New Kia Cub concept revealed
The Seoul International Motor Show is the host of many unveilings and world debuts for Asian-based carmakers, hence why we’re talking about the world debut of the Kia Cub concept, a turbocharged compact four-door ‘coupe’.
The Kia Cub was designed in Seoul under the direction of the Kia president and chief design officer Peter Schreyer to be a pillar-less, sub-4m-long vehicle with rearward-opening rear doors with a luxuriously trimmed four-seater cabin.
Taking design influences from the 2007 Kia Kee 2+2 concept, the Kia Cub features a broad wrap-around grille and a ‘dip’ in the top of the windshield – this is a common theme observed on the Kia Optima, Sportage and Cadenza models. The concept comes equipped with a 150kW/265Nm tubocharged 1.6-litre GDI engine, the same unit that powers the cee’d GT.
The vehicle has two-point LED headlights – similar to those from the Kia Quoris – and matched by LED tail-lights.
Other features of the concept are minimum-drag wing mirrors, automatic touch door handles, 19-inch alloy wheels – pretty much a standard by now, aerodynamic ‘turning-vanes’ and a sports stripe meant to complete the exterior highlights.
The inside design of the cabin features yellow stitching and black leather to complement the accents around the seats, door armrests and steering wheel – the steering wheel is also capable of monitoring the driver’s biorhythm.
The Cub also comes equipped with a “Driving Information System” which is connected to a gesture camera, which allows drivers to navigate through menus with ‘well-defined motions’.
According to Kia senior executive vice-president and COO, the Cub concept was styled in order to appeal to the ‘trend-setting urban dweller’.
The Kia Cub is a compact, four-door coupe created with the clear focus on both driving performance and practicality, however there are no plans to put the Kia Cub concept into volume production.
