The Kia Novo concept car has been revealed at the Seoul Motor Show today, hinting at the future design direction of Kia’s next-generation compact models.
SITTING ON AN adapted version of the Kia Cerato’s platform, the Kia Novo concept was designed at Kia’s Namyang design centre in Korea. According to Kia the Novo hints at the future design direction for the Korean car maker’s compact vehicles.
From the press guff, “The Novo’s minimal front overhangs, longer rear overhangs and fastback roofline, as well as a slim, long glass area, give it a raked, sporty profile. The smooth, geometric design of the car’s shape is blended with a series of sharp, decisive lines and forms around the body. The front of the Novo sports the latest interpretation of Kia’s hallmark ‘tiger nose’ grille, now wider and more deeply embedded, and slim new laser headlamps. Low, wide air intakes house additional laser headlamps, which frame the Novo’s bold face, emphasise its low, wide stance and give the car a unique light signature”.
The interior is “focussed solely on the driver,” with the minimalist interior providing, says the brand, a distraction-free environment, “while all occupants benefit from plenty of space, a result of the car’s long body and intelligent packaging”.
In what sounds like something straight out of a Hollywood movie, the Novo features a “three-dimensional hologram display, while a ‘blind control’ touch pad next to the steering wheel allows drivers to control the car’s many functions without having to take their eyes off the road ahead. The touch pad incorporates a fingerprint scanner, which automatically sets up elements of the car according to the driver’s preferences, such as music selection, audio volume and the type of information displayed. A wide touchscreen in the centre of the dash provides the car’s full range of functionality to occupants”. Er, okay.
Under the bonnet, the Novo runs a 1.6-litre T-GDI engine mated with a seven-speed DCT, sending power to the front wheels.
A concept car in more than just looks, the Kia Novo concept is fitted with “new ‘adaptive concave profile’ tyres, with a sunken middle section between two contact points serving to cool the rubber and channel excess road water away from the wheels for greater grip. The unique 20-inch tyres feature two slim contact points on the outer edges to provide lower rolling resistance and reduce road noise, while contributing to provide a high level of grip under cornering”.
While Kia says there are no plans to bring the Novo to production, it suggests that it provides a glimpse of its plans for its future compact car line-up, so you can make of that whatever you will.
