Kia Vision Meta Turismo concept previews future high-performance four-door saloon
Kia could launch an all-electric spiritual successor to the Stinger over the next few years – and this is what it could look like...
Space travel is all the rage at the moment, what with the recent Artemis II mission, plus the release of Project Hail Mary in cinemas – and you could argue that the new Kia Vision Meta Turismo concept fits right in with those.
Indeed, this new Kia concept looks like something straight out of a sci-fi film, but we actually could be looking at a design language set to make its way to new Kia models in the near future.
The Vision Meta Turismo concept was unveiled in Korea late last year to celebrate Kia’s 80th anniversary, but it has made its European debut at Milan design week. The concept depicts a rakish, driver-focused electric saloon with four seats and angular styling.
While Kia hasn’t said outright that this concept previews an upcoming model, any production version of the Vision Meta Turismo could plug the gap between the EV6 and EV9, where the EV7 and EV8 nameplates ought to slot in.
In fact, it could act as a sort of spiritual successor to the Kia Stinger, a low-slung five-door coupé that was available with a high-powered V6 petrol engine until it was discontinued in 2023. While such a model would appear slightly out of place next to Kia’s current electric lineup, the brand recently told our sister title Autocar that it has interest in bringing back something like the Stinger as a flagship model.
No technical specifications have been revealed for the Vision Meta Turismo, but for reference, the only battery available in the Kia EV9 is the large 99.8kWh unit, which offers a maximum range of 349 miles. Given the Vision Meta Turismo’s slipperier, more efficient body shape, it’ll likely have an even longer official range. The EV9 GT has a power output of 502bhp, while the Polestar 5 – another high-performance electric saloon – has between 737bhp and 872bhp.
Outside, the Vision Meta Turismo adopts a swoopy silhouette with bold new styling. It features a cab-forward design, where the interior of the car is further forward than usual. As such, there’s not much of a bonnet.
Instead of Kia’s famous ‘Tiger Nose’ motif that is present on its other models, the Vision Meta Turismo features sharp headlights that are angled upwards and connect with the protruding wing mirrors – which are not actually mirrors at all, but cameras. The windscreen reaches far back into the roofline. The glass panoramic roof stretches back towards the rear of the car, where there’s a protruding rear spoiler and thin rear lights similar to those on the EV3 and EV9.
The Vision Meta Turismo’s interior is minimalist and futuristic, featuring a gaming-inspired yoke-style steering wheel and a joystick gear lever. There’s a head-up display that uses ‘augmented reality’ tech to make it look like the graphics are floating above the road ahead, plus an ultra-slim instrument cluster. The front seats are sporty and furnished in mesh fabric – and the passenger seat can rotate 180 degrees while the car is parked to turn and face the rear passengers. Of course, most of this isn’t likely to make it to production.
What could make it to production is the Vision Meta Turismo’s launch control button, which adds a boost of acceleration when activated. There’s also a virtual sound designed to mimic a combustion engine depending on the driving mode.
It's unclear when – or even if – the Kia Vision Meta Turismo will make it to production, but it could form part of the Korean brand's plan to launch another three EVs by 2030. One of those will be the upcoming Picanto-sized city car, while another will be a new family SUV.
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