Even if Kia won’t admit it, it just rolled out one of the hottest station wagons in recent memory. It’s called the Proceed concept, and it will be making its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show. Tagged as an “elongated hot hatch,” it’s billed as a possible preview to the next-generation Kia Cee’d and Pro_cee’d. Unfortunately, neither of those vehicles is sold here in the United States, which means this is yet another tasty wagon likely to remain out of reach for Americans.
The Proceed concept debuts a shape unlike anything Kia has ever produced. It bears a resemblance, especially up front, to the upcoming Kia Stinger sports sedan, and its body style recalls that of the Kia Optima Sportswagon, but the overall shape is more sloped and curvaceous, like a European shooting brake. Aside from the fact that it has four doors and a hatchback, there’s not much similarity to the current Cee’d, which makes it a peculiar choice as a preview, but Kia said it is a possible vision for a new range-topping halo model in the Cee’d family.
The sporty nature of the concept is no mistake, as Kia has said it wants to introduce more performance-oriented vehicles in the future. The Lava Red paint, which is a combination of black, chrome silver, and red, is complemented by numerous black (possibly carbon) accents. The car sits on black 20-inch gearlike aluminum alloy wheels, and its pinched waistline is set off with black lower-body skirts. The white-letter l0w-profile Kumho performance tires are a nice touch as well.
The fastback roofline is highlighted by a unique side-window surround that features a finlike C-pillar marked with GT badging. It’s not just really bright chrome striping; it also illuminates. The rear, with full-width taillights and a diffuser, brings to mind the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo.
The car will break cover on September 12 at the Frankfurt auto show. As of now, the Proceed concept is not expected to translate into anything for the U.S. market, but it would definitely work as a Stinger wagon.