1 best of : Kia Teases Large SUV Concept Before Detroit Show

We said goodbye to the Borrego a long time ago, but it looks like Kia is plotting a new large SUV for its lineup. The automaker will debut a large SUV concept at the Detroit auto show next week that should give us strong clues as to its future plans.

Kia has released a single teaser image of the concept, which features a gold metallic paint job and square proportions. The new model is said to preview the styling of a “future premium large SUV” that could potentially reach production.

At this point, we don’t know much else about the SUV, except that it promises “state-of-the-art health-and-wellness technology.” Perhaps that means the concept will come equipped with sensors that monitor a driver’s heartbeat or breathing patterns and issues some kind of warning if it senses driver fatigue. Or it could be something else entirely.

We first learned Kia was mulling a large SUV during an interview at last year’s Los Angeles auto show. If Kia carries through with the plan, it could benefit from having a model that provides a little more rear passenger breathing room than the Sorento but is more on-road-focused than the burly Borrego. The new SUV could compete with the likes of the Honda Pilot, although it remains to be seen how Kia will define its promise for a “premium” entry.

We’ll learn more about the Kia large SUV concept when it hits the stage January 11 at the 2016 Detroit auto show.

Source: Kia