My disdain for their logo aside, Kia’s design has evolved into one of the most head-turning and appealing shapes on the road today.

How many times per day does a Kia make you do a double-take? There’s the strong and sporty stance of the upcoming Stinger, the grand K900, the stout and strong Sorento, and just about anything else wearing that oval travesty of a Kia logo.

I can’t think of another affordable automaker with looks as consistently good as Kia’s. In fact, I would place it right up there with Audi in terms of design, which makes sense considering the company’s lead designer made a name for himself with the German automaker before being wooed by the South Koreans.

And if Kia’s design wasn’t good enough already, another jaw-dropping concept is on the horizon. Will it go into production?

Kia’s slow movement toward an upmarket crowd is taking another step with the partial unveiling of the Cee’d hatchback.

Before we go any further, though, it should be noted that the Cee’d is a vehicle that’s only sold in the U.K. and has never, and likely will never, be sold in the United States. So the delightfully delicious “shooting brake” tease that the Internet is freaking out about will probably never arrive here.

That said, the concept’s shape could be a glimpse into the continued design evolution that Kia is experiencing.

In its announcement, Kia said,

The concept presents a new body type for Kia. The extended hot hatch retains the athleticism of the current pro_cee’d model, while combining its striking visual presence with a dash of real-world versatility. Reworked and reimagined for a new generation of driver, it puts forward a bold vision for a potential member of the next-generation cee’d family.

Car buyers in America are still obsessed with high-riding crossovers, but a sporty little shooting brake, or in Kia’s words, “extended hot hatch,” might be a nice bit of respite from the endless sea of SUVs and mini utes. While the Cee’d very likely won’t be an option here, we hope that an equally enticing Kia eventually is.

Would you be interested in a Kia “extended hot hatch” instead of a crossover SUV?

-tgriffith

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