Kia Motors has unveiled its latest concept car – the Kia Novo – at the Seoul Motor Show 2015.

Featuring bold, coupé-inspired styling and a minimalist, driver-focused cabin, the Kia Novo hints at the design direction for the brand’s next-generation compact vehicles, said a statement.

Taking its name from the Latin ‘novatus’ (meaning renewed or refreshed), the Kia Novo concept is aimed at modern urbanites with stressful jobs and frantic schedules.

Interpreted by Kia’s designers, the name ‘Novo’ represents the concept of making something new and fresh.

The Novo seeks to establish a calming, focused environment in which drivers can refresh and rejuvenate as they transition from one life commitment to the next.

‘Novatus’ also provides the origin of the English word, ‘innovation’, which the Novo concept brings to life with thoroughly innovative styling and high-tech interior features, said the statement.

The Kia Novo takes inspiration from classic, traditional craftsmanship and vehicle design, and reinterprets it for the 21st Century using modern materials and cutting-edge production techniques to create a sharp, dynamic body over a state-of-the-art powertrain.

Designed at Kia’s Namyang design centre in Korea, and based on a specially-adapted version of the Cerato (Forte) platform, the Novo bears a coupé-inspired silhouette and Kia styling. 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.

The large front wheel arches lead directly into a strong, consistent shoulder line to meet the rear laser lamps, whose shape echoes those of the front for an identical light signature. The rear of the car uses prominent lines and low triangular exhausts to add greater width and volume to its shape and emphasise the car’s sportiness and on-road stability.

As well as the neat, simple design forms that make up the dashboard and centre console, the interior’s four individual dark brown leather sports seats add to the minimalist ambience of the cabin, each made up of simple linear shapes and featuring built-in inertia reel seatbelts to minimise ‘cabin clutter’.

The Novo is powered by the latest high-tech production Kia powertrain to match its dynamic looks. A 1.6-l ‘Kappa’ turbo gasoline direct injection (T-GDI) engine has been paired with the brand’s seven speed DCT to power the front wheels.

The Kia Novo concept is fitted with innovative new ‘adaptive concave profile’ tires, 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 20-inch tires 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, said the statement.

There are currently no plans to bring the Kia Novo concept to production, though Kia has a history of delivering production vehicles that bear a strong resemblance to concept vehicles that precede them, it said.

The Kia Novo concept provides a glimpse into Kia’s plans for its future compact car line-up, it added. - TradeArabia News Service