- Gets a massive touchscreen infotainment system

- 14-speaker Meridian sound system is present

After dropping the images of the K8 flagship sedan a few weeks back, Kia has given us a glimpse of the inside through new images. Ahead of its market debut later this year, the K8 (or the Cadenza for some markets) aims to establish the upmarket focus of the Korean carmaker and the interior of the K8 is the best example of it.

There’s wooden treatment inside the cabin that is said to be directly inspired by modern yachts and completed with contemporary metal inserts. A combination of black and rich-brown is further accentuated by Nappa leather upholstery stitched in the same diamond design as the new tiger-nose grille. Another eye-catching element on the inside is the new steering wheel adorning the recently-introduced Kia logo in meaty, leather-draped aesthetics.

Dominating the dashboard is the floating, panoramic-curved display which is a combination of a 12-inch digital driver’s display and a 12-inch infotainment system. Much like the MBUX system you get in the Mercedes-Benz. Kia claims that the display is clean, ultra-modern and easy-to-use, giving the K8 an effective minimalist-meets-simplicity tech style. Along with the new-found connectivity tech, the screen is also paired to a 14-speaker Meridian premium sound system.

What’s more, lighting is done in a new ‘star cloud’ signature which projects glittering and interactive ambient lighting on the door trim and dashboard areas. At the bottom of the swooping curved display sits the air conditioning control, which is operated via touchpad reducing the number of physical buttons. The touchpad allows for the switching of operation modes between the two systems with a centrally located button. Also present are some glossy soft-touch switches sitting on a raised platform alongside the shift-by-wire transmission dial.

Kia promises to introduce the K8 in global markets by the end of this year. More details about its powertrain and pricing will be shared in due course.