Kia badge.   The timeline for such an introduction is still uncertain, but it could happen as soon as the Los Angeles Auto Show late in 2019.

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Lord, it already looks better than the EcoSport......

That is a good looking Kia right there, but there is a new Ecosport coming too, and you can bet it will not be an afterthought rushed to fill a hole.

Why can't KIA simply give the Soul AWD?!

1 hour ago, riviera74 said:

Why can't KIA simply give the Soul AWD?!

I was just thinking the same thing. Otherwise, the model shown above actually looks pretty nice for the segment they have in mind. 

13 hours ago, riviera74 said:

Why can't KIA simply give the Soul AWD?!

Must be a platform limitation.

 

28 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Must be a platform limitation.

 

That would be the only reason I could see that not happening for the Soul. My wife has a 2015 Soul and absolutely loves it but AWD would sure be nice in the winter months when we go up the Arizona mountains. 

On 5/1/2019 at 5:38 AM, ocnblu said:

That is a good looking Kia right there, but there is a new Ecosport coming too, and you can bet it will not be an afterthought rushed to fill a hole.

That’s what I’m afraid of....I pray it looks nothing like the Escape.....

8 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

has a 2015 Soul and absolutely loves it

My mom loved hers (alas it was a lease and she could not afford to buy it at the end of the term) and I really like the new one.  I would consider an X-Line in green if they offered it with stick.  I think all small cars should be available with stick.

1 hour ago, daves87rs said:

..I pray it looks nothing like the Escape.....

Well the spy shots make it look sort of bug-eyed but cool.