A few weeks ago, I was in Southern California to drive the 2027 Kia Telluride, a feature-packed SUV that looks like nothing else in the segment. From sharply creased angles in the bodyside to a striking grille graphic and otherworldly LED signatures, the family hauler would have been at home as an Italdesign concept in the 2010s: I drove it across a field in San Diego. Under the tutelage of Executive Vice President of Kia Global Design, Karim Habib – who still sits in the actual chair his predecessor Peter Sche used – the brand’s design language has evolved at a staggering rate. Under the moniker “Opposites United,” the South Korean automaker has unleashed a lineup of vehicles that provoke and inspire, and have ultimately made Kia perhaps the ultimate design-led mainstream automaker in the world. And, according to Habib, they’re just getting started. Vision Meta Turismo Concept EV Kia Vision Meta Turismo ConceptIn December of last year, we first reported on the Vision Meta Turismo; a bold, spiritual successor to the Kia Stinger in the form of an electric grand tourer concept. The exterior design took Kia’s form language to a new, performance-focused place, and the renderings of the interior split the difference between motive lounge and world-class gaming rig. Set in a walk-through exhibit entitled Journey of Projection, the Meta Turismo concept is every bit as impressive in the metal as it has appeared in stock photos. The car is much sharper than previous Opposites United-guided concepts with a razor-like crease spanning the doors, architectural pillars that crisscross a glass roof, and a blunted, wedge-y front overhang that could’ve come out of Bertone in the 1970s. Kia Vision Meta Turismo ConceptInside, the driver’s area has been highlighted in a striking yellow hue, with the rest of the cabin trimmed in neutral grays and whites. Up close, you get a sense for the subtler material choices, too, with warm textile finishes adding a bit of humanity to otherwise severe, thin, and thoroughly futuristic seating forms. After speaking with Marília Biill, VP of Kia’s Color, Materials, and Finish group, the viability of recycled and unpainted natural materials could take surfaces like those in the Vision concept from studio to reality. “We are able to play much more with those components, as you saw in some of the concept cars. You have new color, you have a new texture…and you’ll see much more of these things.”- Marília Biill, VP of Kia CMF Design But Is This A Vision For A Stinger Redux? KiaWhile 2026 marks Kia’s fourth year attending and activating at Milan Design Week in some form or fashion, Karim told us that the team has avoided showing vehicles in the past. Instead, efforts have focused on pure design executions and thought experiments. In fact, this year Kia also has a Journey of Reflection exhibition that does just that. But the installation that has Meta Turismo at its climax, offers a pathway of installations featuring conceptual version of the EV2, EV3 (which debuted for the U.S. at the New York Auto Show), EV4, EV5, and EV9, all ensconced in exotic drapings, framed by projected images, and bathed in ambient music fit for an Aman resort lobby at dusk. Kia Journey Of ProjectionThat’s critical as each one of those concepts has been or will be translated into a production vehicle, for some world market if not all for the U.S. Though no such announcement has been made regarding a sport sedan production car wearing Meta Turismo sheet metal yet, Habib told the assembled journalists, unprompted:"It's not a production car ... at least not yet. We are still trying to make that happen."Given that context, and the fact that Korean brands rarely allow significant statements to be made off the cuff at intricately staged events, the vibes of a pending production car are strong. A New EV Sports Sedan, In This Economy? Seyth Miersma/CarBuzz/ValnetListen, no one thinks that the time is ideal for bringing a fundamental new electric car to market, at least not in the U.S. With tax credits going away, inventory sitting on dealer lots, and consumer sentiment all over the place, this isn’t exactly the EV market many of us envisioned five years ago. Making the Meta Turismo (Stinger II? Stinger EV?) a streetable reality is further complicated by its prospective competitive set. A stylish, techy, three-row EV like the EV9 is one thing; a Kia that goes to battle with the likes of the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-Tron GT, and Lucid Air is quite another. Sure, the brand’s strategy may very well be to make its performance EV undercut those vehicles in price while offering similar performance, but the “premium electric GT” segment isn’t exactly a boomtown in Q1 of 2026. Kia Journey of Projection EV9 ConceptAnd yet, the value of this kind of halo car to Kia might very well go beyond the bottom line of units sold. Thanks to the successful provocation of the Opposites United designs and a focus on interior experiences, Kia seems to have the attention of more in-market shoppers than ever before. Whether launched as a global market offering or marketed hard as a sexy piece of forbidden fruit, a production Meta Turismo could do a lot to further elevate Kia’s brand affinity for the U.S. and globally. The Concept That Wants To Be A Real EV kia-vision-meta-turismo-2If there’s a throughline to Kia’s presence in Milan this year – visible through the art installations and contemporary jazz cocktail parties – it’s that the brand’s concepts are often previews with a pulse. The EV2 through EV9 placements sure do smack of foreshadowing for a fully realized Meta Turismo, even if there are still internal politics to overcome before the sexy sedan gets the green light. For now, Habib and his team are still pushing. And if Kia’s recent track record is any indication, “not yet” may be doing a lot more work here than it seems.
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