What Is It?
Kia KCD-1 Slice
What's Special About It?
Kia has been on a roll lately. Prior to the introduction of its well-built and well-equipped Sedona minivan and Sorento SUV, Kia was lost in automotive anonymity. Now enjoying a rise in both sales and consumer opinion, the company seems bent on staying competitive. Proof of that intent is evident with the KCD-1 Slice concept, a crossover that combines the passenger and cargo capacity of a minivan with a sleeker body style and sporty driving dynamics. This type of vehicle looks to be the next big thing, judging by the number of these puppies we've witnessed spinning on the turntables lately.
Riding a long 112-inch wheelbase, the Slice has its wheels pushed out to the corners to maximize interior room. Bright orange accents around the windows and the front and rear ends reminded one of our staffers of the original Batmobile. The Slice carries six passengers in a roomy two-abreast-by-three-row arrangement. Center-opening doors, like those on a mid-'60s Lincoln Continental, allow unfettered access to the Slice's cabin. A pop-up navigation screen, large buttons and simple instruments characterize the cockpit.
Kia reps emphasized the sporty personality of the Slice, stating that it was designed to "…pick up lumber from the home center one day and [have] fun on twisty roads the next." To that end, they equipped the Slice with a 2.7-liter DOHC V6 (output not given, but we'd guess around 200 horses) matched to a Sportmatic transmission that allows manual gear changes, if so desired. A fully independent suspension along with 19s fitted with 245/45 performance rubber rounds out the chassis.
Why Should You Care?
Kia officials said that although there are no concrete plans yet to build the Slice, it was designed to be relatively easy to produce. If Kia continues to offer solid product at attractive pricing, Honda and Toyota might want to stop laughing at it and take it seriously, as many consumers already have. — John DiPietro
Kia KCD-1 Slice
What's Special About It?
Kia has been on a roll lately. Prior to the introduction of its well-built and well-equipped Sedona minivan and Sorento SUV, Kia was lost in automotive anonymity. Now enjoying a rise in both sales and consumer opinion, the company seems bent on staying competitive. Proof of that intent is evident with the KCD-1 Slice concept, a crossover that combines the passenger and cargo capacity of a minivan with a sleeker body style and sporty driving dynamics. This type of vehicle looks to be the next big thing, judging by the number of these puppies we've witnessed spinning on the turntables lately.
Riding a long 112-inch wheelbase, the Slice has its wheels pushed out to the corners to maximize interior room. Bright orange accents around the windows and the front and rear ends reminded one of our staffers of the original Batmobile. The Slice carries six passengers in a roomy two-abreast-by-three-row arrangement. Center-opening doors, like those on a mid-'60s Lincoln Continental, allow unfettered access to the Slice's cabin. A pop-up navigation screen, large buttons and simple instruments characterize the cockpit.
Kia reps emphasized the sporty personality of the Slice, stating that it was designed to "…pick up lumber from the home center one day and [have] fun on twisty roads the next." To that end, they equipped the Slice with a 2.7-liter DOHC V6 (output not given, but we'd guess around 200 horses) matched to a Sportmatic transmission that allows manual gear changes, if so desired. A fully independent suspension along with 19s fitted with 245/45 performance rubber rounds out the chassis.
Why Should You Care?
Kia officials said that although there are no concrete plans yet to build the Slice, it was designed to be relatively easy to produce. If Kia continues to offer solid product at attractive pricing, Honda and Toyota might want to stop laughing at it and take it seriously, as many consumers already have. — John DiPietro
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