Point Taken: Kia Mystery Concept Pokes Fun at Ridiculous Design Trend

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

Last week, Kia teased a mystery concept bound for a Geneva Motor Show unveiling as a way to show off its consistently improving skills in automotive design. With a second batch of teaser photos cropping up on Thursday, it’s now abundantly clear the brand made no small effort to create a shining beacon of vehicular style. But it also happens to have more screens than the TSA, indicating that Kia willingly engaged in one of this year’s biggest concept car styling trends.

Truthfully, the display bandwagon probably left town in 2018 — about the time when Byton revealed a crossover at CES with a screen that literally replaced the entire dashboard, plus one mounted on the steering wheel for good measure. The company could be seen disappearing beyond the horizon, whipping its horses while other manufacturers attempted to catch up and climb aboard.

Now, Kia is holding the reins. And it’s laughing maniacally.

There are key differences between Kia and Byton’s approach. The Chinese firm’s massive central display is clearly intended to be functional — Byton even said it intends to implement it on production vehicles. But Kia’s design is a purely creative pursuit, resulting in something equally beautiful and ridiculous.

The Korean company even called the setup “a humorous riposte to the industry’s current obsession with ever increasing dashboard screens.”

Eloquently insulting other brands and showcasing a sense of humor? You have our attention, Kia.

The concept features a 21 ultra high-resolution screens, synchronized together as they cascade across the dashboard. It’s very pretty, but also much easier to appreciate — as the automaker isn’t trying to convince us it’ll be the next option added to the Sportage or Rio’s order form.

As for the car itself, Kia said it will be an all-electric four-door passenger car with a massive glass roof that “draws together elements of a muscular sports utility vehicle, a sleek and athletic family saloon and a versatile and spacious crossover.” Sadly, the release was not devoid of the fluff that accompanies most concept vehicle announcements.

“Kia prides itself on its power to surprise, which is why we wanted to move away from the rational and focus on the emotional, and embrace a warmer and more human approach to electrification,” said Gregory Guillaume, Vice President of Design for Kia Motors Europe. “After all, electricity is found within every atom – it’s the energy that flows within us and around us on our planet. Harnessing its potential has propelled us from one innovation to the next.”

Rather than view Kia’s mystery concept as some progenitor of a specific model, we’re inclined to see it as a testbed for potential design choices that could gradually find their way into production models. The manufacturer wants to see what the public clings to and how receptive it might be to the choices made.

We’ll have a complete look at those decisions after Kia debuts its new concept on March 5th.

[Images: Kia]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • NG5 NG5 on Mar 01, 2019

    I appreciate the joke but I am sure this car if produced will have at least two screens. I'd now pay a premium for a car with no screens. Just provide a way for me to know my phone is paired for calls, and a way to put my phone into view on the rare occasion I use directions. I currently have a screen in my car and I was elated when a software update included a "true off" setting I can use when driving at night. Now if only I could take the screen off the dash...

    • See 3 previous
    • DrSandman DrSandman on Mar 04, 2019

      As always, Saab was way ahead with the "Night Panel" button on the dash... circa 1993.... Damn, I miss my Saab.

  • Multicam Multicam on Mar 02, 2019

    “After all, electricity is found within every atom – it’s the energy that flows within us and around us on our planet.” It’s the Force?

    • ToolGuy ToolGuy on Mar 02, 2019

      Did you know electrons drift? But not very quickly...

  • Arthur Dailey Good. Whatever upsets the Chinese government is fine with me. And yes they are probably monitoring this thread/site.
  • Jalop1991 WTO--the BBB of the international trade world.
  • Dukeisduke If this is really a supplier issue (Dana-Spicer? American Axle?), Kia should step up and say they're going to repair the vehicles (the electronic parking brake change is a temporary fix) and lean on or sue the supplier to force them to reimburse Kia Motors for the cost of the recall.Neglecting the shaft repairs are just going to make for some expensive repairs for the owners down the road.
  • MaintenanceCosts But we were all told that Joe Biden does whatever China commands him to!
  • Rick T. If we really cared that much about climate change, shouldn't we letting in as many EV's as possible as cheaply as possible?
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