Kia Borrego

By Ben Pulman

First official pictures

19 December 2007 13:15

Kia will show its new, mid-size (by American standards) SUV at Detroit in January 2008. Called the Borrego, after a Californian bighorn sheep, the styling is derived from a previous Detroit concept, the 2005 Mesa.

The SUV will be available with either a V6, or Kia’s first V8. It'll seat seven, and the construction isn't a monocoque, but a body-on-frame set-up. Much of the architecture is shared with sister company Hyundai's Veracruz, and the V8 will also feature in the Hyundai Genesis saloon, which also takes a bow at Detroit in January 2008.

The Borrego goes on sale in Korea (where it will be built) at the start of 2008, before reaching the States in summer 2008. There are no plans to bring the car to Europe.

Kia Kee

By Ben Pulman

First official pictures

11 September 2007 00:01

Kee, huh? So what bad puns have you come up with?

Just the one: this is a key car for Kia. But whatever bad jokes we make the Korean manufacturer openly admits to this play on words. Why? Because this 2+2 coupe previews Kia’s design language for the next decade. The Kee’s design was overseen by Peter Schreyer, the man behind the original Audi TT, and Kia’s coupe just betters the current TT in all its dimensions. It’s 147mm longer, 37mm lower and 18mm wider. The Kee is powered by a 2.7-litre V6, and the 197bhp output is exactly the same as the base TT’s 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. This car is so close to the TT's recipe, it makes you wonder...

A coincidence?

Not a bit of it. The coupe market has grown massively since the first TT, and not only is Kia looking to capitalise on such growth, but it wants the Kee to emulate the success that Audi has had with the TT. And it wasn’t just sales of the TT that did Audi favours either. The TT helped make the Audi brand what it is today. That’s what the Kee could do for Kia, what Peugeot hope the 308 RC Z will do for them, and what the Tango roadster would have done for Seat had that car been put into production. Kia wishes to be viewed, in the company’s own words, as ‘exciting, appealing, creative, aspirational, with products that are beautiful and yet functional, purposeful and realistic’. Thus Kia needs the Kee: it’s a great-looking little 2+2.

Will the Kee make production?

That’s what CAR Online will be finding out at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week. But there is an obvious problem already: which platform to use. Kia’s sister company Hyundai is busy replacing its Coupe with a more upmarket car. And such a move may mean that that car doesn't make it to the UK. But don't despair because there is hope. Hyundai has the Veloster at Frankfurt, the little coupe concept that it unveiled at the Seoul Motor Show earlier this year. The Kee is only 70mm wider than the Veloster, and its wheelbase is only 75mm longer. Make a few adjustments for production and we could have coupe twins from the sister companies... Just don't expect to see the exposed, milled aluminium B-pillar in the near future. Or the 20-inch wheels. Or the micro-switch door handles.

So what elements of the Kee can we expect to see on other Kias?

The Korean company says the ‘new style grille will become the new face of Kia’. Those Audi-esque LEDs won't though. But strip the LEDs away and you can see hints of the Ceed in the headlights. We’ll bring you pictures of the interior as soon as we get them, but in the meantime the inside of Kee features a milled aluminium centre console and mounted atop that is the gearstick for the six-speed sequential automatic gearbox. Kia is currently on a product offensive with the impressive and fast-growing Ceed family. As well as the five-door, there is the Ceed SW (estate), the Proceed (three-door), and a possible Exceed (convertible). Also on the way is a mini-4x4 called the Soul that will also provide the basis for the next Rio. Lets hope Kia adds the Kee to this line-up.

Kia Proceed

By Chris Chilton

First official pictures

21 August 2007 09:22

Isn’t that last year’s Proceed concept car?

No, but you’re on the right lines. Our first glimpse of the Ceed was the Proceed concept, a sharp-looking three-door with hints of Audi A3 in the styling. But when the production car appeared it had morphed into a slightly less interesting five-door on wheels the size of a CD. The good news is that a year on, the concept finally made it to production as the three-door Ceed which is unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. Kia insists on calling it the pro_cee'd but CAR won't pander: it's the Proceed as far as we're concerned.

So what’s different apart from the number of doors?

More than you might think. Because while the 2650mm wheelbase is retained, the nose is 10mm longer, the grille shallower and the bumper, headlamps and air intake are all different. Move to the side and you’ll notice that the windscreen is actually shallower than the five-door’s and the overall height chopped by 30mm. Obviously the doors are longer to allow access to the rear but belt- and swagelines are both more aggressive to bolster the three-door’s sporty credentials. At the rear there's a pronounced chrome tailpipe for the exhaust and an optional Sports Pack brings 17-inch alloys and stiffer dampers.

What’s new inside?

Hold onto your hats because the rear seat cushion has been redesigned to make it easier to fold the seats. You now no longer need to fiddle about removing the rear head restraints. Now you’ve recovered from all that excitement I can tell you that the rest of the cabin is unchanged from the five-door model’s. So it’s sturdy and not hideous but still looks a bit cheap beside the best from Europe. But if you go for the Sport Pack we mentioned earlier things improve slightly: tyre track pattern seat fabrics with silver stitching and alloy pedals and scuff plates help distinguish it from the standard car.

So when can I buy one?

The Proceed lands in UK showrooms early next year. The 19 model offerings will include 1.6 petrols and diesel engines, but nothing really powerful yet. Performance models are on the way but hot hatch fans will have to wait until next year for the unthinkable to arrive.

Kia sports coupe concept

By Tim Pollard

First official pictures

18 July 2007 09:15

Kia sports coupe concept: the first glimpse

Do you detect hints of Audi TT about this low-slung sports car concept? Maybe you should, because it’s the shape of Kias to come and was designed by Peter Schreyer, the Koreans’ new design director and former head of design at Audi. It’s being hailed as a landmark car for Kia, and we’d say that for once the PR puff is spot-on. Make no mistake, this car is a line in the sand for Kia. The unnamed sports coupe concept will be shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Only this shadowy teaser pic has been released so far, but we know it’s a 2+2 tin-top around 4500mm long. We hear that ‘it’s pointing to a production version’, available with both front- and four-wheel drive. All sounds far removed from Kias of old. It was as recently as 1991 that the budget brand arrived in the UK with the likes of the white-tyred Pride. Fast forward 16 years and it looks like Kia is finally about to get serious in Europe. We’ve already had the Golf clone Cee’d hatchback and Schreyer’s first design was the Excee’d cabrio concept, itself destined for production. Such slick quality at bargain prices and backed up with seven-year warranties helps explain why Kia sales have doubled to 1.3 million in the past 10 years. And it’s now targeting 2 million by the start of the next decade. Schreyer said: ‘Kia has given me the opportunity to shape its whole brand design and character. Seldom does a designer have such a clean sheet to work with. We started this exciting journey with the Kia Excee’d cabrio concept at the Geneva show back in March, and at Frankfurt I’m sure Kia will surprise the entire automotive world when people see our new sports coupe concept in the metal.’ Teaser pictures can be annoyingly short on information and Kia’s is no different. But here at CAR Online we can’t wait to see the full picture. We’ll have the complete story in the coming weeks.

Kia Picanto facelift

By Tim Pollard

First official pictures

30 May 2007 03:37

Facelifted Kia Picanto: the lowdown

Kia is a company on the up and it knows not to mess with a successful formula. So when its best-selling car needs replacing, they don't mess around much. The result? This gently massaged Picanto, due to be shown at next week's Barcelona Motor Show. New styling front and rear has extended the city car's length by 40mm, thanks to a new bonnet, wings and deeper bumpers front and rear. The overall theme is designed to look rounder, and the grille you see here will spread across the Kia range. Not so much change in the cabin or engine department, though; Kia talks of new stereos and power steering, but we've always liked the Picanto's fun personality. The Picanto has been a success for Kia, selling 250,000 units across Europe in a segment new to Kia. European vice president Jean-Charles Lievens said Kia planned to expand sales to 90,000 units annually over the next few years.

Kia KND-4 Concept

By Jack Carfrae

First official pictures

10 April 2007 11:16

KND-4 concept: the lowdown

Kia has lifted the lid on its latest concept car, the KND-4 crossover. Painted in lime green paint and sporting deep-dished, 20-inch alloys, it’s not what you’d call subtle. There’s not much chance of seeing the KND-4 parked on your local Kia dealer's forecourt, though - this is very much a design project to showcase the company’s direction for its 4x4s. Like Mazda with the Hakaze, the KND-4 is aimed at outdoor and active types who fancy themselves as adventurers at the weekend, but want a car that turns a few heads when they head back to the suburbs.

Sounds awfully trendy. What’s under the bonnet?

The KND-4 is powered by 2.2-litre turbodiesel unit and comes with Active Torque Transfer to distribute the power between all four wheels depending on traction at each corner. The inside of the KND-4 is packed with technology such as an AMOLED (Active-Matrix, Organic Light Emitting Diode) display screen and Blu-ray, which can store tenfold the information that a DVD can. Although the KND-4 won’t be appearing on production lines it’s worth remembering, as future Kia SUVs are tipped to follow its styling direction. Watch this space.

American taxi hits 100

By Liz Turner

First official pictures

04 April 2007 05:35

American taxi celebrates its 100th at the New York Motor Show

The US taxi celebrates its centenary at New York this week with a display of the ‘green’ yellow cabs of tomorrow. The rank gathered by The Design Trust for Public Space for its Taxi ’07 display include a lithium-battery powered taxi from Hybrid Technologies, and the world’s fastest taxi. This hydrogen-burning 1000hp Crown Victoria has a projected top speed of 200mph, for Wall Street traders who really can't hang around. Mayor R Bloomberg has designated 6-15 April Taxi Week to show support to the project, and the Empire State Building will be lit up yellow to commemorate the taxi’s anniversary.

Kia has two entries at taxi ’07 outside the Javits Center, both based on its new Rondo. This small crossover would have a smaller footprint than current cabs and would swill less gas. Two passengers could sit facing backwards facing the rear bench (like in a London cab) to make the most of the interior space. The more futuristic model of the two features a front seat that reaches out to the kerb and swivels to make access easier for the elderly or disabled. It also has a built-in child seat.

Kia Ex_Cee'd Cabrio Concept

By Tim Pollard

First official pictures

23 February 2007 09:40

Kia Ex_Cee'd Cabrio Concept: the lowdown

The Koreans' ambitious growth plans show no signs of slowing down; last week, Kia unveiled the Cee'd estate production car - today, it slides the covers off a soft-top version of the same model. Dubbed, somewhat cornily, the Ex_Cee'd Cabrio, the convertible will be shown officially at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. And don't laugh at the back - it was designed by Peter Schreyer, formerly head of Audi design and now boss of the Koreans' studio.

No folding hard-top here - why stick with a fabric roof?

Schreyer deliberately avoided the current trend for folding metal roofs, claiming that the soft-top would soon enjoy a renaissance. Fabric roofs certainly limit the designers' imagination less, as well as saving on weight and packaging bulk. Style fascinations include 19-inch alloy wheels, a 'meringue white' paint job and contrasting chocolate roof fabric. Will they build a Cee'd rag-top? Word is that such a model is pencilled into the production timetable, so expect something like this in Kia showrooms within the next couple of years.

Kia Cee'd Estate

By Tim Pollard

First official pictures

15 February 2007 02:59

Kia Cee'd Estate: the lowdown

Kia is rapidly making inroads into European markets. This new Cee'd estate is light years away from the shonky Kias of old - and it'll go on sale in August for around £500 more than the hatchback. At 4.5m long, it's 235mm longer than the hatch and has a marginally stretched wheelbase to free up some more space for family clobber. The boot's pretty big, too - at 534 litres, it'll swallow a couple of hundred more than the hatch.

It's pretty big then for a Golf-class estate...

It sure is. Kia is making lots of noises about its tailgate hinging system, claiming the bracket is so far forward that the boot rises way above head height, making it easy to load. No more banged heads, it seems. The Cee'd is the first Kia designed and built in Europe and represents a step change in the Koreans' thinking. Okay, so it's not going to set your pants on fire - it's still a blandbox, just one that does rather a lot of things rather well.

But it's a Kia... it's so sensible!

Yep, the Cee'd appeals to the head, much more than the heart. But it should be a stress-free ownership proposition: that seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty is a welcome safety net and Kia does well in customer satisfaction surveys. There's little spec detail been confirmed yet, but bank on engines from 1.6 to 2.0 litres and three trim levels, with generous-for-the-class kit. Will there ever be a sexier Cee'd? We somehow doubt it, but rumours abound of a convertible version under development. Watch this space.

Kia Kue concept

By Ben Oliver

Motor shows & events

09 January 2007 04:47

A Kia concept car. How exciting!

More exciting than you might suppose. Kia has been riotously successful but freely admits that people only buy its cars because they are cheap and fairly reliable. It wants you to love your Kia too, and in a bid to inject some passion into the brand has hired Peter Schreyer, the man responsible for the Audi TT, as chief designer. He has only been with the Korean firm for four months but the Kue concept he has just unveiled at the Detroit show already hints at Kia's future design direction and previews how the replacement for the excellent Sorento will look. The Kue might not have the impact of the original TT concept, but for a Kia, it's sexy.

So how will future Kias look?

They will all take their cue from the Kue, copying the concept's more dynamic stance with the wheels pushed out to the corners, taut surfacing and lamp details. The production Sorento will, of course, have rear doors, and they won't be scissor-hinged like the Kue's. Nor does the concept's supercharged 4.6-litre V8 with 400bhp stand much chance of being made. The interior, with touch-pad and motion-sensing controls, is pure designer's daydream stuff.

How long do we have to wait?

Perhaps not long. Last year's Detroit concept from Kia was the Soul, named to suggest the Korean capital and Detroit's other claim to fame as the home of Motown label. A small (4 metres long to the Kue's 4.7m) crossover with front-wheel drive and a 2.0-litre engine, it will go into production in 2008 and will almost certainly come to Europe. Both the Soul and Kue were conceived at Kia's design centre in Irvine, California.

Kia Proceed

By Phil McNamara

First official pictures

28 September 2006 03:54

Kia Proceed: the lowdown

Shock! One of the most significant cars unveiled at today’s Paris show was a Kia. Not only was this Proceed concept sexy and sporty, a first for a Kia. But its relevance goes deeper than its skin. The Proceed is the three door version of Kia’s five-door Ceed hatchback, a car that will be built in eastern Europe, have a seven year warranty – the continent’s longest – and will give the Focus, Golf et al a serious run for their money with its spacious, high quality interior and good value prices. The five-door hatch goes on UK sale in January 2007 for just under £12,000, with a Peugeot 407-alike wagon following in September 2007 and the production Proceed in December 2007.

Kia gets sexy

The Proceed concept is almost identical to the production car, due in late 2007. The swooping roofline, scalloped sides, sleek window graphic, raked rear hatch and inverted radiator grille (compared with the five-door) are all the real deal. Only the aluminium details like the tailpipes, big 19inch wheels, lamp graphics and slim side mirrors will be dulled down. The bonnet and front wings are the only panels carried over from the five door, and the Proceed sits 30mm closer to the road, too. Kia reckons the chassis has been benchmarked against the Focus and Golf, but we’ll believe that only when we’ve driven it. And the pokiest Ceed engine at launch will muster just 143bhp, and Kia will have to do a lot better than that if the Proceed is to match cars like the Golf GTi. ‘It’s not enough; everybody agrees we need more power,’ said an insider. ‘We have something in the pipeline.’

The inside story

Don’t blink – that’s not an Audi interior. Although the resemblance is not surprising, given that it’s been designed by a former VW group employee Chris Daniels, under the tutelage of another ex-VW man Gregory Guillaume. It’s beautifully trimmed and has controls and vents that look just like the new TT’s, but this cockpit is largely a flight of fancy. The only bit that’s true to life is the dash shape, which will ultimately be filled with the plainer instrument panel, stereo and climate control from the five-door.

And here's its Ceed sibling

This is the far duller five-door, the Ceed, which has all the presence of the outgoing Toyota Corolla. However, Kia promises a good spec – including six airbags, ABS with EBD, air-con and CD – at reasonable prices, and a seven-year/150,000km (100,000 mile) warranty, which can be transferred when you sell the car on. The soft-touch plastics are easy on the eye and the fingers, and there’s space for all-round afros in the back and decent knee room, too. No wonder Kia is confident it will sell 150,000 Ceeds a year in Europe.

Kia Proceed

By Phil McNamara

Motor shows & events

28 September 2006 03:54

Kia Proceed: the lowdown

Shock! One of the most significant cars unveiled at today’s Paris show was a Kia. Not only was this Proceed concept sexy and sporty, a first for a Kia. But its relevance goes deeper than its skin. The Proceed is the three door version of Kia’s five-door Ceed hatchback, a car that will be built in eastern Europe, have a seven year warranty – the continent’s longest – and will give the Focus, Golf et al a serious run for their money with its spacious, high quality interior and good value prices. The five-door hatch goes on UK sale in January 2007 for just under £12,000, with a Peugeot 407-alike wagon following in September 2007 and the production Proceed in December 2007.

Kia gets sexy

The Proceed concept is almost identical to the production car, due in late 2007. The swooping roofline, scalloped sides, sleek window graphic, raked rear hatch and inverted radiator grille (compared with the five-door) are all the real deal. Only the aluminium details like the tailpipes, big 19inch wheels, lamp graphics and slim side mirrors will be dulled down. The bonnet and front wings are the only panels carried over from the five door, and the Proceed sits 30mm closer to the road, too. Kia reckons the chassis has been benchmarked against the Focus and Golf, but we’ll believe that only when we’ve driven it. And the pokiest Ceed engine at launch will muster just 143bhp, and Kia will have to do a lot better than that if the Proceed is to match cars like the Golf GTi. ‘It’s not enough; everybody agrees we need more power,’ said an insider. ‘We have something in the pipeline.’

The inside story

Don’t blink – that’s not an Audi interior. Although the resemblance is not surprising, given that it’s been designed by a former VW group employee Chris Daniels, under the tutelage of another ex-VW man Gregory Guillaume. It’s beautifully trimmed and has controls and vents that look just like the new TT’s, but this cockpit is largely a flight of fancy. The only bit that’s true to life is the dash shape, which will ultimately be filled with the plainer instrument panel, stereo and climate control from the five-door.

And here's its Ceed sibling

This is the far duller five-door, the Ceed, which has all the presence of the outgoing Toyota Corolla. However, Kia promises a good spec – including six airbags, ABS with EBD, air-con and CD – at reasonable prices, and a seven-year/150,000km (100,000 mile) warranty, which can be transferred when you sell the car on. The soft-touch plastics are easy on the eye and the fingers, and there’s space for all-round afros in the back and decent knee room, too. No wonder Kia is confident it will sell 150,000 Ceeds a year in Europe.

New Kia launches Focus and Golf attack

By Phil McNamara

Industry news

15 August 2006 09:00

Europe's fastest growing car brand – Kia – is finally wading into Europe's biggest market with a serious contender. But with a joke of a name: the Cee'd.

Kia claims the five-door hatchback will be the most spacious car in the C-segment, where it will do battle with the VW Golf, Ford Focus et al. The handsome, contemporary design is also the best-looking Kia yet. And that's a trend that's set to continue, following the Korean company's success in head-hunting the original Audi TT designer, Peter Schreyer, to be its new design boss. The new car arrives in European showrooms in December 2006, wearing the ludicrous Cee'd badge. Don't expect CAR Online to legitimise that rogue apostrophe: here it will be known as the Ceed. Jean-Charles Lievens, Kia Europe boss, tried to show the company's torturous working. Apparently, the CE denotes that the car is built in the European Community (in Slovakia), while ED reminds us that it's a European design. 'Ceed is a short, dynamic and innovative name,' said Lievens. 'It's a name which breaks the automotive rules.' And a grammatical one.

The Ceed is about the same length as a Focus, but its 2650mm wheelbase is the longest in its class. Combined with its tall roof, the Ceed should offer decent cabin space – at a bargain price. Expect the Ceed to cost from around £10,000 in the UK, when sales begin in January. Power comes from four-cylinder engines, mounted across the nose and turning the front wheels. The line up is 1.4-, 1.6- and 2.0-litre petrol engines, and a new 1.6-litre diesel. With its sculpted surfaces and eye-catching details, the Ceed shows that Kia design is moving in the right direction. And with Schreyer – who has the VW Golf Mk4, Audi saloon range and Lamborghini Murcielago on his CV – in charge, Kia is about to become an even bigger thorn in the old guard's side. Kia's sales have grown by 45 percent in the past three years, and they show no sign of letting up. 'It's worrying,' Ford's European design director Chris Bird has told CAR Online. 'The big challenge for all of us is to maintain design leadership, now that the Asian brands are producing cars here by European designers.'