ORANGE COUNTY, California – In its first-ever year as Official Automotive Sponsor for the 13th annual U.S. Bank OC Marathon, Kia Motors America will showcase its revolutionary crossover, the all-new 2017 Kia Niro Hybrid, as the official Pace Car of the three-day Running Festival that expects some 23,000 runners. The same vehicle comedienne Melissa McCarthy drove to Super Bowl advertising gold for the brand in February, the Niro will lead runners at the starting line of the full and half marathons while the brand’s popular Hamsters will set the Kids Run the OC pace with the 2017 Kia Soul EV, Kia’s first mass-market zero emissions, battery electric vehicle.