Kia Motors have unveiled four new models at the Geneva Motor Show – the Stinger fastback sports sedan makes its European premiere, alongside the all-new Kia Picanto city car, which makes its global debut with the Niro Plug-in Hybrid crossover and Optima Sportswagon Plug-in Hybrid.
“The variety of new Kia vehicles on display here in Geneva underlines the ambition and increasingly broad appeal of the company and its cars,” said Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer of Kia Motors Europe.
“The Stinger is the most powerful car that Kia has ever produced, while the new Picanto -“ one of the company’s best-selling models worldwide -“ makes a statement with a bold, modern design, new technologies, and best-in-class versatility. New plug-in hybrid versions of the Niro and Optima Sportswagon will help Kia achieve its 2020 target to improve fuel economy by 25% over 2014 levels,” Cole added.
All-new Kia Picanto city car majors on quality, technology and versatility
The new Picanto boasts a youthful, energetic look, using its new dimensions and bold body lines for a more assertive stance.
Inside, the new model features a -˜floating’ 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with new in-car technologies and connectivity features that include Android Autoâ„¢, Apple CarPlayâ„¢ and a wireless smartphone charger.
The new model also offers buyers greater potential for customization than ever before, with 11 exterior paint colours and a range of interior colour packs for buyers to choose from. This Picanto has a larger cabin than many of its rivals, and the largest cargo capacity of any A-segment car (255 litres).
PICS: Check out the first images of the all-new Kia Picanto
Safety is also improved, with a strong new bodyshell featuring twice the proportion of Advanced High Strength Steel compared to the outgoing model. The Picanto is the first car in its class to offer Autonomous Emergency Braking.
The new Picanto will be available with 1.0- and 1.25-litre petrol engines, with CO2 emissions from just 89 g/km. Towards the end of 2017, Kia will also offer the new model with the company’s new 1.0-litre T-GDI (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) power unit, producing 74 kW.
Fastback Kia Stinger revealed in European specification
At every stage of development, the Stinger has been designed and engineered to be the perfect gran turismo. The car features a head-turning aesthetic, ample room to accommodate five occupants and their luggage, a stable, unruffled ride, and nimble handling with engaging, rear-biased power delivery.
In Europe, the Stinger will be available with a choice of three engines: a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine (188 kW power output, and 353 Nm maximum torque), a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine (147 kW, 440 Nm), and a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6. The 3.3-litre engine produces 272 kW with a maximum torque output of 510 Nm and accelerates from 0-to-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds -“ making it the fastest accelerating and most powerful car Kia has ever produced.
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The Kia Stinger will be available with a choice of rear-wheel and all-wheel drive, as well as a range of DRiVE WISE active safety systems, an electronically-adjustable suspension system (Dynamic Stability Damping Control), and a five-mode Drive Mode Select system.
All-new Niro Plug-in Hybrid:
The Niro Plug-in Hybrid will go on sale across Europe during Q3 2017, pairing an economical 1.6-litre GDI (gasoline direct injection) engine with an 8.9 kWh high-capacity lithium-polymer battery pack. The latest addition to Kia’s hybrid crossover range substantially reduces emissions over the more conventional Niro hybrid -“ engineers are targeting combined CO2 emissions below 30 g/km (New European Driving Cycle) and a zero-emissions pure-electric driving range of over 55 kilometres.
The latest addition to Kia’s hybrid crossover range substantially reduces emissions over the more conventional Niro hybrid -“ engineers are targeting combined CO2 emissions below 30 g/km (New European Driving Cycle) and a zero-emissions pure-electric driving range of over 55 kilometres.
The car’s high-capacity battery pack is located beneath the floor of the 324-liter (VDA) trunk and beneath the rear seat bench, while cabin space is unaffected. An optional Towing Pack -“ rare amongst cars in the hybrid class -“ allows owners to tow braked loads of up to 1,300 kg.
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The Niro Plug-in Hybrid features regenerative braking technology to harvest kinetic energy and recharge the battery pack while coasting or braking, while a new Eco Driving Assistant System (Eco DAS) provides drivers with intelligent guidance on how to drive more efficiently under current conditions. Eco DAS includes Coasting Guide Control (CGC) and Predictive Energy Control (PEC), enabling drivers to maximise fuel mileage by suggesting when to coast or brake, and using or harvesting electrical energy depending on the topography of the road ahead. The car’s touchscreen infotainment system displays the battery charge levels and the locations of nearby charging stations.
All-new Optima Sportswagon Plug-in Hybrid:
Due on-sale across Europe from Q2 2017, the new model is built exclusively for the European market and offers 440 litres (VDA) of cargo space -“ 133 litres more than the Optima Plug-in Hybrid sedan -“ for maximum practicality.
The powertrain combines an efficient 2.0-litre -˜Nu’ four-cylinder GDI engine with a 50 kW electric motor and 11.26 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack. With a total power output of 151 kW and a high 375 Nm maximum torque, the Optima Sportswagon Plug-in Hybrid gives drivers a pure electric range of over 60 kilometres (development targets) and emits just 34 g/km CO2 (combined, development targets).
The car is equipped with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system available with Android Autoâ„¢ and Apple CarPlayâ„¢, as well as Kia Connected Services powered by TomTomTM, providing live traffic updates, speed camera alerts and weather forecasts.
Source: QuickPic
