The automotive world might still be congregating at the New York International Motor Show, but Kia has used the Seoul Motor Show to debut a new concept – a four-door fastback called the Kia Novo – that showcases the future design direction for its compact cars.
Based on a modified Cerato platform, the Novo features a wider, more inset iteration of Kia’s “tiger nose” grille, flanked by slim laser-powered headlights. Underneath them sit low, wide air intakes that house yet more laser lights, accentuating the car’s broad stance.
The clean bodyside is broken up by a sharp crease that runs off the shutline of the clamshell bonnet, prominent rear haunches, aluminium side vents and impossibly slim aluminium wing mirrors. The glasshouse is reminiscent of the Optima‘s, with a C-pillar kink and a rear windscreen that is visually aligned to the rear side windows, separated by an aluminium bar.
Coming to the rear, there are broad tail lights (again powered by lasers), diffuser-like fins low down and triangular exhausts, while crisp lines are said to enhance the Novo’s aerodynamic efficiency. Large 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels with carbon inserts complete the look.
Opening the suicide doors reveals a cabin that continues the minimalist driver-oriented look set by recent Kia concepts. Behind the sporty three-spoke steering wheel sits an instrument cluster that puts up information through a three-dimensional hologram display.
Next to it, a touch pad enables the driver to manipulate vehicle functions without taking their eyes off the road, and features a fingerprint reader to set up individual features such as music selection, audio volume and information displayed according to each driver’s preferences. The four sports seats are upholstered in brown leather and incorporate the inertia reel seat belts.
Under the bonnet, a turbocharged Kappa 1.6 litre T-GDI engine sends power to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The “adaptive concave profile” tyres are unique to the Novo, and features a sunken middle section to cool the rubber and disperses excess road water for better grip in the wet. The slim contact patches on the outer edges of the tyres reduces rolling resistance and road noise.
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i think they mean future mazda kodo, i mean kia novo design
Kia is truly the Asian Audi. It’s clearly proven and actual reality unlike some jaguh kampung daydreaming itself as BMW of Asia. Piirahhhh!
I’m not fan of p1 or kia but this design is totally ugly
Asian Audi? Kia ride handling quality is lightyears behind. Haha!
This is a shameless ripoff of the bmw 9 series concept
From Kodo design bcome Korean design..
copy here copy there.. lol
All those stupid nigga, WHICH eye did u see this design similar to Mazda Kodo? Copy copy copy, everything come out from your mouth is only COPY. No other word can come out from your stupid mouth
Yes both look like kodo designs. Even though not really similar, both are good in pictures but ugly in reality.
Bmw married camaro and wala…new design.
By saying “wala” instead of “voila”, you’ve proven yourself to be less-than-well-educated
Thank you for pointing out my mistake. I must admityou are right. Not all the people in my generation was well educated like a donkey kong.
Am the only one seeing almost no similarities with anything Mazda Kodo except from the fact that it has four wheels. What I am seeing is alot of Jaguar elements, from the way the front headlight closes in on the large rectengular grill with rounded off edges, the side blades and the tail light LED arrangement, it has a hint of Jaguar elements but in a Kia way. There’s also hint of Nissan in the C-pillar and rear bumper, something mirroring the iDX concept.
The interior is a nice place to be in, simple, straight to the point. I kinda dislike the way the airvents is situated, could have hidden it lower ala Mazda 2-style, making way for a LCD infotaiment system. Overall is a nice styling direction, thou like the new Sonata, which differed greatly from the Sportspace concept interior, how much will be implemented. I was kinda dissapointed at the new Sonata’s interior, which looks almost like a Mazda 6 carbon copy.
Demmit not Sonata, I meant the new Optima’s interior, which is a far cry form the ones previewd in the Sportspace concept. Looks very much cluttered compare with the simplistic sportspace.
Yeah. Its really quite disappointing that the new optima went for the same direction as sonata by playing it safe with the design. (Both interior and exterior)
I kinda like the front of this concept since it feels like a pinched version of the k900!
I so hope the optima wagon will look like the sportspace concept ;_;
Very funky and creative design, I think it feels more like those Citroen concepts than Mazda’s or Jag’s. The rear of the car has a retro-futuristic “American Muscle” vibe to it..
look like inspired by Audi Prologue Concept car…
superb!!! proton please wake up now!!! kia and hyundai marching towards luxury status.
Luxury status but low RV, for what?
kia and Hyundai owners are rich…they want style and individually. They can’t be bothered with RV like poor Toyota and Honda owners…
Are you sure they dun get funny looks from family during CNY gathering?
kia is going so fast! great!
This is no Kodo, but its Dodge Charger. Google to find out
Guys this will be the next gen Kia Forte/Cerato!
Hey Sam, please tell everyone that this car, when its finally produced with most of the high tech gadgets intact, and the 200hp 1.6L GDI Turbo, and a 7 speed twin clutch transmission…. this next gen Kia Forte will have zero resale value again right?
Your stocks of Avanza and Innova and Fortuner will have max resale value anytime right?
Park this next to thr above 3… They could be mistaken as cars from North Korea.
hahaha…
Errr you mean THIS Kia car looks like N.Korean car?
Lolol
I think it look modern and nice. KIA are making nice looking cars now. If they are copying Audis, then they are doing it really well. Going from the Sephia to the ones the produce now just goes to show their progress and I don’t see them stopping any time soon. Their cars don’t drive as good but, many of us wont care. The MyVi don’t drive as good as well…
Peter Schreyer was a former Audi designer and he penned most of their newer designs. You can say that Peter had his “touch” with Kia and Audi and made them one of a kind. Audi with their square grille and Kia with their Tiger Nose.
I guess you guys have forgotten that Kia had bought over Peter Schreyer (a former Audi designer). So it’s not a surprise to see bits of European tinge on their concepts. Heck, he basically saved both Kia/Hyundai with his bold approach.
Also, one might forget that most global Ford models now are penned by Europeans instead of Americans.