Find Used Kia cars for sale on model specific websites. Below is a list of dedicated Kia sites, simply click on the appropriate link below :-
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| As seen On |
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| 2.0 CRDi sport added across cee'd range |
Kia has expanded the engine line up on cee'd and cee'd SW models with the addition of the powerful 2.0 CRDi unit recently introduced on the pro_cee'd Sport.
This range topping engine is introduced with a new Sport grade featuring 17-inch alloys, black bezel headlights and rear privacy glass. The Sport models' interior has part leather seats featuring a specially designed tyre tread cloth design with silver stitching highlights on seats, arm rest and steering wheel. In all, the combination of the powerful 138bhp 2.0-litre CRDi with an unbeatable Sport specification enhances cee'ds ability to compete against its rivals.
The 2.0-litre CRDi engine has been subject to complex testing to make it the perfect match for Kia's eye-catching cee'd range. Technical improvements translate to improved durability and power while state-of-the-art engineering allows customers to enjoy more power and torque without compromising on fuel efficiency or refinement. Performance is further enhanced by advanced fuel injection and Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) technology transferred from the 1.6-litre CRDi engine already available in the cee'd range.
Sara Drummond-Bell, Product Manager for the cee'd range comments: "The inclusion of the 2.0 CRDi Sport gives the cee'd range unrivalled appeal to a larger audience. Offering three body styles and a choice of five engines, outstanding specifications and an industry leading seven-year warranty, each cee'd model brings an outstanding offering to the C-segment."
The walk-up in price from a 1.6 CRDi to the new Euro IV compliant 2.0 CRDi is just £1,200 on both cee'd five-door and cee'd SW models making the five-door cee'd 2.0 CRDi Sport available for £15,995 and the same engine in the cee'd SW for £16,395. |
| 2.0 Petrol Carens LS goes large |
Kia Motors have added another variant to their already popular Carens MPV range; a seven seater 2.0 petrol LS derivative with prices starting at £15,050.
The 2.0 litre 142bhp petrol unit comes married to either a five speed manual or four speed automatic transmission. This MPV benefits from many of the existing features of the LS high level spec.
With a top speed of 112mph the automatic transmission produces 189Nm of torque and accelerates from 0-62mph in 11.9 seconds. The manual fares even better with a top speed of 118mph with an acceleration of just 11 seconds. The CO2 consumption for both transmissions are competitive at 193 and 200g/km respectively.
Pricing starts from £15,050 for the manual and £16,050 for the automatic and both come with a five year bumper-to-bumper unlimited mileage warranty. This announcement was made in April last year and is the first Korean built Kia to be given this position of assurance. The warranty was made possible by the improved manufacturing processes at the corporation's refurbished Gwangju plant in Korea and the resulting higher build quality.
Paul Philpott, managing director of Kia Motors (UK) Limited said: "It is an excellent addition to our ever expanding range and I am pleased that we are able to offer our customers a wider variety of choice and they are receiving a quality product with a guarantee of trust"
Standard items across the range include front and rear electric windows with an auto-down facility, electrically-adjustable door mirrors, an underfloor storage box and underseat tray on the front passenger's side. On the petrol LS model you will get full climate control along with electric folding door mirrors as well as automatic lights and wipers and 16 inch alloys.
Appealing to families and active couples the Carens exhibits versatility and practicality. For the added space in the seven seater the cushions of the centre-row seats tip forwards, enabling the backrests to fold down to create a flat floor, free of interruptions while the rear row folds and dives in the base leaving a totally flat surface.
A foot-operated parking brake allows for more storage space around the driver and front passenger. There is a large compartment beneath the centre armrest; cup holders in the front and rear of the centre console; a sunglasses holder in the headlining; large door pockets with bottle holder storage; and a generous glove box. Rear door pockets and lidded compartments with cup holders above the rear wheelarches provide useful spaces for passengers in the rear to store loose items. |
| Kia announces 2008 Sportage and Picanto model ranges |
2008 Sportage
The Sportage has been an SUV favourite for some time but the latest model adds to the driving fun. With production moved from Korea to Europe, to reduce shipping times and delivery levels of CO2, the Sportage has been given a Euro 'make-over' to improve driving dynamics.
Now built in Zilina, home of the cee'd, the 2008 Sportage has changed only the front bumper, grille, wing mirrors and headlights on the outside. Under the skin are a number of significant improvements to make the Sportage even more appealing to European customers.
The power steering has been re-tuned to be more responsive whilst new dampers provide a firmer ride with less body roll. Braking power has been increased with a change from 15-inch to 16-inch brake discs, transmission ratios have been adjusted and the towing capability has been increased to 1800kgs.
Internally, all seats have been remodelled to cater more for European shaped drivers and passengers and the indicator stalks have been moved to the left side of the steering wheel as a response to customer and media feedback.
Overall the range has been simplified - entry level is the XE, whilst XS adds more kit ahead of the range topping TITAN. Initially a special edition, the new TITAN
becomes the range topper offering ESP, electric sunroof, privacy glass, heated seats and automatic rear view mirror as standard.
Another first for the Sportage is the availability of a two-wheel drive version, bringing the entry level price down to £13,995 on-the-road. Following further customer demand, a diesel-automatic combination will also be available.
With the move of production to Zilina, the most advanced vehicle production facility in the world, Kia is able to provide increased levels of quality control. This means the 2008 Sportage will come with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty and an improved corrosion warranty of 10 years.
Due to significant demand the 2008 diesel Sportage is available now whilst petrol models will become available in early 2008.
2008 Picanto
The new Picanto enjoys a whole range of updates and the model line-up is adjusted to take advantage of the changes in Vehicle Excise Duty regulations.
Priced from £5,995 OTR, the revised 1.0-litre Picanto is now eligible for band B VED at only £35 per year. This saving was made possible as the entry level model is a four-seat version with eco-friendly tyres and upgraded engine, producing an extra 2 PS.
The major changes all happen externally with new front and rear bumpers, new headlights, rear clusters, bonnet and wing mirrors.
A sporty-looking model will be available for the first time, called the Picanto 3. The range topping model will feature a mesh grille, front fog lamps, black bezel headlamps, 15-inch alloy wheels, heated and electrically adjustable wing mirrors with integrated side repeaters, unique dials, headrests and alloy pedals. The Picanto 3 will be based on the 1.1-litre engine. The full product line-up is shown below.
The launch model, Picanto Ice, comes with air conditioning whilst the range topping Picanto 3 adds full iPod compatibility through the new factory fitted audio system.
Like the Sportage, and in response to customer demand, the indicator stalks are now on the left hand side of the steering wheel.
The cee'd influence continues across the Kia range. In Picanto the cee'd grille and orange dial illumination is adopted along with some interior plastics and the switch layout of the centre console. |
| Kia Cee'd five-star winner is a real safety car |
The Euro NCAP five-star rated cee'd has proven it's a safe car in more ways than one - it has been employed as an official Safety Car at a number of motor racing circuits around the UK.
The job of a Safety Car is to intervene in serious and dangerous incidents during races to control the pace of the cars or motor cycles until the incident is resolved. It's a tough role, but the Kia cee'd is up to it.
Building on the inherently stiff and dynamic chassis, few changes were needed to make the cee'd more circuit friendly. Uprated suspension and a wheel and tyre package have made the cee'd Safety Car even more dynamic than the acclaimed standard package.
The UK's Motor Sports Association (MSA) has detailed regulations for the lighting fitted to Safety Cars. Consultation with vehicle lighting specialists, Vision Alert, resulted in an ultra hi-tech and low weight amber LED based package which met the MSA criteria.
Despite having good road manners and independent suspension all round, a rare attribute within the C-segment, the cee'd Safety Car was upgraded further to help with the high speed demands of the job. The suite of modifications also lowers the car by around 20mm with the help of leading suspension company, Eibach.
A colour-coded rear spoiler and black 18-inch Rimstock alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tyres complete the look.
The standard cee'd braking system was initially earmarked for upgrades to cope with the increased speeds and repeated harsh braking of circuit life, however initial tests proved that the standard disc brakes fitted to each corner are more than up to the task.
The cee'd Safety Car package has recently been seen at Silverstone and Castle Combe making safe numerous situations during car and motor cycle races.
Spokesman for Castle Combe race circuit, Rodney Gooch, said: 'The cee'd has proven extremely popular with the Safety Team, competitors and spectators alike. The car has been called into action quite a few times already and it has earned its wings in extreme conditions proving to be quick and dynamic in the most demanding of situations. No doubt - this is a very capable car.'
Paul Philpott, Managing Director, Kia Motors (UK) Ltd, said: 'Thanks to the independent suspension cee'd lends itself to the dynamic circuit environment quite easily. The Safety Car is a demonstration that if a 'warmer' cee'd came along it would certainly have The Power to Surprise.' |
| New Kia Picanto debuts in Barcelona |
Kia's best seller is about to get bigger and better. Only millimetres bigger but miles better in every way, the face-lifted Picanto is set for a world debut at the Barcelona show on June 7.
Kia's design teams have updated Picanto to exude glamour while still maintaining its cheeky charm. A rounder nose and deeper rear bumper make the new model 40mm longer than its predecessor. Further changes in Picanto's looks are a result of all-new panels on the bonnet, front wings and front and rear bumpers. This new 'rounded' theme is also reflected in the light clusters and newly designed grille which will be gradually introduced across the Kia range. Fresh new colours and a restyled rounded exterior create a more intimate feel which continues on the interior as well.
The upgraded interior comes in five funky new colours to complement the nine new exterior colours on offer. New audio equipment and power steering will also enhance Picanto's high quality driving experience seldom offered in this sector.
Kia Motors European Vice President, Jean-Charles Lievens commented on this latest addition to the Kia range: "Picanto has been a great success for Kia, achieving more than 250,000 sales across Europe in a segment where we previously had no presence. Now we have refreshed our small car, upgrading its equipment and introducing a range of customer benefits, we aim to maintain its appeal and expand sales to 90,000 units annually over the next few years." |
| Top Kia residual values |
Smart buying Kia customers are being rewarded in more ways than one. Aside from good purchase value, high equipment levels and competitive customer service, the latest independent data shows Kia vehicles have some of the best residual values in the industry.
The cheeky little Picanto has been the envy of the segment for residual values for some time, turning rival models from Ford and Vauxhall green in the process. But now the Picanto is performing better than ever and is holding 62 per cent of its value after three years.
Also doing well is the Kia Rio, which is holding 65 per cent of its value after 12 months, and the Sportage diesel, holding 67 per cent residual value after two years.
The star performer of the Kia range is also one of the best value SUVs on the market, the Kia Sorento, which manages to retain 70 per cent of its value after three years.
Paul Philpott, Managing Director of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd, said: "It's increasingly more obvious that Kia product isn't just about being good value as an initial purchase, the product is also a key performer when it comes to selling-on. Kia customers are benefiting from a growing brand and one which has been seen as reliable and good value for money. Now it is increasingly seen as a sought after brand. It's not just about buying effectively, it is selling effectively too and we're attracting more customers as a result."
Paul Philpott added: "With the recently launched cee'd, Kia has put its money where its mouth is by offering a huge seven year warranty - it's the best offer in Europe. If a customer buys a car today and the gearbox goes wrong in 2013, we'll replace it for free - we don't think that will be needed, but who else has that sort of faith in their products? Put that alongside this excellent residual performance and Kia offers a convincing case for anyone wanting to buy a new car at the moment." |
| Kia cee'd Wagon set for Geneva debut |
The all-new Kia cee'd wagon will make its world premiere at the 77th Salon de l'Automobiles in Geneva on 6 March. It will be seen in production-ready form for the first time.
The new Kia cee'd wagon retains all the attributes of the cee'd hatchback and offers consumers extra practicality and versatility, with a unique extended tailgate design, while keeping stylish stand-alone good looks with a truly sporty feel, enthused Mr Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. With ride, handling and performance every bit as responsive as the hatchback, the wagon will be available with a choice of engines and specifications. The new wagon is sure to delight existing Kia customers and to attract European consumers who have not yet considered our brand.
The 4.5-metre long estate has an unusually long wheelbase and will offer class-leading passenger and luggage space, plus highly competitive levels of equipment and state-of-the-art active and passive safety. Customers in the UK will be able to choose from a wide range of models, three equipment levels (S, GS and LS) and Euro 4 compliant engines and transmissions.
To boost load carrying ability and versatility, the wagon's overall length is increased by 235 mm over the five door, with all of that increase behind the rear wheels. The overall height is up by 10 mm. Luggage capacity starts at 534 litres - loaded up to the bottom of the rear windows - almost 200 litres more than the cee'd five-door.
The tailgate on the cee'd wagon is unique in the C-segment being designed to give excellent access to the load area. The top hinges have been moved forwards by 225 mm (compared to the cee'd hatchback), so the tailgate has reduced outswing and upswing. This allows users to stand closer to the car and the tailgate to be fully opened, even in restricted parking spaces.
The launch of the cee'd family (five-door hatchback in February 2007, wagon from summer 2007 and three-door hatch from late 2007) marks a major turning point in Kia's history. The first-ever Kia cars designed and manufactured in Europe, they will introduce a new era for the brand.
The new cee'd wagon will be built alongside the five-door and three-door versions at Zilina, Slovakia - the most advanced and cleanest motor manufacturing facility in Europe. And to ensure worry free motoring for all cee'd drivers across Europe, the wagon will also benefit from the best warranty in Europe, first seen when launched with the cee'd five door - a full seven years and 100,000 miles.
Full UK specification and pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date. |
| Revised KIA flagship hits showrooms |
What do you do with a car that's just three years old, that's won a string of awards and that's consistently been a top-six seller in its sector? Well, if your name's Kia and the model in question is the Sorento, you give it a complete overhaul to keep it at the forefront of the SUV sector.
The Sorento, which has just clinched a second successive top spot in the 4x4 category of the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction survey to add to its Towcar of the Year 2006 award from The Caravan Club and Best 4x4 in 2005 award from 4x4 magazine, now offers more of everything.
The revised 2.5-litre turbodiesel and new 3.3-litre V6 petrol engines deliver improved performance; suspension modifications provide a better balance of ride and handling; safety is enhanced with state-of-the-art accident-avoidance features; there is a contemporary new look; more luxury car options become available; and there are smarter trim materials in a higher-quality cabin.
Yet prices have been held, which means the range again starts at just £19,995.
The Sorento was Kia's first foray into the high-end SUV market. Designed with European input and with European buyers in mind, it has been a huge success. Sales in the UK were up by 10% in 2005 - more than double the average for the SUV sector.
The revised model uses the same body panels as the original car. But new front and rear bumpers, projection-style headlamps, tail lights and body mouldings give it a more elegant and modern appearance without representing such a total change that the excellent residual values of the original Sorento would be damaged. The overall length has increased by just 20mm as a result of the new bumpers.
With diesel models accounting for an ever-increasing percentage of sales, the revisions to Kia's acclaimed 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, 16-valve common-rail engine create scope for improved market penetration, especially in the all-important fleet sector. Now fitted with an electrically-actuated variable geometry turbocharger for even more flexible performance, the engine gains 21% more power (now 168bhp) and 25% more torque (392Nm at just 2000rpm).
This helps reduce the 0-62mph time by 2.6 seconds, while combined fuel consumption is a highly respectable 35.8mpg, subject to official ratification. The engine now meets Euro IV emissions standards.
A new 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine will replace the former 3.5-litre unit at the start of 2007, and has an extra 48bhp, trimming its 0-62mph time to 8.9 seconds
The diesel is available with five-speed manual or automatic gearboxes, while the V6 will be sold only as an automatic. Higher top gear ratios in both gearboxes reduce cruising noise levels, and the automatic also features Kia's Sports Mode, allowing manual override of gearchanges.
The ladder-frame chassis and dual-frame body construction of the Sorento have earned praise since launch, but for 2006 Kia has retuned the springs and dampers of the fully-independent suspension to give a smoother ride.
The Sorento continues to be available with selectable or full-time four-wheel drive systems. A low ratio gearbox assists in severe off-roading conditions.
There will be three trim levels - XE, XS and XT - all with improved occupant safety features. Active head restraints which protect against whiplash injury, front seat-belt pretensioners and a passenger airbag cut-off switch are fitted as standard and ESP stability control is added to the standard specification of range-topping XT models. ESP automatically corrects potential skids by braking one or more wheels and, if necessary, reducing engine power.
An audible reversing aid is also now offered to help reduce the risk of parking knocks.
Twin front and full-length curtain airbags are standard.
The quality of the interior is raised through a new centre stack and floor console, a neater control layout and higher-quality materials. The XE comes with grey cloth, the XS grey leather and the top specification XT black leather.
The centre stack now houses dual-zone air conditioning, an audio with CD player and MP3 compatibility and on the XT a CD autochanger facility.
Reshaped backrests on the front seats increase legroom and comfort for passengers travelling in the rear.
Six turbodiesel versions of the refreshed Kia Sorento in three trim grades (XE, XS and XT) go on sale in August 2006, with the sole petrol V6 in range-topping XT guise to following in early 2007.
Prices and insurance groups:
2.5 CRDi XE
£19,995
13
2.5 CRDi XE auto
£21,095
13
2.5 CRDi XS
£22,995
13
2.5 CRDi XS auto
£24,095
13
2.5 CRDi XT
£24,995
13
2.5 CRDi XT auto
£26,095
13
3.3 CRDi XT auto
to be confirmed
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| New KIA Carens makes global debut in Spain |
The all-new Kia Carens compact MPV makes its world premiere at the Madrid Motor Show 25th May 2006 and will go on sale across Europe later this summer. A little over 4.5 metres long, the New Carens unveiled in Spain has been created specifically with European consumers in mind and features unique styling for the European market.
The New Carens will be marketed in Europe in two versions - with seven-seater and five-seater cabins - both featuring 'European-specific' frontal styling with unique twin-chrome-bar grille, lower centre air-intake and front bumper with inset air-intakes or fog lamps.
Responding to customer feedback and to developing market trends within the compact MPV sector, Kia conceived a next generation vehicle for active lifestyle families that blends the interlocking trends of MPVs and SUVs.
New Carens is an all-new model, only the name of the previous model has been retained. Longer, wider and taller than its predecessor (by 55, 50 and 40 mm respectively), the latest Carens does not share a single panel with the old model and its smoother exterior, with elegant detailing, results in significantly improved aerodynamics. The 4545 mm long New Carens' aerodynamic Cd is a highly competitive 0.32 - down from 0.35 for the previous model - despite the latest vehicle's increased cross-section and frontal area.
Consumer clinics in Europe with Carens prototypes, confirmed that a significant percentage of today's compact MPV customers would welcome a larger vehicle that could seat up to seven people - provided that any increase in overall length was kept to a modest level. Consequently, new Carens is higher and wider than the model it replaces, with a much longer wheelbase (up by 130 mm, a 5% increase), but it is only 55 mm (or 1.2%) longer, thanks to skilful packaging design.
With new Carens we are presenting consumers with a surprisingly spacious yet compact MPV. Our Kia teams on several continents designed the new Carens to surpass the escalating expectations of Kia customers. They have created a truly competitive vehicle that is more stylish and more practical, and will complement modern families' lifestyles, commented Paul Williams, Managing Director, Kia Motors UK Ltd.
Bolder challenge for compact MPV segment sales
New Carens will be a bold new challenger for compact MPV honours in the European marketplace, transforming Kia's fortunes in this sector, commented Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. We anticipate that demand in Europe will be evenly spilt between the seven-seater and five-seater versions, with 65% of buyers ordering diesels and 35% petrol.
Last year, Kia Carens sales across Europe totalled almost 17,000 units. New Carens is a perfect new example of one of our brand aspirations, quality. With this all-new model, we are confident that New Carens will become a high-volume seller, with sales rising from 25,000 in 2007 to 50,000 units annually by 2008, enthused SVP Lievens. |
| New Carens to be unveiled in Madrid |
Kia Motors has announced its all-new Carens compact MPV will make its world premiere at the forthcoming Salon International del Automovil de Madrid. The Carens will be revealed to the world for the first time at the bi-annual Spanish motor show, held in the capital's Parque Ferial Juan Carlos 1 exhibition complex from 25 May.
Releasing a design sketch of the new vehicle, Kia confirmed that the all-new Carens, larger in all its main dimensions than the existing vehicle, will be available with seven seats for the first time in Europe. The rear seats fold down flat into the boot floor when not required.
Underlining the importance of the European marketplace to Kia, the Carens launch will be the sixth new model - following the Picanto, Rio, Sportage, Sedona and Magentis - to make its debut at a European motor show. Full details of the all-new Carens will be announced at Kia's motor show press conference on Thursday, 25 May. |
| Picanto Zapps the competition |
Canny car buyers looking for a good deal in March can put some Zapp! into their lives with Kia's new special edition Picanto. Available from 1 March, the exclusive Picanto Zapp! comes in at only £300 above the entry level S model but with a specification based on the higher priced GS model.
With additional features over the S model including body coloured bumpers, front electric windows and central locking, the 1.0 litre Zapp! comes in six different colours and is available from £5,995 on-the-road. All new owners will get one year's free insurance and can drive away for a £1 deposit.
The Picanto range, that recently came top in a residual values survey, already comes with an unrivalled level of specification including ABS with EBD, CD audio with MP3 player and power steering, all as standard.
Paul Williams, Managing Director of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd, said: This is an exciting new edition to the great value Picanto range which was our best seller last year with over 12,000 UK sales. Value conscious motorists will find the Zapp! cheap to run doing an excellent 55.4 mpg and the Zapp! also comes with an exclusive finance deal. For a 22% deposit, customers can run Zapp! for a very affordable £99 a month.*
The full line-up and list pricing and insurance groups are:
Picanto 1.0 S
£5,695
2
Picanto Zapp! 1.0
£5,995
2
Picanto 1.0 GS
£6,195
2
Picanto 1.1 LX
£6,995
3
Picanto 1.1 LX Auto
£7,695
3
Picanto 1.1 SE+
£7,595
3
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| Kia cee'd concept car points to future design trends |
Kia Motors will unveil an exciting new concept car at the Geneva Motor Show at the end of this month. The stunningly attractive, precisely styled show car, named cee'd (pronounced 'seed'), is based on the forthcoming all-new C-segment model which Kia will begin building at its first-ever European assembly plant in Slovakia from December 2006.
With its tough appearance, combining strongly solid forms with sensitively flowing lines, jewel-like detailing and a broad stance, cee'd points towards the future elements of Kia's evolving design language.
Our design brief was to create a 'teaser' for the all-new Kia which has been designed entirely in Europe and will make its world premiere at the Paris Show in September, explained Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Kia, European Design Centre. We wanted to make cee'd as beautiful, as exquisitely detailed and
precisely executed as possible. We wanted to introduce this concept as the starting point for the new design DNA for Kia, to highlight that this car is designed in Europe and made in Europe, to fulfil 100% of European customer needs.
The cee'd has several of the core design elements of two earlier Kia cars - the Sorento SUV and A-segment Picanto. With this concept car, Kia is making these design elements even more understandable to the public. cee'd is a new stage in Kia design, the beginning of communicating its new design language.
cee'd features flowing lines carried through strong forms. The major flow-line runs from low on the nose spoiler, around the grille, over the bonnet, up the A-pillar, along the roof rail to the tailgate spoiler, down the C-pillar and around the rear bumper - enveloping the whole car.
At the Geneva Show, cee'd is finished in 'English Pewter' bespoke exterior paint, blended to give the external surfaces a unique lustre that is echoed by the interior. The concept car will be displayed on a low, rotating glass turntable so that visitors can fully appreciate the interior styling, as well as the exterior form. The extended, flared wheel arches envelop bespoke 19-inch diameter polished aluminium wheels sporting 265/30 R19 low-profile tyres.
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| Kia growth spurs on plans for 2006 |
Kia's record-breaking growth continued in 2005 laying the foundations for the final stage of redevelopment of the entire Kia product range by the end of 2006.
In a market down 5%, Kia achieved a 19% increase with sales finishing at 39,761 year-on-year putting them ahead of popular consumer brands such as Seat, Fiat and Volvo.
The Picanto, Kia's best seller in 2005 with 12,761 units, originally announced the arrival of a new generation of Kia vehicles back in June 2004 and was swiftly followed by an overhaul of design for Sportage and Rio and the introduction of Cerato to the range.
The final phase of the successful re-launch programme starts in 2006, with the public launch of Magentis in spring available for the first time with a 2.0-litre diesel engine, and is followed by a complete redesign of Kia's MPV range.
Frequently the nation's favourite MPV since its introduction in 1999, Kia is bringing the all new 7-seater Sedona to the UK market in the summer time which is then followed by the replacement of Kia's mid-sized MPV, the Carens. The Carens presents the most radical design departure from its predecessor and will make its worldwide debut at the Madrid Motor Show.
Kia's best sellers in 2005 were Picanto (12,761), Sedona (5,865), Sorento (5,269) and Sportage (4,730).
Kia Revises Sportage Diesel Engine
Kia has made significant changes to the performance of its diesel Sportage, giving the 4x4 a substantial 25% increase in power and torque and introducing a new Euro IV compliant engine.
Sportage now benefits from a 6-speed transmission mated to a revised 2.0-litre variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) four-cylinder engine that sees an increase in power from 111 bhp to 138 bhp @ 4,000 rpm. Torque is also increased from 245 Nm to 305 Nm at 1,800 - 2,500 rpm.
Combined fuel economy and CO2 figures remain unchanged at 39.8 mpg and 187 g/km respectively. Urban and extra-urban performance is only slightly revised with the urban figure rising to 31.7 mpg and extra-urban output reduced to 45.6 mpg. |
| Worldwide demand for new Kia forces diesel pricing change |
Overwhelming demand for the new Kia Rio diesel has forced Kia Motors (UK) Ltd, to revise its sales forecasts for 2006 and change its original plan to offer diesel at the same price as petrol.
Since the launch of the new Rio, demand in the UK has been running ahead of expectations - the company expected to sell 2,500 units this year - and globally the new car has been the focus of amazing demand. With worldwide demand running far ahead of global production levels, all markets will receive less than half of the planned original volume.
That means Kia's plan to sell 15,000 units in the UK in 2006 has been cut to 6,000 units and that has forced the company to abandon its plan to sell diesel and petrol-engined versions at the same price.
Paul Williams, Managing Director said: When we unveiled Rio in the UK we said we were going to continue our fight against the diesel paradox of charging more for diesel than petrol - a campaign we started with Cerato and that model attracts a diesel premium of just £700, significantly less than its competitors in the C-segment.
We unveiled Rio petrol and diesel at exactly the same price, but that position was based on sales volumes in 2005 and 2006 of 17,500 units with sales split roughly 60-40 in favour of diesel.
So far in 2005 we have only been able to supply 1,500 Rios because of production constraints caused by global demand and next year we will only get 6,000 units in total. That means the economics of our pricing strategy simply do not stand up and I am afraid that means we will not be able to hold the diesel price alongside the petrol price, he added.
The result is an increase in all Rio pricing: with petrol-engined versions rising to £8,495 for the 1.4 GS and £9,495 for the LX and diesel-engined versions rising to £8,995 for the 1.5 GS and £9,995 for the LX.
The new prices mean that diesel-engined versions of Rio will cost £500 more than their petrol equivalents - still considerably lower than the premium carried by any of Rio's main rivals.
And Kia's strong value proposition remains intact with the Rio 1.4 GS still undercutting rivals such as Ford's Fiesta 1.4 Style by £1,400 and Vauxhall's Corsa 1.4 SXI by £2,900. The Rio CRDi 1.5 GS costs £850 less than the Peugeot 206 1.4 HDI 70 Urban, and £2,060 less than the Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTI Life.
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| Kia welcomes in the new year with offers |
Down to your last £1 this Christmas? Don't panic. Combine a spot of retail therapy with a visit to your local Kia dealer and drive away in any Kia for just £1 deposit with free seven days' insurance. And because we're still in the festive spirit, Kia has laid on some special offers across the range so you can really get your £1's worth.
Kia's best selling model, the Picanto, comes with one year's free insurance and with prices starting from just £5,695 you'll have the sharpest outfit in town.
The nation's favourite Sedona MPV range offers a double whammy of New Year cheer with up to £1500 cash back and a free DVD player. Receive £1500 cash back on the Sedona SE+ and £1000 on all other models.
The number one 4x4 for customer satisfaction (J.D. Power Survey 2005), the Kia Sorento, comes with £2000 cash back on all XS models.
And the Carens and award-winning Cerato, title holder of the under £13,500 category of The Caravan Club Tow Car of the Year, are available with a 40% deposit, 0% finance deal over three years.
Offers run from 1 January to 31 March 2006. |
| Sorento brings Gerlach home for Christmas |
Solo adventurer, Christer Gerlach completed his 17,000 mile world tour this month and arrived home in time for Christmas due to the reliability and durability of his Kia Sorento.
The vehicle, which was completely standard specification and even had normal road tyres, carried Gerlach across the most challenging terrain covering 11 countries including the remotest regions of Kazakhstan and Mongolia and a 1,850 mile wilderness trek across the largely unmapped wastelands of Siberia.
The 61 year old's pre-departure confidence was well founded as the only unscheduled stops were to fix two punctures, one light bulb and a loose headlamp.
Gerlach said: The Sorento's large diameter wheels and tyres were essential to successfully finding an off-road route across much of Asia, as there were simply no roads or tracks to follow for much of the journey.
I am of course delighted to be home in time for Christmas, but I am surprisingly fatigue-free as the Kia also proved to be a remarkably comfortable vehicle, even for this rather extraordinary journey.
The epic journey included a stop at Kia's headquarters in Seoul, South Korea for a quick oil change before heading off for his second leg which began his trans-continental and multi-state crossing of the USA and Mexico via Route 66.
His four month journey ended on 16 December when he returned back to his starting point, and home town of Stenhamra to be reunited with his wife and three children in time to begin the Christmas celebrations.
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| Kia Sidewinder hits L.A. |
U.S. based Kia Designer, Marc Mainville, enters his radical sketch for the Kia Sidewinder concept into the Los Angeles Automotive Show design contest.
The Kia Sidewinder is a two-seater racer powered from a compressed natural gas turbine, which feeds electricity to a series of in-wheel, high torque, electric motors.
Kia chose drift racing as its theme for the LA Adventure, because Los Angeles was the scene of the first officially-sanctioned American drifting event. This environmentally-responsible lean, mean, thrilling machine has been designed to grab the crowd's attention while carving lines sideways through the race course.
Kia has no plans to produce a concept vehicle of the Kia Sidewinder. |
| Kia receives $10 billion export tower award |
Kia Motors Corporation today announced that it has received the $10 Billion Export Tower Award from the Korean government, thereby reaching one of the most significant milestones in its history - surpassing $10 billion in export value for the period from July of 2004 to June of the current year.
The award was presented by South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun to the President and CEO of Kia Motors, Euisun Chung, at a ceremony held this morning at the COEX convention center in southern Seoul to celebrate Korean export successes.
Much of Kia's recent strong performance can be attributed to a rapidly improving brand profile and popularity among the world's auto consumers that has been driven by the introduction of many all-new models including the A-segment Picanto, C-segment Cerato and Sportage and Sorento SUVs.
Kia Motors President & CEO Euisun Chung said, This award is a clear testament to the growing number of loyal customers who are quickly realising that our new line-up of high quality, stylishly designed cars with a multitude of advanced safety and convenience features just can't be beat.
With this year's introduction of the all-new B-segment Rio, Carnival MPV and D-segment Magentis, coupled with numerous all-new and face-lift models to be
launched in 2006, customers will continue to be rewarded by our unrelenting product innovation and commitment to excellence, he added.
Kia Motors continues to post positive sales growth in every major region of the world. In fact, through the first 10 months of 2005, overseas retail sales have jumped from 542,496 units to 682,571 units compared to the same period of last year for a year-on-year increase of 25.8%.
This latest recognition comes on the heels of the US$5 Billion Export Tower Award in 2003 and last year's US$7 Billion Export Tower Award, thereby illustrating the tremendous pace at which the Kia brand has flourished in overseas markets. And in fact, Kia Motors is only the third manufacturing corporation to receive this US$10 billion export distinction.
Earlier this year in March, Kia celebrated another historic milestone when it surpassed the 5 million cumulative export mark.
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| Kia pricing changes for the new year |
Kia Motors (UK) Limited will be increasing prices across the range by an average of 4% effective from 1 December whilst maintaining some of the lowest diesel premiums in the market.
Kia has become well known for its 'Smart Value' proposition offering motorists more for less. From its baby Picanto to the top of the range Sorento, Kia will still be providing outstanding levels of specification on all its vehicles without damaging the purse strings.
This 'Smart Value' trend is set to continue across the four new models being introduced in 2006. Paul Williams, Managing Director Kia Motors (UK) Ltd said: This price increase reflects the greater refinement of our cars. We are confident that even with this small increase in prices we are continuing to offer our customers exceptional vehicles at a competitive price.
In spite of this increase, we maintain the lowest diesel premiums in the C-segment with Cerato diesel at only £700 more than the petrol version.
The price realignment will affect all models in the Kia range from a £200 increase on Picanto rising to a £1,170 increase on the Sorento XE-C commercial vehicle. |
| Skill World Cup qualifiers in the UK |
The top 10 have been chosen from more than 500 Kia technicians up and down the country who entered the national competition.
The winner of the UK final, being held on November 30th at Kia Motors (UK) Ltd's Technical and Training Centre in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, will go through to represent the UK in the finals in Seoul early next year where they will compete against technicians from all over the world.
This year's UK finalists are Nick Armitage of Acre Lane Kia, Colin Campbell of Richard Cort Kia, Jonathan Dodd of BS Mason and Sons, Gerald James of Bolton Kia, Lee Mason of Penton Kia, William Matthews of Dicksons of Inverness, James Newcomb of Harbour Garage, Andy Nuttall of Perry's Kia and James Paling of Humphries and Parks.
Two years ago Lee Grieve of Border Cars won a silver medal in the world finals that saw 63 competitors from 44 countries take part and Border Cars colleague Paul Crawford also made it through to South Korea that year.
Kevin Todd, Customer Support & Service Development Manager for Kia Motor (UK), said: The finalists were chosen after an assessment which tested their fault finding, logic and diagnostic ability.
In the final they will have 5 more exercises, this time working directly on vehicles. The competition is tough but there is huge enthusiasm for the event as shown by the number of entries we have had this year. It's a great opportunity as well to go to South Korea, visit Kia's car factories and experience Korean culture.
The Skill World Cup has three categories - engine, chassis and electrical - in which technicians undergo practical tests to assess their ability to identify and repair problems on a test car plus a written examination. |
| Kia's baby grows up |
With a 1.1-litre engine, leather upholstery, chrome grille and five seats but keeps its childlike price tag of just £7,595.
Picanto has become popular for its cheeky look, practicality and the value provided by its five doors for the price of three. The SE+ builds on Picanto's existing internal style by offering leather and cloth seat trim with a 60:40 split in the rear and leather steering wheel and gear knob. It's not just the inside that counts though, Picanto looks fantastic from the outside too with 14 inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps and chrome grille.
The SE+ shares the same high level of specification found in its sister model the LX, with air conditioning, remote central door locking, perimeter alarm, front and rear electric windows, and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors; four speakers accompany the CD audio with MP3 player.
Picanto has become one of the leaders in its segment since the launch in May 2004 and is currently the third best seller year-to-date in the A segment behind the Ford Ka and Citroen C2. Ideal for value conscious buyers, Picanto provides a small and practical car with a low group three insurance rating and low running costs, with a combined mpg of just 54.3.
Paul Williams, Managing Director, Kia Motors (UK) Limited said: Picanto not only brought the first of a new generation of Kia products to the market but also launched our 'Smart Value' proposition to customers that now spreads across our whole range. It has been an important vehicle for us and has helped firmly establish Kia against our competitors.
The top of the range SE+, on sale now, introduces a fourth derivative to the Picanto range which continues to be Kia's best-selling model.
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