LA Auto Show Report: Kia RND 4 Concept
Published: November 15th, 2007
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Kia continued their trend of creating uninteresting and nearly identical concept cars at the LA Auto Show today. The lime green RND 4 concept is about as exciting as any of their former attempts and oddly enough looks just about the same as well. The company line is the same as everyone else: its the UAV (urban activity vehicle) for the ever-elusive metrosexual or occasional babe in hard hat and high heels. Kia: wannabe Japanese cars based off of wannabe Japanese concept cars. Maybe someone should have told them this wasn't what they had in mind when they were giving out the Green Car of the Year award.
More by Alex L. Dykes
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That is funny. Even the models look unhappy, especially the one on the left. Her hardhat it perched so hi on her head it looks like a red golfball on a tee. Kia, if you are a HemiCuda, you can get away with that colour. You, sir, are no HemiCuda.
What I don't get is why the small sporty CUV is considered less sellable than the slightly larger wagon ish ones? I like these a little better, myself. To me, and I believe a lot of people, the desire for an SUV comes from two places - reliability and sense of adventure. (I also live in a flood prone area, but that is not common to the rest of you). Yes, I rarely use my crusher to go off road. Yes, I would rather be seen naked than in a mini van. No, I don't want an SUV that is a minivan that looks like an SUV on estrogen. To me, these sporty compact CUV's look like rally cars, or baja racers. They are sports cars for the dirt or snow. Nothing wrong with that. It's just a design theme. Also, they have ground clearance. OTOH, what is an Envoy, Acadia, or that new Ford thing? A tall wagon? It certainly does not make me think of trekking across a desert, or climbing up into the mountains. It's just a cheaply made thing that functions like an SUV is mostly used without the character or reliability of an SUV. Still, I admit they sell, so I may be missing something. OTOH, I really think they are mostly living on borrowed time, and will stop selling when people figure out they don't have the low depreciation of a real SUV.
I'm waiting for the day when the beltlines on these things get high enough to reduce the visibility to that of an M1 Abrams. Just the thing for running down children/pets in the driveway.
Shaker, I am with you on that. Is it a style thing, or is it crash safety? I noticed the step over on new cars has gotten high and wide as well. It's like they raised the door and made it thicker while lowering the roof line. PS The M1 has a really nice ride, but the interior needs a little softening. You can REALLY beat yourself up in one of those things if you drive it hard.