Kia Cub concept revealed in Seoul

The Kia Cub concept has made its world debut at the Seoul international motor show in Korea, revealing a turbocharged compact four-door ‘coupe’.

Designed in Seoul under the direction of Kia president and chief design officer Peter Schreyer, the sub-4m-long Kia Cub combines a pillar-less mid section and rearward-opening rear doors with a luxuriously trimmed four-seater cabin.

With design influences from the 2007 Kia Kee 2+2 concept, the sleek yellow Kia Cub has a broad wrap-around ‘mouth’ up front, a ‘dip’ in the top of the windshield â€" a theme seen on the Kia Optima, Sportage and Cadenza models â€" and the latest reworking of Schreyer’s ‘tiger nose’ grille with an integrated air intake for its 150kW/265Nm turbocharged 1.6-litre GDI (gasoline direct injection) engine â€" the same unit in the Australia-bound Kia pro_cee’d GT and European-sold cee’d GT.

Two-point LED headlights, similar to those on the Kia Quoris, are matched by LED tail-lights, while the front end’s ‘mouth’ treatment is mirrored out back.

Minimum-drag wing mirrors, automatic touch door handles, 19-inch alloy wheels, aerodynamic ‘turning-vanes’ and a sports stripe complete the exterior highlights.

Inside, yellow stitching and black leather join body-coloured accents around the seats, door armrests and steering wheel â€" the latter capable of monitoring drivers’ biorhythms.

Continuing the technology theme is the Kia Cub’s ‘Driving Information System’. Connected to a gesture camera, the unit allows driver’s to navigate through menus with “well-defined motions”.

Kia senior executive vice-president and COO Thomas Oh, said the new concept has been styled to appeal to “trend-setting urban dwellers”.

“The new Kia Cub is a compact, four-door coupe created with a clear focus on driving performance and practicality.”

Kia says there are no plans to put the Kia Cub concept into volume production.

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