Worthy though its entry level hatchbacks, family minivans and small SUVs may be, Kia is not a brand you’d associate first with a big, V8-powered four wheel drive crossover. But that’s just what the Korean automaker showed as a concept vehicle in Detroit this week.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The 4.7-metre long Kue puts the emphasis on performance and was designed primarily as a driver´s vehicle, Kia said.
“While possessing many SUV characteristics and capabilities, the Kue focuses more on giving the driver an exhilarating driving experience – on the open country road and on the way to the home improvement centre – rather than on how much it can carry,” the automaker said.
The CUV has a monocoque platform, 22-inch wheels a 2,900 mm wheelbase and an overall length of 4,724 mm. Though purely a concept, it hints at future Kia styling directions, the automaker added.
Twin centreline hinged glass doors open to give access to the rear storage area and a single side door that incorporates a negative-scooped shape opens scissor-style for easy access.
The interior is a four-seat arrangement with individual custom-built bucket seats.
Touch pad and motion-sensing controls are used to adjust such items as the audio and climate systems. The entire touch-pad set up is programmable so that one surface may activate the stereo for one driver and temperature for another. Rear passengers have their own, separate interface.
The engine is a 400-horsepower, DOHC, supercharged 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine that develops 400 lbft (542 Nm) of torque.
