Kia Futuron Concept

Kia has been working on their image for a while. They don’t want to be perceived as an economy car brand anymore, and there’s evidence like the Stinger GT sports sedan and the new Telluride SUV that have both taken the fight to the premium brands. Now, their Futuron Concept shows the world how to do a space-age coupe/SUV that’s anything but conventional. Built for the China International Import Expo in Shangai, the Futuron as a high-riding and svelte body with a big ‘360-degree core’ glass-domed fastback-style cockpit. The sleekness of the body contrasts with the taller all-wheel drive setup, and the car is powered by four electric motors housed within the wheels to save space. There’a also Level-4 autonomy thanks to LIDAR sensors. The radical interior boasts seating for four with two flexible ‘zero-gravity’ front seats that can recline for relaxation. The coolest feature might just be the Chinese dragon homage Star Cloud light signature with “dragon skin” headlamp surfacing. It has a kinetic surface which allows the dragon scales top open and close between daytime running lights and full-aperture headlights. We’d love to see the South Korean brand add some of these features to their next generation of vehicles and damn those hamsters.