Kia moves into new territory

It has announced the price of a new vehicle, due here in May, but not its engine type.

Normally, it's the other way around.

Nevertheless, Kia is wanting to get the message out that its new Rondo will be the lowest-priced seven-seater on sale in Australia - from $24,990.

The Rondo is described as part-SUV, part people mover, part station wagon and part hatch. It rings a bell in that Ford Australia worked hard to get the overlap right of people mover, four-wheel-drive and passenger car when it created its Territory.

Expect the Rondo, however, to be smaller than Territory. Yet it will have a high ride height that gives the visibility. “No other vehicle has quite the same configuration of seats, doors and body style,” says Kia Motors Australia chief Peter Nochar. “It combines the benefits of four conventional segments in one package.” He calls it an urban recreation vehicle.

When details of the power plant and driveline are yet to be announced, Kia has at hand a 2.7-litre V6 used in its eight-seat Carnival. It has a two-litre, four-cylinder capable of 105kW of power and 186Nm of torque in the Cerato and a 2.4-litre of 119kW/221Nm in the Magentis. However, Kia might go for a diesel; its Sportage compact SUV, for example, has a turbodiesel generating 103kW and the 304Nm would be handy in hauling seven people.