Kia Cerato 2008 News

Kia is looking to get back into the hot hatch business after pulling the unloved Proceed GT out of the local market last year.

While the company has launched the Sportage with a locally-tuned suspension and played with a Koup to make it handle, the Korean brand has critical vehicles coming.  Kia Australia national marketing manager Steve Watt says the next-generation Rio - due in the latter half of next year - is a critical car for the brand."I've seen the clay of Rio, it's a game-changer, the packaging is more for a small family because it is so clever, that's second half of 2011," he says.  The line-up is far from set, but Watt says the range will need to retain the brand's sharp-pricing as well as cover a broader range of body options."We're known for sharp prices - entry level we need a presence, hopefully we'll have access to different body shapes, sedan and wagon and hopefully a three-door but that's not confirmed, the greater coverage we have the better we'll do," he says.  The company will add the Cerato five-door to its line-up following a Sydney motor show debut in October.The medium sedan - still known as TF for now  but likely to use the Optima nameplate - will be unveiled at the Australian Open in Melbourne early next year, with even more suspension and steering work done by the Australian tuning team than the Sportage."The TF we have started chassis dynamics testing on that car, that determines when it goes on sale - when the work is finished.  It costs the same to put a poor as a good suspension system in the car, the trick is to get a good suspension." he says.Watt says the brand is still considering tactics like a seven-year warranty and says it has to expand its catchment of customers and agrees that the company's line-up need to be seen as "more than A to B" transport."A to B suggests being disconnected with the car, our designs now are for more engaging, you notice the car now - my view is the drive needs to match the style of the car.  We need to talk to a new market, we need to talk to people who wouldn't have considered us before," he says.

Based on the Koup concept shown at New York Motor Show in March, the two-door coupe will join the Cerato.As other carmakers take a backseat next year, Kia is planning to launch six new cars and variants, starting with the Cerato sedan next month with the coupe arriving in September."2009 will be the most model activity we have had for a while," Kia Australia spokesman, Jonathan Fletcher, says."We haven't had much new product over the past few years."The arrival of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder Cerato is considered the most important launch for the company next year as it will showcase Kia's new corporate design direction and "H" grille.The car will also play a big role at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.Unlike the current model, which is available as a hatch, the Cerato will be a sedan-only model."Its principal markets will be North America and China, which favour sedans in this segment," he says.The Koup is Kia's surprise package."We have never had a two-door model in that segment," Fletcher says."The two-door will attract those buyers who would have opted for a sportier hatch."Although specifications are yet to be confirmed, the Cerato two-door will definitely be a sub-$30,000 car, he says.The New York show car had a direct-injection turbo-charged 2.0-litre four cylinder engine with 216kW/391Nm on tap.The arrival of the much-hyped Soul hatch in March will also generate plenty of interest, Fletcher says."There has been a lot of talk about Kia being a younger-focused brand and I think the Soul really illustrates that," he says.The sharply styled Soul will be available in both petrol and turbo-diesel models, aiming at rivals like the Suzuki SX4.The 2.0-litre petrol engine develops 94kW at 6300 revs and 156Nm at 2000 revs while the CRDi develops 96kW at 4000 rev and 255Nm at 2000 revs.Although it will not have all-wheel drive, Fletcher says the Soul's chunky design would appeal to buyers who want a wagon that complements their active lifestyles.Like the Mini, the Soul will lend itself to personalisation through many accessories, he says.A new concept version of the Soul will be unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.Kia says the concept is “more than just a package treatment, as it will demonstrate the flexibility of the original Soul design first shown at NAIAS in 2006.”In the third quarter the next-generation Sorento four-wheel drive arrives, as well as the 103kW/305Nm 2.0-litre Rondo CRDi diesel to join the 2.0-litre four cylinder petrol model.The Magentis sedan also gets a freshen in June.The big question is exchange rates, which have already seen some makers lift prices from January 1.Fletcher says he is hopeful exchange rates will hold between the Australia dollar and Korean Won."It's good at the moment and hopefully it will remain favourable," he says.The one car Kia Australia would love to get, but has been ruled out on price, is the C'eed.The C'eed is built in Slovakia for the European market and it is unlikely to be built in Korea, at least in the short term."The C'eed would be too expensive for us," Fletcher says."In pure freight terms alone, it would be $900 to $1000 more expensive than if it came from Korea."