The picture says it all http://www.autoblog.com/photos/kia-ex_ceed-concept/166025/

And this positively rocks

""The name shows the link bet-ween the cars, but hints that ours will be even cooler," a Kia insider revealed. "It will shock the world when it's unveiled this autumn." As with the current TT, the newcomer will be front-wheel drive, although a 4x4 version won't be offered. It will use an all-new 2.0-litre turbo, which is being developed in conjunction with Hyundai and will also feature in a hot hatch version of the Cee'd. "

Discuss.

Call it derivative of the Mazda 3 but I think this thing might even compete with the like of the VW Golf pretty nicely.

This is one of the first official KIA pics of the production version of the Cee'd hatch.



Sure it's a Mazda 3 clone but it looks damn good.

Kia has released the first pics of a sporty 3 door C'eed variant that will be shown at the upcoming Paris Auto show. It's roofline will be substantially lower than the 5 door version and will feature "more sporty" specs. It will be released as a production model in late 2007.






That thing is hot.


Sources: info from carkeys.com pics from carfanatic.net

Here's a near production version of the upcoming European only hatch based on the Cee'd prototype:





This is kinda of what I thought the next gen Elantra hatch might have looked like.

Kia Global Diagnostic System (KIA GDS) is Kia's counterpart to Hyundai WebTech. I tripped across this tonight on Kia-Forums.com I signed up for a group username:

Email: XD@hyundai.com
Password: Elantra

Have fun browsing around, comparing and contrasting with Hyundai's stuff.

Right off the bat I noticed that Kia has a different electrical system supplier for stuff like fuse boxes.

Here's some promotional footage for the Kia Lotze (Sonata equivalent).



Right click and set zoom to 200%

Kia Expected to Build Assembly Plant in U.S.
3/8/06

South Korean automaker Kia Motors Corp., a member of Hyundai Automotive Group, is expected to announce plans for its first U.S. manufacturing plant as early as next week, with a site in southwestern Georgia believed to be the leading candidate.

The area is within 100 miles of Hyundai Motor Co.'s assembly plant in Montgomery, Ala., and is close to a number of Hyundai suppliers.


A spokesman at Kia's U.S. headquarters in Irvine said the company would make an announcement "by the end of the quarter."

But online trade journal WardsAuto.com said a Kia spokesman in Seoul said the plant announcement was tentatively scheduled for next Tuesday.

I'll tell you what... I really like this one! Hyundai/Kia styling has come a long way. This is a prototype that will be shown in Geneva. The production version will be shown in Paris in September. Sadly this looks to be a European release only. Man if the upcoming Hyundai Elantra HD hatch only looked this good.

According to the Car Connection this is the 2007 Kia Carens...

"Kia will take on the likes of the Mazda5, Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, and the upcoming Golf Plus with this five-door MPV".

Ilanpro sparked my interest in seeing what else can I grab from the kia dealer...
since 50 bucks is easily borrowable from one of my siblings.. i'll probably be snatching up a strut bar soon...

but anyways.. i was looking at kia-fx.com (boy that site has come a LONG way)
and geez.. they have dirt cheap headers... (get what you pay for?)..

but they look pretty decent.. says comes with holes predrilled for 02 sensors..

but then i'm looking at the engines.. for the 03 at least doesn't look like a Beta to me.. not even a beta 1.8 ..

i mean certain things resemble it.. but it looks more old school... and they call their engine T8D or something like that..

awhile ago i compared specs.. and everything was comparable with the horsepower and torque (i think the kia was minus 3 hp .. or something like that)..

so... whats the official decision on this? same year spectra's have same year elantra engines or what?

if so, would those headers fit? 200 bucks for headers is pretty dam cheapo.

Wanted to leave the pictures a little bigger to show detail, sorry 56K users










Mercedes has Brabus, BMW has Dinan, and now Kia has its “Executive” series of topline vehicles designed to make an ordinary Amanti sedan or Sorento compact SUV stand out with an array of aftermarket tuning products. There’s a whole lot of exterior restyling available, like new sportier bumpers, 19-inch wheels and slightly lowered suspensions. Interiors get upgraded big time as well, with leather and suede seating surfaces, aluminum kick plates, a serious sound system and wood grain for days. The work is accomplished by a subsidiary of the aforementioned Brabus, called Bottrop, which seemingly no one has ever heard of. The drawback to this Executive setup is the ridiculous Brabus-esque $7,000+ price. For that kind of change, you can pretty much buy another Kia.

Good News/Bad News for Kia
Jul. 25, 2005




The good news is that Kia Motors Corporation's compact Morning has been named the most economical car by a major drivers' club in Germany.
In Europe the Morning goes by the name Picanto. It won first place in the annual economy test by the 15-million member Allegmeiner Deutscher Automobile Club. Over 5,000 vehicles were rated. Nearly 102,000 Picantos have been sold in Europe, more than half of them in the last year.



The bad news is that Kia has just recalled 118,000 of its Sedona minivans in the United States because their throttle cables can get stuck, causing the vehicles to accelerate inadvertently. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the problem occurs in winter when water on the throttle cable can freeze.
Kia, an affiliate of South Korea's Hyundai Motor Company Ltd., is Korea's No.2 automaker

What can happen if the throttle cable on your Sedona gets stuck.

Found this article from carkeys.com very interesting:

2006 Sedona pics

INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY KIA


ALL-NEW 2006 KIA SEDONA DEBUTS AT THE CHICAGO AUTO SHOW

Completely Redesigned Minivan Adds More Room, More Power
And More Standard Safety And Convenience Features

CHICAGO, Feb. 10, 2005 – Kia Motors America (KMA) today unveiled the all-new 2006 Kia Sedona minivan at the Chicago Auto Show. Already a popular choice for buyers looking for value, quality and safety, the completely redesigned minivan will offer more horsepower than its predecessor and will be substantially larger in all key dimensions, providing more passenger room and versatility. New features found on the all-new Sedona will include a standard fold-flat-into-the-floor third-row seat and available power-sliding doors and liftgate.

The new Sedona is expected to go on sale in late 2005.

Utilizing an all-new platform, the new Sedona’s longer wheelbase and increased length
and width contribute to the minivan’s nearly 15-percent improvement in passenger room over the previous Sedona. Fresh styling cues and additional standard and available equipment were designed to bolster Sedona’s established position as a safety and value leader in the highly competitive minivan market.

“Sedona was Kia’s best-selling vehicle in 2004, and historically speaking it is an
incredibly important vehicle for the company, so we paid careful attention to every detail during its redesign to make sure this new minivan lived up to the tradition of its nameplate,” said Peter Butterfield, president of Kia Motors America, Inc. “The all-new Sedona offers considerable upgrades, not just in styling and appearance, but in practical applications such as horsepower, safety equipment and standard and available features that will make it fully competitive in the segment with such vehicles as the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.”
The original Sedona went on-sale in summer 2001 and quickly gained recognition for its
tremendous value and generous list of standard comfort, convenience and safety features. In
addition to earning the Federal government’s highest safety ratings -- Five Stars -- for the driver and front- and rear-seat passengers in both frontal and side impact crash tests, the Sedona has received quite an impressive list of accolades, including:

• AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award – 2002
• Sport Truck Connection Television’s “Best Van” – 2002, 2003
• Winner, Strategic Vision Total Value Index – 2002, 2004

Safety First
Serving as Kia’s flagship safety vehicle, the original Sedona received the company’s first
Five Star crash rating for each seating position from the U.S. government. The next-generation Sedona will continue Kia’s commitment to offering high levels of standard safety equipment, including six standard airbags (dual advanced front and front seat-mounted side air bags, and full-length side curtain air bags for all three seating rows).

Sensors controlling the front supplemental restraints determine the position of the seat, whether the seat belt is buckled, whether the front passenger seat is occupied, and the severity of a frontal impact before deployment.

A four-channel, four-sensor, anti-lock brake system (ABS) is also standard. This system incorporates electronic brake force distribution (EBD), which helps to distribute braking force to all four wheels in proportion to weight shifts during cornering. The EBD adapts to individual wheel grip conditions, which helps to improve both control and stability.

Additional standard safety equipment will include a tire pressure monitoring system and active front seat headrests, while features such as an electronic stability program (ESP) and a traction control system (TCS) with brake assist will be available as part of an option package.

Enhanced Performance
With increased horsepower and torque, the all-new Sedona offers competitive power and performance in the minivan segment. Sedona’s completely new 3.8-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 engine is expected to generate more than 240-horsepower --a 30-percent increase over the previous powerplant -- and 250 lb.-ft. of torque. This new aluminum block engine is mated to a five-speed Sportmatic™ transmission.

Despite its increase in size, the new Sedona is expected to be significantly lighter than the previous model when compared on an equally equipped basis. With more power, less weight and a new chassis with 4-wheel independent suspension, the next-generation Sedona is designed to be more rewarding to drive than its predecessor and its competitors.

The new Sedona’s four-wheel independent suspension system is comprised of
MacPherson struts with coil springs and a stabilizer bar in the front, while the rear suspension
uses a multi-link design with coil springs and a stabilizer bar.

Stopping power has increased with the addition of a power-assisted four-wheel-disc braking system with larger diameter vented front disc brakes (11.7-in.) and solid rear disc brakes (11.9-in.).

Sedona models come with new, larger wheels and tires, including 16-inch steel wheels and 225/70 R16 tires or 17-inch alloy wheels fitted to 235/60 R17 tires.

Spacious, Adaptable and Comfortable
Competitively sized, the new seven-passenger Sedona’s generous dimensions and
unibody construction boost both passenger and luggage space, and greatly improved ride and handling. Adding to the Sedona’s space and versatility, flip and fold second row seats provide easy access to third row seating and a new, simple-to-operate 60/40 split-folding -into-the floor third row seat is standard on all models to create a larger flat cargo area when the seat is folded, and providing a large rear cargo area when the seat is deployed
Available in two trim levels -- LX and EX -- the all-new Sedona maintains Kia’s tradition
of high-value by offering a generous list standard features and amenities. Besides ABS, six
airbags and a five-speed Sportmatic™ transmission, the Sedona LX also comes with tri-zone air conditioning, sliding door power windows, cruise control, AM/FM/CD player, captain’s chairs for the second row and keyless entry with an alarm system.

The Sedona EX adds a chrome grille, fog lights, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar, heated power mirrors, AM/FM/Cassette/MP3/CD stereo system, autodimming rear view mirror with Homelink, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power rear quarter glass, compass, roof rack and wood trim.

In addition to the LX and EX models’ standard equipment, the all-new Sedona will offer several option packages for maximum convenience and entertainment. These options include: leather seats with front seat heaters, seat and outside mirror memory settings for driver, backup warning system, power sliding doors, power liftgate, power adjustable pedals, power sunroof and a premium entertainment system featuring a DVD player and 11 speakers. Like all of Kia’s vehicles, the 2006 Sedona will be covered by Kia’s comprehensive 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, and five years of roadside assistance.

Pricing for the all-new Sedona, which will go on sale in late 2005, will be announced closer to launch.


KIA SEDONA PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS
(Final production specifications will be released closer to retail launch)

The all-new 2006 Kia Sedona is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine with 244-horsepower and comes with a five-speed automatic transmission. The front-wheel-drive, seven-passenger minivan will be available in two trim levels: Sedona LX and Sedona EX.
ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN
Type 3.8-liter V6, aluminum block and aluminum heads
Valve gear DOHC, four valves/cylinder
Horsepower (hp @ rpm) 240 @ 6,000 (estimate)
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm) 250 @ 4,500 (estimate)
Transmission Electronically-controlled five-speed automatic, overdrive
SUSPENSION
Front Independent: MacPherson struts with coil springs, stabilizer bar
Rear Independent: Multi-link with coil springs, stabilizer bar
STEERING
Type Power-assisted rack-and-pinion
Turns-to-lock 3.51
Turning circle (curb to curb) 39.6 ft.
DIMENSIONS (in.)
Exterior:
Wheelbase 118.9
Track (front/rear) 66.3 / 66.3
Overall length 202.0
Overall width 78.3
Overall height 69.3
Ground Clearance 6.57

Interior:
Headroom (front/middle/rear) 40.9 / 39.8 / 38.3
Shoulder room (front/middle/rear) 63.2 / 65.3 / 60.5
Legroom (front/middle/rear) 41.7 / 40.9 / 34.0
Hip room (front/middle/rear) 59.2 / 65.9 / 50.1
Interior volume 172.27 cu ft
Passenger volume (front/middle/rear) 63.46 / 62.50 / 46.31 cu ft
BRAKES
Type Hydraulic, vacuum power-assisted w/ABS and EBD
Front 11.7-in vented discs
Rear 11.9-in solid discs
WHEELS & TIRES
Tires 225/70R16 T
235/60R17 T
Wheels 6.5J x 16, steel
6.5J x 17, alloy