The Seoul Motor Show is well underway, from March 31 to April 7, and although most automakers will be revealing Chinese Auto Market exclusives, not all of them stay there. Mitsubishi Motors eventually brought the Outlander PHEV to American Shores, and the Jeep Commander, thought to be an only overseas vehicle, is being used as the platform for a new crossover from Fiat Chrysler. With Kia Motors becoming an automaker that can steal the spotlight at any auto show, it’s very possible that the vehicles they’re bringing to Seoul won’t stay there. After all, their Imagine by Kia showcase at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show promises a lot of changes going forward.
2019 Seoul Motor Show
During the 2019 Seoul Motor Show, Kia Motors introduced two new concepts that can land in either the SUV or crossover car segment. On the larger end of things, a three-row SUV concept with some off-road style is known as the “Kia Masterpiece”. Built to be a large and rugged SUV, the Kia Masterpiece actually looks like it could be built on the same platform as the Telluride. With its cross-functionality and the multiple versions we’ve seen of the Kia Telluride at auto shows, the Masterpiece may be an example of what one could do with the Telluride here in the states.
For the Motor Show, the Kia Masterpiece features a full LED light-up grille, and the trademark tiger-nose grille is extended outward to complement this. Faux integrated tailpipes can be found in the rear, but the off-road components are the components gaining some interest. Skid plates seem have been equipped all around the undercarriage of the vehicle, the Masterpiece has a larger ride height than most of the Kia Motors crossover/SUV lineup, and there’s a little more space in the wheel wells for suspension travel.
The second concept to appear at Seoul this year is the “Kia Signature”, a smaller concept than the Masterpiece, and comes with its own style. The Signature concept is an evolution of the old SP concept that debuted in India but is intended to go global. That’s good news because it looks sick! The Kia Signature is sleeker and sharper than the Kia Masterpiece, and the tiger-nose grille on the Signature gives it a bit of a sporty feel. This concept could definitely come with its own GT-Line, calling it now.
LEDs also appear on the Kia Signature in a skinny, horizontal fashion. The Daytime Running Lights taper off toward the rear, and sharp lines give the impression of high performance for this crossover. Powertrain options have not yet been mentioned for either concept, but if Imagine by Kia is anything to go by, we may be looking at a high-performance EV.
Recently, Kia Motors announced their plans to become the next all-electric automaker. Kia Motors won’t ditch their gasoline vehicles altogether just yet, but a new, all-electric platform is what Kia promised for the next vehicle that comes out of their shop. Before, Kia Motors would test the waters, like they did with the Kia Niro, the world’s first hybrid crossover. Then, they came out with the Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid, and most recently, the Kia e-Niro, an all-electric variant. The e-Niro launched in Europe in early 2019, with 10,000 units, and all 10,000 units have already been sold.
If the same success Kia Motors has had overseas continues in the U.S., then it’s a good bet that the concepts debuting in Seoul could make their way to American shores. What do you think of these new concepts? Excited for what Kia Motors has planned next? Stay up to date by following Miami Lakes Kia social media.