Inside Kia Malaysia’s World Cup-Themed KLIMS 2026 Pavilion
In collaboration with Robb Report Malaysia, Kia brings football-inspired activations, immersive digital art, and new vehicle debuts to its pavilion at KLIMS 2026.
Returning for its 11th edition, Malaysia’s leading automotive and mobility showcase—the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS)—took over the expansive MITEC exhibition centre in Kuala Lumpur, bringing together leading local and international automotive brands and the innovations shaping the future of mobility. Among them was South Korean manufacturer Kia.
As the official mobility partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Kia operates the Official Match Ball Carrier programme, giving young football talents the opportunity to step onto the global stage and deliver the match ball to the referee before kick-off. The brand also supports tournament operations with a diverse fleet of vehicles. In celebration of this partnership, Kia Malaysia’s presence at KLIMS centred on a World Cup-themed lounge and pavilion, featuring arcade-style games that challenged visitors with training exercises inspired by professional footballers, as well as photo opportunities with World Cup mascots, both powered by Samsung’s latest Smart TVs.
Amping up the football mania at its KLIMS pavilion, Kia showcased its cool ‘Inspiration Connects Us All’ series of videos featuring the marque’s global ambassador and footballing legend Thierry Henry on Samsung’s QLED 4K Vision AI Smart TVs, delivering a sharp, near-cinematic viewing experience that had guests in rapture.
Following a round of welcome addresses, guests were then treated to a presentation of the spirited, design-forward Kia K4 sedan, accompanied by an interactive AI-powered live visual performance by visual artist Max Jala. In his introduction, Jala shared how his scintillating and kinetic work of art was inspired by Kia’s philosophy of “Movement that Inspires”.
“Think of it like a moving painting, where the car acts as the paintbrush. The motion of the car becomes the starting point for the artwork, generating visuals that shift between cinematic, dreamlike, and abstract imagery. The Kia team spoke a lot about the idea of being ‘Bold and Progressive’, and I took that as a reason not to make something too safe,” said Jala.
Introduced as the brand’s fourth-generation compact sedan, the 2026 Kia K4 boasts one of the largest footprints in its segment, with class-leading spaciousness ensuring comfort even on those longer rides. The sedan adopts a sleek, progressive design language, highlighted by its Star Map Signature Lighting, where vertical and horizontal light bars blend to create a constellation-like illuminated graphic on the front and rear. The K4 is also offered as a hatchback.
Alongside the K4, Kia also presented the EV4 and EV5, the marque’s latest electric vehicles. While neither model has been launched locally, both underscore the brand’s commitment to developing mobility solutions for the modern driver. Also on display was the PV5, a modular electric van designed to support a broad spectrum of applications, from premium passenger transport and outdoor leisure activities, to mobile service operations and office configurations.
To conclude the event, guests were invited to participate in a lucky draw, with the grand prize being a test-drive experience in the latest Kia Carnival, equipped in a seven-seat configuration with second-row captain’s chairs and a 12-speaker Bose sound system. The prize pool also included car diffusers from Tamburins.
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