By Alexander Stoklosa

Kia is going crossover coconuts, it seems, and has announced a second crossover-concept debut for this spring, this time for the 2013 Chicago auto show. The Cross GT concept, which Kia is previewing with the photo above, will appear in the Windy City before the vaguely named Urban Vehicle two-door crossover-ish-looking show car bows at the Geneva show in March. 

Although Kia hasn’t specified how large the Urban Vehicle concept is, the company is being quite forthcoming with the Cross GT, stating that it previews a premium crossover larger than the Sorento. We’re betting that this means the Cross GT could someday morph into a big three-row crossover to go against the likes of the Chevy Traverse, Nissan Pathfinder, and Ford Explorer. What’s interesting is that the Cross GT appears to feature Kia’s current “Tiger Nose” grille, a styling touch deliberately missing from the Urban Vehicle’s front end. The Cross GT also has a sharply raked roofline that terminates in a chopped rear end reminiscent of Kia’s Track’ster concept from last year’s Chicago show, as well as a large, vertical fender vent located just aft of the front wheels.

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We dig the Cross GT’s look, even when we put on our back-to-reality glasses that show a crossover with a normal roofline, smaller wheels, and (fingers crossed) no fender vent. Critically, Kia could use a large, three-row crossover in its lineup following the mercy killing of the wrong-car-at-the-wrong-time, body-on-frame, V-8–powered Borrego SUV.

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver