Kia has been releasing some interesting new concepts during the last few months, but the new Kia Trail’ster seems to take the cake. A turbocharged CUV that works with an electric all-wheel drive system, the Kia Trail’ster is a fascinating new look at the future of the crossover.
Created at Kia’s design studio in California, the Trail’ster sports a rugged design that is based on the automaker’s popular Soul model. Fitting with its cold weather design cues, the CUV is covered in Polar Pearl Snowdrift paint and a Terra Bronze Metallic roof. The CUV also has great tech touches, including advanced LED head- and taillights, as well as aluminum skidplates and a retractable weatherproof rollback canvas roof.
"The Trail'ster concept is a near-future look at how the production KIA Soul would logically evolve into an AWD-capable version that’s built to escape the city streets and roam into the mountain wilderness,” said Tom Kearns, chief designer KDCA. “It takes the go-anywhere capability of an SUV and reimagines it within a compact and sporty package with an expressive design to match.”
Inside, the concept CUV boasts high gloss interior paint, a metallic trim and brown leather-trimmed seats. Under the hood, the Trail’ster will get you over all the rock and ice that stands in your way, thanks to its turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces up to 185 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque. The CUV’s highlight feature is its electric all-wheel drive that sits on the car’s rear axle. This positioning gives the car better launch acceleration and enhanced traction.
No word yet on when we might see a market-ready version of the Trail’ster, but rumor has it that Kia would like to put this unique CUV on the market by early next year. Subscribe to our blog to get up-to-date details as more information arrives!
