Kia isn’t missing out on the fun at this year’s SEMA show.
If you’re all about that outdoor life and want a rig that’ll get you out into the bush and accommodate your needs once you’re there, this year’s SEMA show has you covered no matter which way you look. Kia’s also jumping in on the bandwagon with two rugged concepts of its own that are heavy on off-road capability, and light on vowels in their names. Meet the EV9-based Advntr SUV and the PV5 based ‘Wkndr’ van concepts.
Let’s start with the van first, which rides on the company’s “Purpose Beyond Vehicles” initiative to create fully modular designs. Actually, speaking to that modular component, Kia wants you to think of the Wkndr as a “Swiss Army Knife on wheels”.
Apart from the convenient sliding door to access the rear area, the automaker touts a so-called “Gear Head” feature that incorporates offboard storage, freeing up interior space when the van is stationary. To that, you also get a rooftop tent, an onboard tire compressor and unique “hydro turbine” wheels that can “recharge the batteries for many uses”. There’s also an onboard air compressor to deal with airing up tires on the trail or, in the camping sense, inflating air mattresses when you actually reach your destination. The keen-eyed among you also likely spotted the recovery points and the winch, which actually has a helpful readout right on the bumper for which way the winch is working and how much force is being applied on the cable.
The Advntr, for its part, is altogether more a more conventional off-road build. It’s essentially a lifted EV9, sporting the same kind of three-inch lift and all-terrain tires as the Wkndr van. Here, though, the Advntr gets reinforced rocker panels and unique front and rear fascias to improve the approach and departure angles. While it does not come with its own rooftop tent, Kia did fit a beefy-looking roof rack that can accept one.
Kia brought other concepts named after Greek mythological figures
On top of the two headlining concept builds, Kia also hit this year’s SEMA show with three other builds based on Greek mythology: the Thetis (Sportage), Zeus (Telluride) and Gaia (Sorento).
All of them bring a similar range of gear to the equation, including Toyo Open Country tires, Fifteen52 wheels, and custom wraps themed to the Greek god in question. The Sportage-based Thetis, named for the god of water, brings a Rhino Rack kayak mount, while the Telluride-based Zeus gets a “thunderous” Borla exhaust system and an Eibach lift kit. The Sorento-based Gaia gets a Yakima awning, an outdoor projector screen and a Kicker sound bar.
If it sounds like all these concepts aim to show off an accessory line rather than an actual production vehicle, you’re probably in the right mind space for what to expect moving forward. The company says, “the SEMA show acts as a blank canvas for creativity and offers a glimpse into what Kia’s automotive future may hold” (emphasis added). The vehicles act as platforms for a whole host of lifestyle gear, so while you probably won’t be able to spec an off-road EV9 from the factory, you could theoretically build one on your own, if you really wanted to.
