This photo previews the Cross GT, a brand new crossover idea that Kia will introduce at next week’s Chicago auto show. Kia says the model hints at design for a brand new crossover that might be larger and more premium than the company’s current 2014 Sorento.

The lone teaser photo is simply too shadowy to look much of the theorem car, although brightening it in Photoshop (as shown below) allows us to work out the Cross GT’s basic outline. It’s going to use the familiar Kia “tiger-nose” black-mesh front grille, with skinny headlight assemblies at all sides. The airy greenhouse has a steeply sloped roofline; the D-pillar incorporates an analogous abrupt kink as at the Kia Sportage crossover. Though the large wheels, with fat spokes, are probably only concept-car flair, they do match the bold wheel styling we’ve seen on other production Kia products. The odd silver accent on the front of the passenger door, meanwhile, recalls the same treatment on Land Rover products.

Given Kia’s promise that the Cross GT previews a bigger, more premium model than the Sorento, we will infer a number of things about an eventual production model. It might more than likely have seating for seven, on the grounds that the Sorento already offers five or seven seats looking on option packages. A production Kia Cross GT also may exceed the 184.4-inch length of the 2014 Sorento, and it’ll probably have stronger engine choices than that model’s 191-hp, 2.4-liter inline-four and 290-hp, 3.3-liter V-6.

Kia may position a version of the Cross GT as its minivan replacement, considering that the Sedona van was axed. In Europe, however, the Sedona can be replaced by the Kia Carens, which was referred to as the Rondo here, is slightly smaller than some American minivans, and isn’t currently confirmed for U.S. consumption.

Regardless, Volkswagen will follow an identical strategy: its CrossBlue concept previews a bigger three-row crossover as a way to take where of the slow-selling Routan within the company’s lineup. Check back with Motor Trend for more info once the Kia Cross GT concept makes its public debut next week in Chicago.

Source: Kia