Kia's Mondeo Is Taking Shape

Unauthorised but 100 per cent official - that's the only way to describe the amazing new Ford Mondeo rival from Kia.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Mike Rutherford

04th May 2005

The pencil sketch in this week's mag of an aggressive four-door family car was given exclusively to Auto Express during a visit to the company's design HQ in South Korea. It reveals a D-segment hatchback, and we've learned there won't be a long wait to see it in the metal - the car will make its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Also shown in this week's mag is how the production version could look when it goes on sale. But there's still a mystery; Kia already has a new full-sized family hatchback - to be badged the Magentis - which it will unveil and put on sale in Britain within the next few months in 2.0-litre petrol and diesel guise. The car seen here isn't it, and one theory is that it could be the model after that.

Ironically, the first Magentis is known internally by the codename MG, but company top brass in Seoul nervously laughed off suggestions they might be interested in acquiring the crisis-hit British brand!
Meanwhile, we can confirm other new models are on the way. In the pipeline is a fresh version of the Carens MPV, which will arrive late next year. And this is in addition to the drop-top variant of the new Rio that we revealed was on the drawing board in Korea back in issue 848.

Kia bosses have also told us they will invest big money in factories and research centres all over Europe in the coming years. One such plant in Slovakia is set to produce several models for the UK market.