Kia is lastly able to reveal full particulars of its Imaginative and prescient Meta Turismo idea automobile after a short glimpse in December. It is clear the sports activities automobile is constructed to preview the model’s long-term strategy to efficiency EVs, together with extra to do whilst you’re not shifting in any respect.
The angular-yet-sleek fastback design is supposed to be in step with the “Opposites United” design language seen in automobiles just like the EV6, however provides a “lounge-inspired” inside that pays tribute to Nineteen Sixties grand touring. That features a entrance passenger seat that rotates 180-degrees to face the rear when parked (for social events) and a big, panoramic glass roof.
There’s even a digital stick shift
The Imaginative and prescient Meta Turismo could also be pitched as a touring automobile, however Kia consists of a number of touches aimed toward sporty driving on any highway.
It facilities on an “ultra-slim” instrument cluster, a breathable light-weight seat, analog controls (together with non-compulsory add-ons), and a exact but reportedly intuitive rectangular steering wheel impressed by online game controllers. A large-angle augmented actuality (AR) heads-up show gives an “immersive” expertise whereas driving, in response to Kia.
The idea additionally borrows Hyundai Ioniq N-series methods to sway standard sports activities automobile fans. A joystick-style digital stick shift helps you to row gears as for those who have been driving a gas-powered handbook. Buttons present each launch management for drag racing and a “GT Increase” that delivers an F1-style energy surge. You possibly can tune the suspension sensitivity, driving really feel, and digital engine sounds to fit your tastes.
It is a design train, so Kia is not offering horsepower or different technical capabilities.
Passenger options: AR and a gaming hub
You possibly can race if you’re parked
Kia is betting closely on AR as a draw for Imaginative and prescient Meta Turismo passengers, even when the automobile is standing nonetheless. On prime of a driver-centric Speedster mode, there are Dreamer and Gamer modes that, respectively, cater to journeys by means of “vibrant city environments” (full with AR glasses) and stationary enjoyable.
The Gamer mode guarantees digital racing utilizing each the heads-up show and steering wheel, akin to taking part in some video games in Tesla automobiles. There’s even an exterior projector to create a “group gaming hub,” so that you and your mates can play within the car parking zone after an extended drive.
The entrance passenger seat’s posture is optimized for AR content material by means of the heads-up show. The construction is separate from the remainder of the inside to supply “relaxed, emotive” situations.
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Will Kia make a manufacturing mannequin
Count on components to succeed in future automobiles
Kia is not saying whether or not there shall be a manufacturing model of the Imaginative and prescient Meta Turismo. As of this writing, the one option to see it’s to go to Milan Design Week whereas it runs till April 26, 2026. We would not anticipate some traits, resembling the big wheels or nearly-all-glass roof, to ship in next-generation Kia EVs.
Like with many idea automobiles, nevertheless, there’s an actual risk that some components will attain automobiles you should purchase. Design cues and extra sensible options, such because the digital gearshift, may discover their method into different automobiles. Kia describes the one-off as a “futuristic imaginative and prescient” of evolving mobility.
A preview, not a prototype
In that mild, the Imaginative and prescient Meta Turismo is not a lot a prototype as a broad-strokes preview of the place Kia’s performance-oriented automobiles are going subsequent. The corporate needs to adapt its EVs to the trendy automotive panorama, and meaning experimenting with each visible adjustments and the general in-car expertise.
Supply: Kia
