Among all carmakers, Kia has been able to nail its design philosophy to a tee. Introduced as part of their brand redesign and Plan S strategy, Opposites United has become a cornerstone for the brand. Taking inspiration from the contrasts found in nature and humanity, it’s enabled Kia vehicles to take on a strong familial look without looking like Matryoshka dolls of each other.
Credit goes in part to the Head of Kia Global Design, Karim Habib. In that role, Habib oversees not just the exterior and interior design, but even vehicle colors and materials. He also determines the future design strategy and direction of Kia as a brand.
With the entire core Kia EV line-up revealed, Habib was asked what’s next for Opposites United. Is he ready to move on, or to change the design language moving forward?
He clarifies that the design language itself isn’t fixed; it’s always evolving. For as long as dichotomy exists in nature, Kia will use that to influence their vehicles, regardless of power source. “It’s all about progress and being future-oriented,” Habib says.
And when the subject of possibly coming up with something more retro, like Hyundai has done with the Pony and the two vehicles that influenced it: the N Vision 74 and Ioniq 5, Habib says he’s excited for that possibility; after all, Kia is “80 years young.”
However, at the same time, he says that design should be more than just heritage. Rather, he prefers to use culture to help shape Kia vehicles. Ideology, technology, and pop culture are just some trends that help form Kia’s design, Habib admits. This is more important, he says, than any inspiration from an older model.
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