Kia has added another prestigious accolade to its growing list of design achievements, with the Vision Meta Turismo earning a Red Dot Award 2026: Design Concept in the Cars and Motorcycles category.
The recognition highlights Kia’s continued leadership in automotive design and reinforces the company’s commitment to shaping the future of electric mobility through its signature “Opposites United” design philosophy. The futuristic sports sedan concept, which made its global debut during Milan Design Week, presents Kia’s vision of a next-generation grand tourer that blends high-performance driving with immersive digital experiences.
A New Vision for the Electric Grand Tourer
The Kia Vision Meta Turismo reimagines the traditional grand touring car for the digital era. Its dramatic cab-forward proportions, sculptural surfaces and futuristic styling create a bold presence while emphasizing performance and advanced technology.
Rather than focusing solely on speed, the concept explores how electric vehicles can strengthen the connection between driver, passengers and digital technology. The result is a sports sedan designed to deliver both emotional engagement and everyday usability.
According to Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design, the award recognizes the creativity and dedication behind the project while validating Kia’s long-term vision for future mobility.
Why the Vision Meta Turismo Won the Red Dot Award
The Red Dot jury recognized the Vision Meta Turismo for successfully combining three essential elements of future mobility:
– Dynamic sports sedan performance
– Advanced digital interaction
– Human-centered interior design
The exterior features an aggressive cab-forward architecture paired with clean geometric surfaces, creating a distinctive appearance that communicates motion even while standing still.
Inside, the concept takes a completely different approach by transforming the cabin into a digital living space where physical controls work alongside augmented digital interfaces to create a more natural and intuitive driving experience.
Designed Around the Driver and Passengers
One of the Vision Meta Turismo’s defining characteristics is its dual-purpose interior layout.
The driver cockpit is engineered for maximum concentration, placing controls and information within easy reach to create an immersive driving environment. Meanwhile, the passenger area prioritizes comfort, relaxation and entertainment through augmented reality features displayed via a 3D head-up display.
Kia’s modular Add-Gear interface further enhances the experience by allowing occupants to customize vehicle functions using a combination of physical controls and digital overlays.
This approach demonstrates how future EV interiors may become flexible digital environments rather than traditional cabins.
Three Driving Modes Create Different Experiences
The Vision Meta Turismo introduces three configurable driving modes that significantly change the interaction between occupants and the vehicle.
Speedster focuses on driving excitement, enhancing the sensation of performance through synchronized lighting, sound and visual effects.
Dreamer creates a calmer atmosphere by using digital layers that complement urban environments, encouraging a more relaxed journey.
Gamer transforms the vehicle into an interactive entertainment space while stationary, extending the relationship between occupants and the vehicle beyond driving itself.
These configurable experiences highlight Kia’s belief that future electric vehicles will serve multiple purposes beyond transportation.
A Concept That Explores the Future of Electric Mobility
Rather than previewing a production vehicle, the Vision Meta Turismo serves as a design study exploring how performance, technology and human emotion can coexist in future electric cars.
Its lounge-inspired interior, immersive digital technology and performance-focused architecture demonstrate Kia’s ambition to make electric mobility more engaging while maintaining comfort and practicality.
The concept also illustrates how design can help visualize technologies and user experiences that may eventually influence future production models.
Another Milestone in Kia’s Award-Winning Design Strategy
The latest Red Dot Award continues Kia’s impressive success in international design competitions.
In the 2025 Red Dot Design Concept Awards, the PV5 WKNDR Concept received the prestigious “Best of the Best” distinction, while the Concept PV1, Concept EV2, Concept PV5, and Concept PV7 were all named winners.
Kia has also earned multiple Red Dot “Best of the Best” awards for production vehicles, including the EV6 (2022), EV9 (2024), EV3 (2025) and EV4 (2026), reflecting the company’s consistent focus on innovative automotive design.
