It turns out Volkswagen isn't the only automaker that's changing its corporate logo to rebrand itself for a new audience. Last year, a trademark filing suggested that Kia is planning to reveal a new company logo. Kia's current black oval logo is simple, but not very striking.

This will soon change, however, because a report by Korea's Motorgraph claims Kia's bold new logo will be applied to the automaker's vehicles in October and will be inspired by the logo that featured on the radical Imagine Concept. "The new emblem is similar to the one at the Imagine concept car, but it will look a bit different," said Kia Motors President, Park Han-wood. This is the first time Kia has officially acknowledged its company logo is being changed.

Logo images submitted to the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service match the company's president's comments. Kia's proposed new logo looks a lot like the design shown on the Imagine Concept, which features a stylized version of the word "Kia" with each letter joined together.

It hasn't been confirmed which Kia model will be updated with the new logo first, but rumors suggest Kia could reserve it for electric and hybrid models to distinguish them from combustion models. Volkswagen's new logo also debuted on the electric ID.3.

Some of Kia's recent models such as the Stinger and the redesigned Optima look absolutely stunning, so the time seems right for the company's logo to be modernized and reflect its new sporty design language - especially as it hasn't been updated since 2004.

As for the Imagine Concept, a recent report claims Kia is plotting a new electric performance crossover that will be inspired by the concept and act as the brand's new halo model. It will allegedly launch in 2021 and pack an 800-volt battery providing 310 miles of range and charge from 20-80 percent in roughly 20 minutes using a 350kW charger.