First look: New Kia mini-MPV and Sorento emerge

YOU SAW the rear three-quarter teaser image almost a month ago and now Kia has revealed a compact people-mover show car dubbed the No.3 Concept Car at the Geneva motor show.

The Soul-based, Citroen Picasso-style five-door will morph into a production model to be built in Europe and – like the Euro-centric C’eed small-car positioned below Kia’s newest MPV – is unlikely to be sold in Australia.

Indeed, far more relevant to Australia is the release in Korea two weeks ago of the first teaser image of Kia’s redesigned Sorento SUV, which will make its global debut at the Seoul motor show in April, before going on sale here late this year.

Kia Australia product planning manager Nick Reid told GoAuto the bigger new XM-series Sorento, which is expected to depart from its ladder chassis to reside on a car-like monocoque platform, will accommodate up to seven occupants for the first time.

“It’ll definitely be longer because it’s going to be primarily a seven-seater,” he said, adding that Kia Australia is yet to decide if it would import both five and seven-seat versions of the second-generation Sorento.

“We haven’t decided that at this stage. We are going to do a little bit more work on that in the coming months because in the market, at the moment, most of our competitors offer both.

“It comes down to a price point as well. You’ve got to be careful, because it’s obviously a reasonably expensive option with seating.” Mr Reid indicated it was unlikely Australia would get a two-wheel drive version.

“Globally, they are saying 2WD and 4WD, but whether or not we’ll take 2WD after Hyundai’s experience with the (2WD-only) 3.3 V6 (Santa Fe) …”

Left: Kia Sorento.

A key plank in the new Sorento’s sale pitch will be the new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel R-engine developed by Kia’s parent company Hyundai, mated to the same company’s new six-speed automatic transmission.

As previously reported, Hyundai/Kia’s Euro V emissions-rated R-engine is claimed to offer world-class economy and performance, which is stated at 147kW/436Nm in 2.2-litre guise, thanks to a diesel particulate filter, variable-geometry turbocharger and third-generation common-rail system with piezo-electric injectors delivering 1800-bar of fuel pressure.

Mr Reid said the new Sorento would also be available in Australia with petrol power, but Kia Australia was yet to decide if it would introduce the company’s 2.4-litre inline four-cylinder Theta II engine, or the 3.3 or (Lambda) 3.8-litre V6 engines that will be available overseas. A 2.7-litre LPI (Liquefied Petroleum Injection) engine will be available for the Korean market.

“We need to see what kinds of costs are involved with the four and the six-cylinder, and (assess) the market – do some research on it,” he said.

Before the next-generation Sorento arrives here, Australia will see a two-door coupe version of Kia’s Cerato small-car and, possibly, the facelifted version of Kia’s slow-selling Magentis medium sedan, while a diesel version of the Rondo 7 people-mover is “under constant evaluation”.

“Our line-up is growing pretty quickly and we just have to make sure we don’t make it too complicated for our dealers with a big range of cars,” Mr Reid said.

Kia will also unveil a more economical version of the C’eed, fitted with the company’s proprietory ISG idle-stop system, at Geneva, where the Korean maker will announce the launch of a fleet of 1.6-litre petrol-electric C’eed hybrids for European evaluation.

Read more:

First look: Kia gives sneak peek of new MPV

Kia Sorento shapes up