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Kias Soul -- the funky box-on-wheels that hamsters love to drive -- was one of the Korean automaker first manifestations of its new design philosophy, spearheaded by its Southern California design studio. Consider its KV7 Concept for the 2011 Detroit show a riff on the Soul aesthetic, with more room and the usual array of concept-style touches thrown into the mix. 

The KV7 is adorned with cues similar to that of the 2007 Soul auto show concept, applied to a vehicle slightly smaller than a Ford Flex. It features an elongated version of the two-box Soul design and a new take on Kia familial face. "From the outset, we felt the [van] category was in need of an honest reassessment due to the fact that everyone seems so desperate to attach the word sporty to their minivan, even though vans, at their very core, are simply a box, said Tom Kearns, chief designer at Kia Motors America."Rather than reject the box, we chose to celebrate it, just like we did with the Soul, and the result is a straightforward, yet sophisticated vehicle that retains the functionality vans are known for and meets the changing and diverse needs of today consumers.

 Kia KV7 Concept Front Three Quarters Static Like the Soul concept before it, the KV7 features a rounded hood and flared fenders, but the flares flow all the way across the front fascia. The grille and headlights are similar in scope to modern Kias and look as if they were pulled from a 2011 Optima. Kia designers shortened the grille and hid the headlights, coloring both black but surrounding the cluster with an aluminum accent. The windshield doesnt wrap around, but the lines from the windshield to the side windows appear to flow across the A-pillar and the side windows and feature the same tapered styling. The doors are the most interesting design element, as they appear to be the same suicide style as the Soul Concept, but with an added twist: the rear passenger door is a gullwing variety.