What's all this about?
It's the first official teaser image of a new concept car that Kia will unveil at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The as-yet unnamed car latches on to the evergreen coolness of estate cars, but gives it a twist to create what Kia claims is a 'new body type' for the company.
It looks quite sporty
We don't yet know if the powertrain will help the concept live up to its styling, which features bodywork that appears to be shrink wrapped around the wheels and hints at a wider track. Kia has been adding models with a more performance-themed look lately, and the forthcoming Stinger GT packs quite a punch. With sister company, Hyundai, about to launch its new 'N' performance sub-brand, we hope that this might see the prospect of a similar effort from Kia gain traction.
How about the interior?
We'll have to wait until the car is officially debuted on 12 September to get a glimpse inside, but expect large screens and hopefully some sporty seats to complement the exterior. Its estate-like body style shouildn't hinder carrying capacity all that much either, which is no bad thing.
So will it be made?
Kia has hinted that this new concept will give us a taster of how the next-generation cee'd will look, although we've yet to see how it appears from the front. The tailgate has a full-width light bar that is similar to that which graces the back of the current Kia Sportage crossover. We're unlikely to see the flush door handles make it into production on the next cee'd, though it can be done - just look at the new Range Rover Velar and Tesla Model S for example. We'll know more when the car steps out into the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Dave Humphreys - 30 Aug 2017