2011 Detroit Auto Show: Kia KV7 Van Concept

Photo: Bill Pinter

Kia has been on a roll lately with introducing interesting concept vehicles. You’ll remember the quirky city car concept they unveiled last year at the Paris Motor Show called the ‘Pop’. At Detroit yesterday, they went to the opposite end of the size spectrum and debuted a new passenger van concept called the KV7.

Conceived as a modern-day “activity van,” the KV7 concept challenges the notion that vans are strictly for family transportation and reveals a vision for a vehicle with the functionality to transport a large number of people and their belongings while also serving as a connected social hub for groups of friends and adventure-seekers.

We spoke with Kia’s Design Director Peter Schreyer who described the design philosophy behind the KV7 as “embracing the box” rather than trying to make it sleek as all the other vans on the market do. The same approach was used in the design of the Kia Soul.

The exterior, while retaining a somewhat boxy shape is actually quite rounded in appearance. Instead of a sliding door on the side, the KV7′s door opens with a gullwing mechanism.

Inside, passengers can sit in custom swivel chairs which encourage conversation between passengers. In the back is a floating touch screen display on a table top which is essentially a big iPad. The KV7 has WiFi inside so passengers can check-in on social media sites or surf the internet.

The KV7 is only a design study at this point but Schreyer noted that the Kia Sedona van was due for a redesign and it is possible that the KV7 might serve as a template. Schreyer also said that the KV7 looked to recapture the fun spirit that the VW Microbus was known for in the 1960′s and 70′s.

Photo: Bill Pinter

Photo: Bill Pinter

Photo: Bill Pinter

Kia