Double win for Kia in the 2015 Red Dot design awards
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Kia Soul EV and all-new flagship Kia Sorento honored
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13 ‘Red Dots’ for Kia since 2009
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Prestigious design competition celebrates its 60th
anniversary this year
The Kia Motors design team has swept the board yet again in the annual Red
Dot Awards, picking up two ‘Red Dots’ for the outstanding product design of the
Kia Soul EV and all-new Kia Sorento SUV.
The Red Dot Awards program is one of the most highly-respected international
design competitions in the world, and celebrates its 60th anniversary
in 2015. This year, the jury – made up of design experts from a range of
industries – awarded a ‘Winner’ and ‘Honourable Mention’ distinction to the Kia Soul
EV and Kia Sorento, respectively, in recognition
of their exceptional design
details.
Ever since receiving its first award at this internationally-recognized design
competition in 2009, Kia’s design-oriented products have been successful every single
year. In total, 13 Kia models have now won a Red Dot Award, in addition to many
other design prizes.
These aren’t the first awards for the recently-launched Kia Soul and
flagship new-generation Sorento, both of which have been awarded coveted iF
Design Awards in 2014 and 2015 respectively. The Kia Soul – the sister model to
the EV electric version – also received a Red Dot Award in 2014.
“Our international
design teams have every reason to be proud of the honours we have won at the 2015
Red Dot Awards, which show just how successful they have been in mastering the
different design challenges of these two models”, said Peter Schreyer,
President and Chief Design Officer of the Kia Motors Corporation and the
Hyundai Motor Company.
“The third generation
of the Kia Sorento has a subtly altered character and has made a great leap
forward in quality. The new model combines a classic SUV spirit with a premium
look that is particularly noticeable in the interior.
“The cabin of the Kia
Soul EV also features exceptional material and design quality. When designing
this car, the aim was to grasp the specific challenges of an electric car as a
fresh opportunity, and our design team has achieved this brilliantly.”
Kia Soul EV: distinctive appearance and tomorrow’s technology
The Kia Soul EV
closely resembles the second generation of the Kia Soul, which takes the bold
look and the individuality of the urban crossover even further. The changes
made to the electric version are particularly noticeable on the front: the
dimensions of the lower air inlet are slightly flatter and the radiator grille
has been replaced with a fascia that conceals the charging ports. The Kia Soul
EV is also available with an exclusive, vibrant two-tone styling (featuring a
roof in a different color).
The interior design
follows the lead of the basic model but uses a distinctive design concept. The
light, inviting cabin has a premium look and feel and boasts a number of technical
innovations, ranging from an OLED (organic light emitting diode) display, to
innovative energy saving features, such as the world’s first ‘driver only’
heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
The space-saving
battery packaging – contained within the floor of the car – gives the 4,140
mm-long car an unusual amount of space compared with other electric cars of
this size. Additionally, the 110 ps (81 kW) Kia Soul EV offers an exceptionally
agile drive and offers drivers one of the largest ranges in its segment (up to
212 km from a single charge).
The new Kia Sorento: dynamic elegance and exceptional versatility
The new Kia Sorento combines a lithe, elegant
appearance with a powerful on-road presence. This dynamic appearance is further
emphasized by its long body (4,780 mm) and a slightly lower roof line. The large,
almost-vertical ‘tiger-nose’ grille adds to the car’s self-assured look, with robust
under-body cladding at the front and rear underscoring its SUV character.
The new design of the Kia flagship was developed under
the guidance of the Kia design team in Namyang, Korea, with the assistance of
the Kia design centers in Frankfurt, Germany, and Irvine, California. The
European design team was responsible for styling the elegant and luxurious
interior.
The clear, modern design of the cabin is built around
a series of wide, horizontal lines, emphasizing the spaciousness of the new
SUV. The car, which is available with five or seven seats (depending on
market), also provides an exceptional degree of versatility – offering buyers a
sliding second row of seats and a luggage area capable of holding up to 1,732
litres (VDA).
The Red Dot Award –
the world’s biggest product design competition
The ‘Red Dot Award: Product Design’ is the world’s
biggest and most international product design competition. This year, 1,994
companies from 56 countries entered 4,925 new products for one of the highly
coveted Red Dots.