Kia Future Models: Analysis of Upcoming Vehicles and Innovations

The final feature in the Hyundai Motor Group series is on the topic of Kia Motors' current and future SUVs, MPVs, electric vehicles and even a pick-up. This follows a look at Kia's forthcoming cars plus what Genesis division has up its sleeve, and Hyundai's own passenger cars as well as electric models and light trucks.

MPVs/minivan

The Venga is a small MPV for European countries. Now in its final years, it was first seen at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2009. Build at Hyundai's Nosovice plant in the Czech Republic started in late 2009 and Europe-wide sales from February 2010.

The Venga was previewed by the No.3 concept at the Geneva motor show in March 2009. The engine range consists of 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol and diesels. A prototype electric variant, the Venga EV, premiered as a concept at the Geneva motor show in March 2010.

Kia revealed the Eco Venga, at the Paris motor show in September 2010. This variant, which went on sale across Europe in late 2010, boasts average CO2 emissions of 114g/km.

The Hyundai ix20 is closely related to the Venga and was originally built alongside it. However, production of the Venga shifted to Kia Europe's Žilina plant (Slovakia) in October 2011, freeing up Nošovice for production of the Hyundai ix35. The latter had been built at Zilina alongside its twin, the Kia Sportage.

A facelifted Venga premiered at the Paris motor show in October 2014.

The Venga hasn't sold well so is not expected to be directly replaced. Its effective successor is the Stonic, though Kia will probably keep building the Venga until 2019.

The third generation Carens was revealed at the Paris motor show in September 2012. Depending on the market, five- and/or seven-seater versions are available. This model is the effective minivan version of the second generation cee'd.

Kia Motors Europe said in July 2012 that it would begin selling the new model from the Spring. In Europe, the Carens was also the effective replacement for the larger Sedona/Carnival. It went on sale across Europe from March/April 2013.

In Australia, where the vehicle went on sale in June 2013, the model's name is Rondo 7. In Canada, it is the Rondo and was new for the latter market's 2013 model year, and then carried over for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 model years. There was a facelift for the 2017 model year.

The facelifted Carens was announced by Kia in July 2016. Its motor show debut was at Paris two months later. As the model has not been a strong seller anywhere (South Korean market sales in 2016 were fewer than 3,000 units), the Carens/Rondo seems unlikely to be replaced.

The current generation Carnival/Sedona had its global debut at the New York auto show in April 2014. It shares some of its styling cues with the KV7 concept which debuted at the Detroit auto show in January 2011.

Kia Motors Europe does not offer this model due to low sales of the previous generation and the contraction of the regional segment in which it competed. Instead, the smaller Carens was already the effective replacement in European markets.

Kia Motors America began selling the latest shape Sedona from early in the fourth quarter of 2014. A 276hp 3.3-litre V6 is standard in the USA, along with a six-speed automatic transmission. Both seven- and eight-seat layouts are available. An eight-speed automatic will be new for the 2019 model year. This followed the announcement of a facelifted Carnival for the South Korean market earlier in March.

The vehicle's Korean market premiere was as the Carnival at the Busan motor show in May 2014. Production started the same month, along with local sales. In South Korea, the standard engine was originally a 202PS 2.2-litre diesel but a 3.3-litre V6 is also now available. As noted above, Hyundai Kia's own eight-speed automatic gearbox has just replaced the six-speed transmission. No further changes are expected ahead of the arrival of the next Carnival/Sedona in 2020 or 2021.

The next generation of this big minivan/MPV is expected to be based on an evolution of HMC's UM architecture. The existing Sedona/Carnival introduced UM.

SUVs & crossovers

There is a small Kia crossover but it is restricted to China. This is the K2 Cross is an additional model for China's Dongfeng Yueda Kia joint venture. It is a K2 with raised suspension and sits in the range below the KX3, a larger SUV. The Cross' world premiere was at April 2017's Shanghai motor show. K2 is China's name for the Kia Pride/Rio five-door hatchback.

The K2 Cross is due to be facelifted in 2020 and replaced in 2024.

Project SP, a small SUV, should be the second model for Kia's forthcoming Indian plant. This is being erected in Anantapur District in the state of Andhra Pradesh at a cost equivalent to US$1.1bn. Construction commenced in the final quarter of 2017.

The manufacturing facility is expected to begin production in the second half of 2019 and produce up to approximately 300,000 units each year. As well as the SUV, the Penukonda plant in Anantapur District will also make a small sedan.

KMI (Kia Motors India) revealed an SUV concept at the New Delhi auto expo in February 2018. This was the SP. It might be related to China's existing KX3 and/or the forthcoming NP which is the code for a future low-cost SUV to be built by the Dongfeng Yueda Kia joint venture.

For such a successful brand, Kia has had a huge gap in its line-up, namely a global B-SUV or crossover. This hasn't mattered too much in North America, as the Soul has been very successful there, but in Europe, such a model had been sought by dealers for some years.

The 4,140mm long Stonic is a similar size to China's existing Kia KX3 and it is a challenger for the Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur, Opel-Vauxhall Mokka, Ford EcoSport and others in that class of SUVs and crossovers.

The car, announced to the media in June 2017, had its global motor show premiere at the Frankfurt IAA three months later. Production commenced in November 2017 and the life cycle should be six years. Surprisingly, the Stonic is manufactured at Sohari only, not also in Slovakia. It is believed that the decision to expand the number of body styles for the cee'd replacement series is the reason behind this: Zilina does not have enough capacity.

The engine range is as follows:

• 1.0-litre T-GDI (turbocharged gasoline direct injection), three cylinders, 100PS, available from mid-2018

• 1.0-litre T-GDI, three cylinders, 120PS and 172Nm

• 1.2-litre MPI (multi-point injection), 84PS and 122Nm

• 1.4-litre MPI, 100PS and 133Nm

• 1.6-litre diesel, 110PS and 260Nm

HMG's own seven-speed double-clutch transmission is due for introduction in 2018 on certain Stonics powered by one of 1.0-litre T-GDI engines.

For the moment, there appear to be no plans for any AWD Stonics.

While some might classify the Soul as a hatchback, many see it as a crossover. Wildly successful in the USA, as was the first generation model, the current vehicle was a world premiere at the New York auto show in March 2013. The Korean market launch was in November 2013.

A model for Europe was launched there in April/May 2014. The Soul diesel's world premiere was at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2013. Europe's model also differs from the car for North America by having a mock-crossover look thanks to dark-coloured wheelarch extensions.

The Track'ster concept from February 2012's Chicago auto show gave some hints of the styling themes of the second generation model. This concept was claimed to have all-wheel drive, something that has never featured on a Soul, at least not yet.

In North America, both 130hp 1.6- and 164hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines are available. Cars for the US and Canada went on sale there during the third quarter of 2013 for those markets' 2014 model year. The Soul was carried over for the 2015 and 2016 model years.

A facelift was announced in South Korea during August 2016 and the revised model had its motor show in Paris a month later. North America's 2017 model year Soul had this mid-life minor restyle. As part of the facelift, a new 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine also became available.

As Kia Motors is changing its project naming system, adding a number to the former two letters, the third generation Soul carries the SK3 codename. Insiders hint that the car will be revealed at either the Paris or Los Angeles motor shows in October or November.

The larger KX3 Ao Pao is another crossover but this one is not a global model. It is built in China only and based on the Hyundai ix25 with which it shares a wheelbase dimension. The 4,260mm long KX3 was previewed by the KX3 concept at November 2014's Guangzhou motor show. The series production model was in dealerships from March 2015.

The Dongfeng Yueda Kia JV is due to facelift the KX3 in the fourth quarter of this year and replace it at the start of 2022.

In the size class above the global B/Sub-compact segment, Kia's main vehicle is the Sportage. However, the brand is developing another model to complement this SUV. An insider at a supplier to HMG says a C-D segment crossover is under development. As the 'CrossCeed' will mainly be for European markets it should be revealed at the 2019 Geneva motor show. Production would follow from mid-year.

The CrossCeed (name to be confirmed) will supplement the Sportage SUV as it will be slightly larger even though it will share much with the Ceed.

The provisionally named 'KX4', a special model for China in the same size class, is also being developed. This will be manufactured by DYK and positioned below the KX5, which is the Chinese market name for the rest of the world's Sportage. The additional model - its project code is NP - will be based on an outdated architecture, namely that of a former Hyundai ix35/Tucson.

The KX4 vehicle will replace DYK's SL-C (Zhi Pao) which is the third generation Sportage, first seen in South Korea in 2010. It was previewed by the NP, a concept which was revealed at the Guangzhou motor show in November 2017.

The fourth generation Sportage is built in South Korea, China and Slovakia. Build in China commenced in February 2016. There, the model is sold as the Kia KX-5.

This SUV was largely developed in Germany. It first appeared at the 2015 Frankfurt motor show and went on sale worldwide from late 2015. Cars for Europe became available in early 2016 and in North America for that region's 2017 model year. Kia Motors America's model had its regional premiere at November 2015's LA auto show.

The QL series Sportage is due to have a facelift during the second half of 2018 and its replacement should appear in the fourth quarter of 2020. This will be based on an evolution of Hyundai Motor Group's KP architecture.

While the Sportage is Kia Motors Europe's number one SUV, for Kia Motors America, that honour goes to the larger Sorento.

The current generation model was revealed in South Korea in August 2014, followed by a motor show premiere in Paris two months later. It has the same platform as the Kia Carnival/Sedona. Length was up by 95mm to 4,780mm but height dropped by 15mm to 1,685mm and the width expanded by 5mm to 1,890mm. The wheelbase was extended by 80mm to 2,780mm. Kia claims that lower seats compared to the old model mean extra headroom and legroom for occupants in all three rows. In some markets, there is also a five-seat Sorento.

Depending on the country, up to five engines were originally available, offering power outputs ranging from 172 to 270PS. These included a 2.4-litre gasoline direct injection (GDI) unit, 2.4-litre and 3.3-litre multi-point injection (MPI) engines, and revised 2.0-litre and 2.2-litre 'R' diesels.

This shape Sorento went on sale in North America from January 2015, new for the 2016 model year. It was one of three Kias launched in Mexico in July 2015 as part of the brand's arrival in that market. For North America's 2017 model year, the Sorento was carried over. The same applied for the 2018 model year.

The Sorento's 4x4 system is supplied by Magna. Originally, transmissions were either six-speed manual or six-speed automatic but from the time of the Sorento's facelift in July 2017, the auto gearbox was replaced by Hyundai Motor Group's own eight-speed torque converter automatic.

China's model premiered at the Guangzhou motor show in November 2016. The name for the Peoples' Republic is KX7. Sales commenced in March 2017.

In an unusual move, Kia Motors is said to have given a new model code, QM, to the facelifted Sorento which was first seen in the Korean market in July 2017. The car which went on sale in 2014 was the UM Sorento. The facelifted model had its motor show debut at the Frankfurt IAA in September 2017.

North America's 2019 model year Sorento is the facelifted model. No further changes are expected, and the next Sorento is due in the third quarter of 2020.

The seven-seat Borrego/Mohave (Canada/South Korea and China) is a large body-on-frame SUV. Its first market was South Korea: sales began in January 2008. The vehicle shares some styling details with the KCD II Mesa concept from the 2005 Detroit auto show.

In the home market, only a 3.0-litre V6 diesel is available but in North America, 3.8-litre V6 and 4.6-litre V8 gasoline engines were offered. The Borrego went on sale in the US and Canada in August 2008 as a rival for the Ford Explorer. In the USA, the 2009 model year was the last for the Borrego and remaining stocks were sold throughout calendar 2010: sales simply did not live up to expectations. In Canada, 2011 was the last model year.

As well as a minor styling update, HMG's first eight-speed automatic transmission was added to the Mohave in June 2011. The Mohave F-CEV, an experimental fuel cell variant, began tests in December 2009.

The Mohave sells in modest numbers mainly in South Korea and the Middle East. There was another, albeit minor facelift for the Mohave in February 2016 (Korean market).

The next Mohave/Borrego is again expected to be built at Hwasung. It was previewed by the HCD-12 Telluride, a concept which premiered at the Detroit auto show in January 2016.

Kia stated at the time of the concept's debut that "Underpinning the Telluride is a modified Sorento chassis with a wheelbase stretched 11.9 inches to 121.3 inches..." The media release went on to add that, "While there are currently no plans to bring the Telluride to production, Kia has a history of delivering production vehicles that bear strong resemblance to preceding concepts, and Kia's large SUV is anything but a utopian fantasy".

It is not yet known if this model and a large SUV for Hyundai are to share a platform.

Pick-up

A Crew Cab (four full-sized doors) pick-up in the same size and pricing category as the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and VW Amarok is under development. There will also be a truck for Hyundai but that would instead be a monocoque. These facts were revealed by the CEO of Kia Motors Australia, speaking to the media in November 2017. The Kia is due for release in 2021. It will be based on a Hyundai Motor Group ladder frame architecture.

Electrified models

A Soul EV would be launched in 2014, Kia Motors America confirmed in October 2013. The likely main markets would be the US, certain European countries (France, Denmark, the Netherlands, the UK) and South Korea. The Soul EV originally had a 27kWh lithium polymer battery with a claimed 200 Wh/kg energy density.

Kia says that the car's battery is chargeable from 'empty' in around five hours using a standard 240v outlet, or 25 minutes on 'fast' charge with 100 kW output. The 360 volt 96-cell lithium-ion polymer battery was engineered for high capacity, thermal stability and safety, according to Kia Motors. The battery featured a nickel-cobalt-manganese cathode, which helps increase capacity, and a graphite-based anode, which increased durability while reducing weight. Additionally, the cells used a gel electrolyte, and each cell contained ceramic separators to significantly improve thermal stability and safety.

The Soul EV uses Kia's third-generation regenerative braking system to capture up to 12 percent of the car's kinetic energy, which is fed back into the battery while the car is coasting and braking. Soul EV owners can choose between four different regeneration modes: 'Drive' or 'Brakes' modes in Eco-mode 'Off', and 'Drive' or 'Brakes' in Eco-mode 'On' (the Brakes setting with Eco-mode On producing the most regeneration).

The car can plugged into any standard 120v outlet or a conventional 240v EV charger. Two charging ports are standard, including a SAE J1772 port for Level 1 and Level 2 AC, and a CHAdeMo DC fast-charging port (480v). Found behind a sliding flap located in the grille, the dual ports make it more convenient to charge inside the owner's garage or when on the road. Recharging times vary from 24 hours for a fully depleted battery using a standard 120-volt outlet and under five hours when plugged into a 240-volt outlet. An 80 per cent charge can be achieved in as little as 33 minutes with a 50 kW-output charger.

The Soul EV had its global debut at the Chicago auto show in February 2014. Kia Motors America (KMA) began selling the Soul EV during the third quarter of 2014 for its 2015 model year.

A new, 30kWh battery pack was fitted to the Soul EV from late 2017 onwards.

For a couple of reasons, Kia probably won't replace the Soul EV: the existence of the Niro EV and future Stonic EV plus the very small market for the plug-in version of the Soul.

The Stonic EV is expected to be announced later this year. This derivative should share an 88kW motor with the Hyundai Ioniq but have a bigger (44+kWh) battery to give it a range of around 300km (186 miles). There should be a facelift for this car in 2021 and a replacement in mid-2024.

Much is hoped for from a larger electrified model, the Niro, a crossover, which is twinned with the Hyundai Ioniq and sold mainly in North America, Europe and South Korea. It was launched with a 1.6-litre petrol-electric (HUV) powertrain, with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version premiering at the 2017 Geneva motor show.

The Niro HUV is powered by a 103hp 1.6-litre four-cylinder direction injection engine from HMG's Kappa series. It was engineered specifically for hybrid applications and features the Atkinson Cycle, cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and a long-stroke-narrow-bore specification to maximise efficiency. A 43hp tractive motor, known as the transmission-mounted electric device (TMED), works in tandem with the gasoline engine to produce a combined 146hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. The standard transmission is a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The 1.56-kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery is located underneath the rear seat.

Certain elements of this car's styling were influenced by 2013's KED-10 Niro concept.

The Niro HUV had its public debut at the Chicago auto show in February 2016. Production commenced three months later with sales in the Korean market commencing soon after. Launching the car to the media in Korea in March 2016, Kia stated that it wanted to sell 18,000 units of the HUV in the home market by year end, plus 20,000 exports. Kia Motors America added the PHEV to its Niro range for the 2018 model year.

A Niro EV is under development too. This will likely have the same battery pack as the updated Hyundai Ioniq EV. The Niro EV had its world debut as a concept at CES in January 2018.

The mid-cycle styling refresh for all Niro variants is scheduled for mid-2019 with the next generation model expected to go on sale in the final quarter of 2022.

There are both hybrid and PHEV versions of the K5/Optima. These cars began to be sold worldwide from July 2016. The Optima HEV, which was revealed at the Chicago auto show in February 2016, is a petrol-electric hybrid, while the Optima PHEV, revealed at the same event, is a plug-in hybrid powered by an electric motor and a petrol engine.

The PHEV has a 9.8kWh lithium-polymer battery back. Paired with a 50kW electric motor, the combination allows the car to operate in pure-electric mode at higher speeds. Kia says prototypes achieved as many as 27 miles running on the energy stored in their batteries.

The powertrain employs HMG's 2.0-litre 'Nu' four-cylinder GDI (gasoline direct injection) engine, generating 156PS and 189Nm. The engine is coupled with the six speed automatic transmission-mounted electric motor, which allows the car to operate in charge-sustaining mode (just like the Optima Hybrid) once the battery runs out of charge. The powertrain's total power output is 205PS at 6,000rpm.

The PHEV will recharge in under than three hours at a 240V Level 2 charging station. This car boasts a series of visual modifications. These include a charging port integrated into the driver-side front fender, chrome-effect side sill mouldings, new wheel designs and 'EcoPlug-In' badging. In the cabin, the PHEV has a distinctive instrument cluster, which displays information about the car's functions and powertrain status, while a charge indicator on top of the dash allows the driver to see the state of charge from outside the vehicle (for instance, while it charges outside a home).

As for the K5/Optima Hybrid, this is also powered by a 156ps 2.0-litre 'Nu' GDI engine, coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission. The upgraded transmission houses a 38kW electric motor and clutch to replace the traditional torque converter. The combined power output of the Optima Hybrid's upgraded powertrain is 195PS at 6,000 rpm. The transmission also uses a new electric oil pump, contributing to the increase in fuel economy.

Backing up the engine, transmission and motor is an upgraded lithium-polymer battery pack, with a capacity of 1.62 kWh – an increase of 13% compared to the previous Optima/K5 Hybrid. The battery pack is underneath the trunk floor, enabling the use of 60/40 split-folding rear seats.

The Optima Sportswagon PHEV was not launched at the same time as the sedan. Instead, its world premiere was at the Geneva motor show in March 2017. There is no hybrid version of the estate, and as Kia does not sell the wagon in South Korea or China, there is no K5 Sportswagon PHEV.

One size up from the K5/Optima is the K7 Hybrid. This E segment sedan went on sale in South Korea in December 2016. This is the first hybrid in the history of the K7, which is sold in some countries as the Cadenza. Unless there is a surge in the price of oil later in the car's lifecycle, Kia does not appear to have any plans to sell the Cadenza Hybrid in the USA.

The car's powertrain is a combination of HMG's 2.4 MPi Theta II gasoline engine with Atkinson cycle and a 35kW (46hp) electric motor.

The next news for this sedan should be a facelift in early 2019. The next generation K7 Hybrid is due out in 2023 but it might instead become a PHEV.

Kia stated in November 2015 that it will launch a fuel cell vehicle: Kia is targeting a 2020 launch for mass production of an all-new hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, featuring next-generation hydrogen fuel stack technology. Kia is working alongside 300 partner companies to develop the next-generation FCEV technology for global markets. Production of the new Kia FCEV is aimed to be around 1,000 units per year, a figure expected to rise as demand for fuel cell vehicles increases.

Kia's FCEV will feature a fuel stack similar in size to a 2.0-litre internal combustion engine, which development teams believe will offer drivers a high level of durability and power density from the advanced powertrain. Kia engineers are planning to develop the brand's next-generation fuel cell stack to be 5% more efficient and offer 10% greater stack performance, despite being around 15% lighter and 15% lower in volume, compared to current generation fuel cell stacks. The result is a targeted range of more than 800 km from a single fill-up and a top speed of around 170km/h.

In January 2018, the company reiterated 2020 as the release date for its fuel cell model. The announcement was made at CES in Las Vegas. Obviously, Kia's FCV will be closely linked to the Hyundai Nexo.

Future model plan reports for other manufacturers can be viewed in the OEM product strategy summaries section of just-auto.com.

Future product program intelligence

More data on vehicle lifetime and future product plans is available in PLDB from QUBE.

"ANALYSIS – Kia future models Part 2" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.

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