2013 11 KIA Design

Those three words sum up Kia's design philosophy. And after all, design is the first thing consumers notice when they see a car - and you know what they say about first impressions. Yes, when it comes to cars, it's often the exterior of the vehicle that catches the eye of the driver. And, while the old adage is that it's the interior that keeps them, if not for the design there wouldn't even be a chance.

That's a big part of the reason why Kia has put such an emphasis on design. The automaker doesn't just want its cars to fit in with competing vehicles in a class or segment, but to stand out among their competitors from a design perspective. Each Kia modeled is designed so that drivers will instantly recognize it as a Kia vehicle. Characteristics include an aggressive look, bold touches, a tiger nose front grille, sharp aesthetics and a unique, standout persona. It's an ambitious design goal, but it's a goal that has already rung true on several Kia models:

• Soul: The Kia Soul debuted at the 2008 Paris Motor Show and hit the market in 2010. It's a compact car that's designed in a box-type fashion, with a sloping, sporty roof line and a hatchback trunk. It's a vehicle that's immediately recognizable because of its design and one that's become further recognizable thanks to a clever, creative marketing campaign. The campaign kicked off featuring hipster hamsters in various commercials with the Soul's launch and later featured women's golf prodigy Michelle Wie to really elevate the Soul's brand status.
• The Optima: Prior to 2011, the Optima can be best described as a bland looking midsize sedan. But after 2011, it was anything but bland. That's because the Optima went through a complete redesign to make it look more upscale, sporty and, what Kia's chief designer Tom Kearns refers to as, "sightly sinister." The result was a sedan with a tiger nose grille, slim tail lights and an exterior packed with sporty design flair to better make it stand out on the road. These days the Optima is far from bland and far from ordinary. You might say despite its midsize sedan classification that it stands out in a design class of its own. That's a notable accomplishment.

The Optima and the Soul are just two examples of how Kia has emphasized the design elements of its vehicles to "mean everything." For more information on its other models and to see how the innovative design elements help make Kia cars stand out from their competition on the road, either contact or stop in to see your nearest Kia dealer today. Design isn't something that should be taken lightly in any automotive company, let alone Kia. After all, design means everything.