Over the last year, rumors of changes coming to Kia have left us wondering what the company has planned, though we'll soon have some answers for our curiosity. The Korean automaker plans to relaunch the brand, and a new teaser video says that that will happen on Wednesday, January 6, at 10 a.m. GMT (5 a.m. EST). The company could have a lot to show off, including more than just a redesigned logo and a new slogan.
Kia's redesigned logo quietly appeared on the Imagine concept in March 2019, introducing a cleaner, more stylized script that's set to adorn the company's fleet. The new logo will likely appear on the five new or significantly redesigned vehicles Kia plans to launch this year, which probably includes the 2021 Kia Sorento plug-in hybrid, the new Sedona, and others. However, Kia will likely sprinkle the rollouts throughout 2021. Don't expect the company to razzle-dazzle in the first week of the new year.
Rumblings of change emerged just before the end of 2019 when Kia asked auto journalists if it should change the Optima's name to K5 in the US. Kia did end up changing the name with the car's introduction over the summer, with rumors suggesting the Cadenza could change to the K8 in a move up-market for the model. Kia trademarked the K8 nameplate in 2016, including K8 GT and K9 GT-Line. Even the Sedona minivan could change to the Carnival in the US.
The Kia K8, which is expected to debut in March, could be one of the brand's five new models it's prepping. The next-gen Kia Sportage is expected to follow a month later. There are also rumors of another large Kia SUV and a Kia pickup truck. The company also has big plans for electric vehicles, promising a lineup of at least 11 by 2025, which is part of its Plan S strategy. The company plans to have EVs generating at least 20 percent of worldwide sales by 2025, thanks to the shared Electric-Global Modular Platform.
