Kia has confirmed that it is preparing to enter the booming subcompact crossover segment.
The company’s yet-unnamed soft-roader will stretch approximately 168 inches long, 70 inches wide and 64 inches tall, dimensions that will make it roughly the same size as the recently-introduced Fiat 500X. A top Kia executive has hinted that the crossover’s design will be loosely inspired by the Niro concept (pictured) that was presented at the 2013 edition of the Geneva Motor Show.

“It was well accepted from the customer side and we will do our best to reflect our Niro concept [in the final product],” explained Soon-Nam Lee, the vice president of Kia’s overseas marketing group, in an interview with Australian website Motoring.

Power for the crossover is expected to come from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that is widely used across the Kia lineup. Buyers in select markets will be able to order a smaller 1.6-liter unit, and a turbodiesel four-banger will almost certainly be offered in Europe.

As is often the case in the segment, front-wheel drive will come standard and all-wheel drive will be available at an extra cost.

Look for Kia’s compact crossover to debut at a major auto show either late next year or in early 2016. The crossover will be sold in a number of markets around the globe including Europe, Asia and Australia, but it is still too early to tell if it will be offered in the United States.