The Kia Bongo ( Hangul :기아 봉고), also known as the Kia K-Series or Kia Besta , is a cabover pickup truck and van produced by the South Korean automobile manufacturer Kia since 1980.
89-590: The Bongo was first launched in 1980 under the name Bongo . In 1997, the third generation Bongo Frontier was launched. As of 2004, the Kia Bongo was in its fourth version, confusingly sold as the Kia Bongo III. "Frontier" was dropped from the name with this revision. Kia has produced small and large trucks for the South Korean market for at least 25 years. Rear-wheel-drive Bongo trucks have been on
178-400: A 2.5-litre turbocharged engine that delivers 130 PS (96 kW), or an optional, more old-fashioned 2.7-litre engine that pushes out just 80 PS (59 kW) and another 3.0 liter that adds five more horsepower from the 2.7 litre. It provides all the sufficient loading capabilities, also they have three cab options: standard, super and double cabin. There is another model that is called
267-669: A 33.88% stake in Kia Motors. Likewise, as of December 31, 2015 , Kia Motors is a part owner of 22 Hyundai companies. Its ownership percentages range from 4.9% to 45.37%. Kia Motors America (KMA), now known as Kia America, Inc., was incorporated in California on October 21, 1992, and became the American sales, marketing, and distribution arm of Kia Corporation. Kia America is based in Irvine, California , and currently offers
356-577: A South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul , South Korea. It is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer, after its parent company, Hyundai Motor Company , with sales of over 2.8 million vehicles in 2019. As of 2015, Kia is owned by Hyundai , which holds a 33.88% stake valued at just over US$ 6 billion. Kia in turn is a minority owner of more than twenty Hyundai subsidiaries ranging from 4.9% up to 45.37%, totaling more than US$ 8.3 billion. According to
445-455: A class action lawsuit, Kia and Hyundai agreed to pay $ 200 million settlement to consumers who suffered losses as a result of the security flaws. However, on August 16, 2023, a federal judge rejected the proposed settlement. Kia Motors sponsors the following sports teams, events, venues, and athletes: Mazda Bongo The Mazda Bongo ( Japanese : マツダ・ボンゴ , Hepburn : Matsuda Bongo ) , also known as Mazda E-Series , Eunos Cargo , and
534-538: A column mounted shifter. This generation was also manufactured by Kia in South Korea, as the Kia Bongo and Ceres. The Bongo/Ceres underwent a number of facelifts, and was still available as late as 1999. The original version has round headlights, and no grille; after a January 1981 facelift the second generation Bongo/E-series had rectangular headlights, and a more traditional grille. The first generation of
623-527: A complete line of vehicles through more than 755 dealers throughout the United States. The first two models that were introduced to the U.S. market in 1993 were KIA Sephia and Kia Sportage 4x4. In the United States, sales began in late 1993 for the 1994 model year, at four dealerships in Portland, Oregon . The two models most recently introduced to the U.S. market have both been highly awarded during
712-613: A facelifted version appeared, with a revised body style and different engines, although the 2.5 turbo-diesel continued unchanged. Air conditioning and climate control was fitted as standard, and electronic blinds, and electric side door were commonly fitted options. Petrol Diesel The Bongo was reintroduced in July 2020 in Japan and based on the Daihatsu Gran Max . It is available in van and truck model. The Bongo Brawny
801-577: A new generation of Bongo vans and trucks went on sale, which were also rebadged as the Mazda E-series, Ford Econovan, Mitsubishi Delica Van/Truck , and Nissan Vanette . This model adopted the SK platform which was based on the previous generation SS/SE model. This was sold at various Mazda, Mazda Anfini and Mazda Autozam dealers. On August 20, 2010, an upgraded Bongo truck/van were officially released in Japan. Mazda's difficult business environment at
890-585: A production facility on a Greenfield land in Anantpur district , Andhra Pradesh near Penukonda . The annual production capacity is 300,000 units. Kia has appointed Kookhyun Shim as MD & CEO for its Indian arm. In his new role, Shim will be responsible for leading the carmaker's expansion in the Indian market. He also oversaw the construction of Kia's first manufacturing facility in India, to help strengthen
979-506: A prosecution case against Medina and he declared that the signed agreement with his predecessor would be cancelled. A new agreement was then reached with Rodriguez's administration in June 2016. Former governor Medina de la Cruz and 30 other officials of the former state administration were investigated by an anti-corruption prosecutor for alleged embezzlement , improper exercise of public functions and damage to Nuevo León State assets. Medina
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#17327831713051068-702: A record 24,740 automobiles. Kia declared bankruptcy in 1997, during the Asian financial crisis , and in 1998 reached an agreement with Hyundai Motor Company to diversify by exchanging ownership between the two companies. Hyundai Motor Company acquired 51% of the company, outbidding Ford Motor Company , which had owned an interest in Kia Motors since 1986. After subsequent divestments, Hyundai Motor Company owns about one third of Kia Motor Corporation. While Hyundai Motor Company remains Kia's largest stakeholder, Kia Motor Company also retains ownership in some 22 Hyundai Motor Company subsidiaries. Since 2005, Kia has focused on
1157-647: A sole maker of military vehicles designated by the South Korean Government since 1976, when Kia Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. (now known as Hyundai Wia ) was established. Kia is currently designing a Kaiser Jeep M715 -type vehicle named the KM450 for the South Korean Army on license from the U.S. Government. Kia is also the owner of the former ex-Asia Motors factory in Gwangju . In the past,
1246-689: A two-year hiatus, the next Bongo van appeared in September 1977. It was a mid-engine rear wheel drive vehicle. Ford sold this version of the van as the Ford Econovan , while Mazda sold it for export as the E1300 , E1400 , and E1600 , depending on engine size. Beginning in October 1979 a 2.2-litre diesel engine was also available in commercial versions, sold in export as the E2200 . This appeared in
1335-601: A type of antelope . Mazda first introduced its small van , the Bongo, in May 1966. It featured a rear-mounted 782 cc water-cooled OHV SA 4-stroke engine driving the rear wheels . The rear-engined Bongo was produced in two versions from 1968, as the F800 was joined by the bigger-engined F1000. This has a 987 cc PB overhead valve inline-four engine with 48 PS (35 kW) at 5500 rpm. The chassis code for
1424-710: A year behind schedule due to the financial difficulties that Kia was facing before it was taken over by Hyundai. This car was similar in size to the Ford Mondeo and the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra , but, on its launch, was actually less expensive to buy than the smaller Focus and the Astra . It had a spacious interior, large boot, competitive asking price, and high equipment levels, but it had little more appeal to sway buyers away from established European brands like Ford , Vauxhall/Opel and Peugeot . Its successor,
1513-658: A year. Kia Central & South America Corp. is an incorporated division of Kia Corporation in charge of sales and marketing in 43 countries across Central and South America (including Brazil), and the Caribbean. The regional headquarters is located in Miami, Florida (US). Kia Europe is the European sales and marketing division of Kia Corporation. It has been selling cars in Europe since the first half of 1991. Kia Motors Europe
1602-532: A year. Details of the factory, built in the city of Pesquería , were revealed in a joint press conference given by Kia CEO Hyoung-Keun Lee and the President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto in Mexico City on August 28, 2014. The plant was expected to be completed in the first half of 2016. This factory is involved in controversies because it was built on unevenly purchased land, and the construction agreement
1691-590: Is an automobile assembler and distributor in Pakistan owned by the Yunus Brothers Group. Originally known as Kia Lucky Motors Pakistan, the company began selling cars in 2018 when they launched their All New Grand Carnival in Pakistan. In quarter 4 2019, Kia Lucky Motors Pakistan introduced two new locally manufactured products known as the Kia Sportage and Kia Picanto. Kia holds a 30% stake in
1780-833: Is branded as the Kia K-Series or the Kia Frontier , which includes the K2400 and K2700. In Taiwan, it is known as the Kia Kaon , while in Vietnam, it is manufactured under license by THACO and sold as the THACO Kia New Frontier . Production of the truck started in 1980 and the van started in 1981. Early Bongos had round headlights, although these were changed for square units in 1981. The first Bongos also used "Kiamaster" logos rather than simply "Kia"; this
1869-464: Is formally founded in 1995, in Neu Wulmstorf (near Hamburg ). In 1997, Kia moves its European headquarters from Neu Wulmstorf to Bremen, and due to logistical reasons since around 2005, Kia moved its European headquarters to Eschborn (near Frankfurt ). In 2007, KME moved from its previous location at Hauptstrasse 185, Eschborn (near Frankfurt ), to a new purpose-built facility adjacent to
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#17327831713051958-497: Is headquartered in Mississauga , Ontario , where it employs approximately 180 people. Kia Canada is best known for its mid-market lineup of sport utility vehicles and crossovers, which are midway in size between SUVs and ordinary sedans, and increasingly for its electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. In 2021, Kia Canada introduced a new logo and slogan, "Movement that inspires". As of 2021, Kia Canada sold nearly 80,000 vehicles
2047-582: Is named the Kia " BestA " (or "HiBesta"), usually referred to as 'Besta'—which means "beast" in many Romance languages including Portuguese. This did not stop the Besta from immediately becoming the highest selling minivan in the Brazilian market. The Besta name was also used for cargo van versions in many countries. The Besta originally had the 2.2 liter Mazda R2 diesel engine with 62 PS (46 kW), but at
2136-403: Is related to a high degree of automation as well as high integration with Mobis Slovakia. In 2016, Kia Motors Slovakia recorded revenue of EUR 5.56 billion. Although the European car market knew significant difficulties, Kia announced increased sales in 2013. The company has built a $ 1 billion manufacturing plant in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo León , which produces 300,000 cars
2225-678: The Audi TT ) and Volkswagen and had won the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany . Kearns had previously worked at Cadillac as Chief Design Officer and was responsible for influencing Cadillac's direction of hard angles and sharp lines within their design. Schreyer has since been central to a complete restyling of Kia's line-up, overseeing design activities at Kia's design centers in Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and
2314-581: The Ford Econovan , is a cabover van and pickup truck manufactured by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Mazda since 1966. The Bongo name was also used for the Bongo Friendee , which is not a cabover design. It has been built with rear-, middle-, as well as front-mounted engines. It also formed the basis for the long-running Kia Bongo range. It is named for the African Bongo ,
2403-588: The Ford Spectron name as high-roof eight-seaters. The Bongo was redesigned in 1983 with new engines. It was also sold by Ford in Asia as the "Spectron" (passenger version) or as the "J80" (cargo model). In Australia, the Bongo was sold by Mazda as the E-series, with Ford also retailing the commercial version as the "Ford Econovan" and the passenger version as the "Ford Spectron" (1983–1990). From 1994 onwards,
2492-485: The Kia Cee'd , Kia Sportage and Kia Venga , as well as seven types of engines. In 2016, 339,500 cars and 612,915 engines were manufactured. The area of the plant is 166 ha and Mobis Slovakia, the largest supplier, is situated right on the carmaker's premises. As of December 31, 2016, 3,625 employees worked in the facility, while their average age was 35. The relatively low number of employees working in three shifts
2581-640: The Kia Travello . The Travello was discontinued in 2019. This resulted in the coachvan variant becoming limited to custom builds from coachbuilders. European sales of the Kia K-Series (with an exception of Russia and Turkey) has been discontinued in late 2007. Kia Bongo was updated in 2014, with new gearbox 6-speed engine and much more efficient Euro IV standards, new body design that includes different front and added grille, and wheels increased in size to 15 inches. The K2500, K2700 and K3000S have either
2670-624: The Magentis , launched in 2001, was still nowhere near as popular as Kia might have hoped it would be, although with a sub-£14,000 asking price it offered the cheapest V6-engined car in the UK, by which time it was rare enough for a six-cylinder car to be priced at less than £20,000. Kia entered the MPV market in 1999 with the Sedona . On its launch, it was the lowest-priced, full-size people carrier on sale in
2759-596: The Messe , in Frankfurt city centre. When Kia launched in Europe during 1991, it initially sold only the Pride supermini – a rebadged version of the late 1980s Mazda 121 . It initially proved popular with buyers. By the end of 1991, Kia had sold nearly 1,800 Prides in the United Kingdom. The first full year, 1992, saw that figure double, and, in 1993, it increased again to nearly 5,500 units. However, sales fell towards
Kia Bongo - Misplaced Pages Continue
2848-654: The Namyang Design Center in South Korea. With the Kee concept vehicle, shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007, Kia introduced a new corporate grille to create a recognizable 'face' for the brand. Known as the Tiger Nose , Schreyer indicated he wanted "a powerful visual signal, a seal, an identifier. The front of a car needs this recognition, this expression. A car needs a face and I think
2937-488: The Sohari Plant . Kia built the small Mazda-based Brisa range of cars until 1981, when production came to an end after the new military dictator Chun Doo-hwan enforced industry consolidation. This forced Kia to give up passenger cars and focus entirely on light trucks. Kia assembled a few hundred more cars in 1982 and 1983, after the ban had taken effect, but no passenger cars were built in 1984 and 1985. Prior to
3026-421: The 1-litre model is FPA. Its dimensions were 3,770 mm (148 in) long, 1,500 mm (59 in) wide, 1,700 mm (67 in) height, with a wheelbase of 2,000 mm (79 in), and Vehicle weight of 885 kg (1,951 lb) (commercial delivery van) 910 kg (2,006 lb) (passenger coach), and 775 kg (1,709 lb) (cab-over truck). Mazda also showed an electrically powered version of
3115-526: The 1.2-ton and 1.4-ton variants were discontinued in November 2006. The coachvan, van and trucks except the 1-ton and 1.3-ton models were ceased in production on December 31, 2007, due to low demand. The Bongo III went on hiatus between October 2011 and January 2012, due to tighter emissions rules, but reemerged with a Euro V compliant engine. The Bongo III was exclusively available in the Philippines as
3204-415: The 1977 Mazda Bongo BA2). The third Bongo had the same JS series 2.7 litre engine with 80 PS (59 kW) as used in the previous model, although an optional 3 litre JT engine with 90 PS (66 kW) was also made available from the beginning. In August 2001 this engine received an additional four horsepower. A facelifted Bongo was introduced in 2000. The truck was discontinued in late 2003, while
3293-449: The 2.0-litre petrol or a 2.2-litre diesel, both with five-speed manual and as steel-sided vans. The 4.7-metre (15.4 ft) long Econovan Maxi van was also high roofed, but steel-sided only. Powertrain and rear wheel setups were the same as the 4.4-metre Maxi. In 1986, four-wheel drive became an option for the 4.7-metre long model in conjunction with the windowed body work, manual transmission, and 2.0-litre engine. A cab chassis version
3382-513: The 4.4-metre Maxi had its petrol engine increased from 1.8 to 2.0 litres. The 4.0- and 4.4-metre Econovan also gained the availability of four-speed automatic, previously fitted only to the Spectron vans. The 4.7-metre Maxi van, previously available only with dual rear wheels, was now also available with single rear wheels, although crew cab and cab chassis models remained as dual rear wheel propositions. Ford stated that all petrol manuals and
3471-552: The 4.4-metre petrol automatic Maxi were designed to run on both leaded and unleaded fuel, although the 4.0-metre petrol automatic will run only on unleaded. At the same time as these powertrain updates, Ford also made some cosmetic changes to the Spectron. The low-roof Spectron added colour-keyed bumpers and a new side stripe, matched to a new beige cloth interior trim, and on the XLT the old beige interior colour switched to grey. Petrol Diesel A new long- wheelbase version known as
3560-522: The Bongo Brawny was also introduced, three months before the regular Bongo. The Brawny was larger than the regular Bongo in by all key measures (wheelbase, length, width, height, and weight). In export markets this model was again sold as the E-series. In Australia, Ford differentiated the long-wheelbase versions with the "Econovan Maxi" identifier. In Korea, it is also known as Kia Wide Bongo for truck variant and Kia Besta for van variant In June 1999,
3649-602: The Bongo was also sold by Nissan as the Vanette . In South Korea this was built as the Kia Wide Bongo . In South Africa, it was sold as the Ford Spectron. During the 1980s, Toyota , Nissan , and Mitsubishi all sold versions of their utility vans in the United States, but only Toyota's had any market success and as Mazda was a smaller company than the others, they were more risk-adverse and decided localizing
Kia Bongo - Misplaced Pages Continue
3738-487: The Bongo was the best-selling Mazda vehicle from its introduction until 1981, when it was surpassed by the front-wheel drive Mazda Familia . In Australia, rebadged versions were sold as the Ford Econovan as a SWB petrol van (with and without side windows), LWB petrol van (with and without side windows), and LWB diesel van guises (windowless). SWB and LWB window petrol vans also sold in passenger-carrying Ford Econowagon form. Luxury-oriented passenger models were sold under
3827-605: The Bongo wasn't worthwhile. Instead, they created the more passenger car-like MPV for the American market. In Australia, it was sold as the Mazda E-series and the Mazda Traveller and also as the Ford Econovan and Ford Spectron. The entry-level Econovan offered a 4-metre (13.1 ft) length, 1.8-litre petrol engine, five-speed manual of four-speed automatic, single rear wheels, in three-seater steel-sided or six seater XL window-sided forms. Prior to 1986, there
3916-494: The Bongo, the Bongo Brawny was released in June 1999. This model also adopted the SK platform which is based on previous generation SS/SE model. Like the previous generation, the Bongo Brawny was larger in all key dimensions. It was available in both regular 2400 mm and long 2600 mm wheelbases. The Brawny retained many of the parts of the previous generation, such as the sliding side doors, and looks rather similar to
4005-460: The European market and has identified design as its "core future growth engine" – leading to the hiring of Peter Schreyer in 2006 as chief design officer and his subsequent creation of a new corporate grille known as the 'Tiger Nose'. In October 2006, Kia Motors America broke ground for Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia in West Point, Georgia , representing a US$ 1 billion investment for
4094-623: The Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus plant in St. Petersburg which is being sold in December 2023 following the problems associated with the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . The contract includes a two year buy back clause. In 2022, the company's revenue amounted to 111 billion rubles. Kia Motors has specialized in the production of military vehicles with variants and other transportation equipment and by supplying them as
4183-816: The K2700, from May 2005 to August 2018. It was later replaced by the K2500 in September 2018, which it gained a driver airbag. The K2700 Panoramic was replaced in 2019 by the K2500 Karga , "karga" is the Filipino word for "carry". In Thailand, the Bongo III is known as the Kia Jumbo since 2005. In Indonesia, the Bongo III is known as the Kia Big-Up since 2004. It was also available as a coachvan variant, known as
4272-401: The K400S and K4000G, which is the bigger van version of the K2500, the K2700 and the K3000II. In January 2020, an EV version was launched in South Korea. It can go up to 211 km (131 mi) on a charge. Kia Motors Kia Corporation ( Korean : 기아 , IPA: [ki.a] , formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry (京城精密工業) and Kia Motors Corporation ) is
4361-433: The Kia cars were very neutral. When you saw one on the road, you didn't really know if it was Korean or Japanese...I think it's very important that you are able to recognize a Kia at first sight. Beginning in 2006 Kia identified design as its "core future growth engine" – leading to the 2006 hiring of Peter Schreyer and to the 2005 hiring Tom Kearns as Chief Design Officer. Schreyer had previously worked at Audi (designing
4450-453: The Mentor name retained for the saloon (sedan), but the hatchback was renamed Shuma . These models remained on sale until 2004, when the newer Cerato was launched and gave Kia one of its first serious competitors against mainstream brands. The Clarus saloon and Sedona MPV were also launched onto the UK market during 1999, helping Kia begin its rise in popularity. Despite Kia's range increasing from one car as late as 1993, to three cars by
4539-409: The State of Nuevo León, then headed by Rodrigo Medina de la Cruz , was signed with unfairly advantageous conditions, such as bigger tax incentives than those allowed by Mexican law (tax exemptions for 20 years when the standard is 5), extended to the Mexican providers of Kia. A copy of the full agreement was published on Facebook by current Nuevo León governor, Jaime Rodríguez Calderón , as part of
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#17327831713054628-425: The Telluride as the best SUV for 2020, and most recently Edmunds. As a brand, KMA has continued to improve over the years as well; in 2013, Kia Motors America recorded its 18th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share, and for the past five consecutive years (2015–2019) it has been recognized by J.D. Power as the highest ranked mass market brand in initial quality. In November 2009, Kia started production at
4717-446: The Tiger Nose on all of their vehicles, ranging from the compact Kia Soul, on to the new design of the Kia Optima, and to the larger SUV, the Kia Telluride. Kia cars won the Road & Travel Magazine International Car of the Year award in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In late 2012, Kia Motors was forced to admit error in inflating its United States Environmental Protection Agency mileage claims and had to reduce its fuel economy claims in
4806-425: The U.S. by about 3 percent across the board and to offer compensation to previous vehicle buyers. Since 2014, Kia Motors has been involved in controversies in Mexico due to alleged irregularities in the construction of one of its manufacturing plants, located in the municipality of Pesquería , Nuevo León . The construction of the plant was done in an irregularly purchased land agreement between Kia Motors Mexico and
4895-399: The United Kingdom. With the range expanded by 1999, sales for that year reached almost 6,400 – more than double the previous year's total. That annual sales figure had almost been matched in 2000 by the end of May, reflecting Kia's growing popularity with British buyers. By 2009, Kia was firmly established as a popular brand in Britain, when sales broke the 50,000 barrier for the first time and
4984-427: The Van and Coach models continued to be built until May 2005. With stricter emissions controls coming into effect in South Korea in 2006, the 4x4 dump truck model was discontinued at the same time. The fourth generation, known as the Kia Bongo III , was introduced in 2005, engines were modernized, featuring a common rail option, which is gradually becoming more environmentally friendly. Due to tighter emissions rules,
5073-421: The brand now had a share of more than 2% in the new car market. The Picanto was the most popular single model with nearly 17,000 sales. In late 2006, Kia opened its first own plant in Europe at a cost of approximately EUR 1.7 billion in Žilina , Slovakia , in the village of Teplička nad Váhom , after construction between October 2004 and December 2005. It has since produced over 2.5 million units of
5162-417: The company's position in the fifth largest global automotive market. Kia has committed to investments of $ 1.1 billion to develop operations in India including investing in a network of over 250 customer touch-points that include service, sales and spares establishments. On 31 July 2020, Kia crossed 100,000 car sales in India becoming the fastest car manufacturer to do so. Lucky Motor Corporation (LMC)
5251-675: The company, "Kia" derives from the Sino-Korean characters 起 ( ki , 'to arise') and 亞 ( a , which stands for 亞細亞 , meaning 'Asia'); it is roughly translated as "Rising from ( East ) Asia". Kia was founded on June 9, 1944, as Kyungsung Precision Industry, a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts, eventually producing Korea's first domestic bicycle, the Samchuly , in 1951. In 1952, Kyungsung Precision Industry changed its name to Kia Industries, and later built Honda -licensed small motorcycles (starting in 1957) and Mazda -licensed trucks (1962) and cars (1974). The company opened its first integrated automotive assembly plant in 1973,
5340-427: The company. Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia opened in February 2010, after Kia recorded its 15th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share. Kia started using an angular "KIA" wordmark logo in early 2021. Kia's Tasman pickup truck made its global debut at the Jeddah International Motor Show in Saudi Arabia on 29 Oct. 2024. As of March 2023: As of December 31, 2015 , the Hyundai Motor Company owns
5429-426: The domestic market. Certain export markets with more rugged conditions, such as the Philippines, Latin America, Australia, and Turkey, received the Ceres model rather than the Bongo (in some places, both were available). The Ceres utilized the original BA2 cabin, except it uses a unique front clip. It was facelifted in 1995 when it received a new front clip with round headlights and the then-new Kia logo. In January 1990
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#17327831713055518-453: The end of 1994 the 80 PS (59 kW) 2.7 liter J2 unit was placed in the Besta as well. This version can reach 128 km/h (80 mph). The Bongo J2 also formed the basis for the new Kia Pregio , which replaced the Kia Besta (the coach version of the Bongo). The Besta 2.7 did continue in production alongside the Pregio until at least the summer of 1997 for markets where this lower priced model retained some popularity. Export models of
5607-403: The end of 1995, British sales actually decreased in that period, from nearly 5,500 in 1993 to less than 4,000 the following year. In 1998, Kia's future in Britain was thrown into serious doubt when it sold less than 3,000 of its whole range – the worst in any full year on the British market. Kia did not enter Europe's large family car market until the launch of its Clarus four-door sedan in 1999 –
5696-416: The end of the decade, and the end of production was finally announced in May 2000, with its successor – the Rio – not going on sale for another year. From 1995 to 1999, Kia produced left- and right-hand drive versions of the first generation Sportage SUV at the Karmann factory in Osnabrück, Germany. These have been popular across Europe, but, since 2002, Kia has gained more sales in this market thanks to
5785-407: The facility has a production capacity of 340,000 vehicles per year (largely dedicated to the Telluride and Sorento crossover SUVs) and is responsible for distributing them to hundreds of dealerships in the U.S. and Canada, as well as fulfilling shipments across North America and even overseas. Kia Canada was formed in 1999 as a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation serving the Canadian market. It
5874-596: The first U.S. Kia Motors plant, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia , in West Point . Though the Kia Sorento crossover vehicle was the only model to be assembled there at first, the facility has since expanded its production lines to include the Kia Optima mid-size sedan, now sold as the K5, in 2011 and the just-launched Kia Telluride crossover SUV in January 2019. As of September 2019, the location has successfully built over 3 million units of these three models altogether, and shortly after celebrated another milestone by reaching its 10th year of production in November 2019. Currently,
5963-423: The forced 1981 shutdown, Kia had rounded out its passenger car lineup with two other foreign models assembled under license: the Fiat 132 and the Peugeot 604 . The import of these knock-down kits was permitted as long as Kia exported five cars for every single Fiat or Peugeot brought in (Hyundai had to meet the same requirement). Starting in 1986 (when only 26 cars were manufactured, followed by over 95,000
6052-445: The launch of the larger Sorento . From 1999 until production of the model ceased in 2003, all Sportage production reverted to South Korea. The European range also expanded in the spring of 1994 when Kia began importing the larger Mentor , a range of medium-sized hatchbacks and sedans which were marketed as inexpensive and well-equipped alternatives to the likes of the Ford Escort and the Vauxhall/Opel Astra . A facelift in 1999 saw
6141-407: The market in Korea since at least the late 1980s, and these were equipped with a four-cylinder diesel engine. The Kia Bongo Frontier was originally available in RV or pickup trucks . It was replaced by the Kia Bongo III in 2004. The Bongo Frontier was one of the first Kia cars to be exported to Europe and South America . In some markets, such as Europe, Australia and South America, the Bongo
6230-443: The new Kia face is strong and distinctive. Visibility is vital and that face should immediately allow you to identify a Kia even from a distance." Schreyer described how the Kia Tiger Nose came to be as he explained, "I was just working on the car and just thinking about different possibilities, and suddenly I found it." Commenting on the new signature grille in 2009: "From now on, we'll have it on all our cars". Kia has since featured
6319-464: The next year), Kia rejoined the automobile industry in partnership with Ford . Kia produced several Mazda-derived vehicles for both domestic sales in South Korea and for export into other countries - where they were positioned at the budget end of the market. These models included the Kia Pride , based on the Mazda 121 and the Avella , which were sold in North America and Australasia as the Ford Festiva and Ford Aspire . In 1992, Kia Motors America
6408-575: The passenger version "Bongo Multi Wagon" in February 1980. The Bongo Multi Wagon had originally been sold with a 1.8-liter petrol engine only. As the E1600, this model went on sale in Great Britain in 1982, only a year before being replaced. The British market only received the long wheelbase 1-tonne panel van version with small, twinned rear wheels. The UK model has a five-speed manual gearbox with
6497-738: The previous generation model. The E-series label continued to be used in export markets, although they were now fewer than before. The Bongo Brawny was discontinued in August 2010. The Bongo Friendee was introduced in June 1995, based on the SG platform . It was an eight-seater minivan , and was also sold on the Japanese home market as the Ford Freda . It was usually, but not exclusively, available with an automatic transmission, and came in 2WD (SGL3), and 4WD (SGL5) versions. The 2.5-litre turbo-diesel
6586-459: The same body shape for its 10-year production life, the later models fitted with inertia-reel seat belts , and separate front parking indicator lights. The rear-engined Bongos had a full chassis (using the same Mazda 1000 engine as other variants mounted to a four-speed transaxle at the rear), and were very strong, and due to the low gearing, able to carry half a ton. Due to rust and poor maintenance, these Bongos are now rare. The 1000 pickup which
6675-443: The second generation Bongo Wide (sold as plain "Bongo" in most export markets) appeared. It was largely a rebadged SR-series Mazda Bongo Brawny . In 1993, a 2.7-litre engine was introduced. In October 1994, Kia's new logo replaced the old "chimney" design. In 1995 a reengined and lightly facelifted version called the "Bongo J2" appeared; this reflected the name of the new engine. The second generation Bongo model for passengers (coach)
6764-526: The second generation Bongo often used the K2400 or K2700 labels. The third generation Bongo appeared in April 1997, now with the " Bongo Frontier " name. The related van version, Pregio , was introduced in November 1995 and continued in production until 2006. A four-wheel drive version ("Bongo Frontier All Terrain") appeared in December 1999, this meant the final end of the Ceres trucks (with origins dating back to
6853-468: The short time since their launch: the 2018 Stinger performance sedan gained recognition with J.D. Power's inaugural Engineering Award for Highest Rated All-New Vehicle as well as Business Insider's Car of the Year Award , then the 2020 Telluride made its mark several times over by winning major awards from review organizations like Kelley Blue Book, MotorTrend, Hispanic Motor Press also awarded
6942-483: The smaller units used previously. The first generation Bongo was removed from production in December 1994, although the tougher Ceres version continued for another seven years. The Kia Ceres was a special agricultural version. It was a one-ton truck that shared a slightly longer front end with the Kia Titan. From 1987, it was also available with four-wheel drive; eventually the rear-wheel drive models were cancelled in
7031-476: The time meant they could not afford to build a full brand new platform. A petrol 1.8-litre EGI F8-E with 90 PS (66 kW) and a diesel 2.2-litre R2 with 79 PS (58 kW) were available. Mazda announced that this is the last generation of in-house designed Bongo vans and trucks in March 2012. Mazda discontinued the Bongo in 2020 and it will focus on fuel efficient passenger cars. The longer version of
7120-443: The van, which could reach 75 km/h (47 mph), and with a 60 km (37 mi) range. but wasn't put into production, and remained a prototype. The engines were shared with Mazda's Familia small car range. Production ended in 1975, due to Mazda suffering serious economic troubles, and upcoming stricter emissions regulations for 1976, influenced by the original United States Federal Clean Air Act of 1963 . This model retained
7209-590: The vehicles easier to steal. Kia responded by offering a free software update to affected models which requires the vehicle to have a key in the ignition in order for it to start. They also distributed over 26,000 steering wheel locks to law enforcement agencies to provide to owners of affected models. In February 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that the challenge had resulted in at least 14 crashes and eight deaths. In May 2023, following
7298-449: Was also a 1.4-litre engine and five-speed manual option available as a steel-sided van with single- or dual-rear wheels, and as a passenger-carrying XL van with single-rear wheels. The 4.4-metre (14.4 ft) long Econovan Maxi offered a high roof, 2.0-litre petrol engine with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, single rear wheels, and three-seater steel-sided or six seater XL window-sided forms. Dual rear wheels were available for
7387-463: Was built for commercial uses, and the cargo and passenger vans all used a double wishbone and coil spring suspension for the front wheels, and a trailing-arm suspension and coil springs at the rear wheels. Due to the popularity of the Bongo, Mazda decided to manufacture a minibus, called the Mazda Parkway starting in 1974 until 1997, shared with the larger Mazda Titan truck platform. After
7476-460: Was changed in February 1986. The Bongo originally came with the 2.2 liter "S2" diesel engine of Perkins origins, producing 70 PS (51 kW). The 1.4 liter "UC" petrol engine became an option in 1985. 'Wide Bongo' production started in 1987. Between 1987 and 1990 the Bongo was sold as the "Power Bongo", to reflect an upgrade to the 80 PS (59 kW) 2.4 litre "SF" diesel engine. The Power Bongo also has wide rectangular headlights, rather than
7565-562: Was common in Japan, although there a 2.5-litre V6 petrol version was available. The Mazda Bongo Friendee was an eight-seater minivan . Some had Mazda factory-fitted kitchens. Many were imported to the UK, and converted to camper vans . All of them had fold-down seats downstairs to make a double bed, and on many models there was an "Auto Free Top" elevating roof which could sleep two more people. Flat-top versions were also available in Hong Kong, and sold by official dealer. In September 2001,
7654-524: Was incorporated in the United States. The first Kia-branded vehicles in the United States were sold from four dealerships in Portland, Oregon , in 1993. Since then, Kia methodically expanded one region at a time. Dealers in 1994 sold the Sephia and a few years later the United States segment expanded their line with the Sportage . Over one hundred Kia dealerships existed across thirty states by 1995, selling
7743-434: Was made with advantage conditions and out of the local dispositions to Kia. The company entered the Indian market in July 2019 with their 'Made for India' SUV- SP2 Concept now announced as the global mid-sized SUV Kia Seltos . N. Chandrababu Naidu is lauded to have signed an MOU for the government of Andhra Pradesh which came to be one of the biggest FDI's with a total investment of Rs.12,900 crore. The company has built
7832-589: Was offered on the 4.7-metre chassis, with 2.0-litre petrol engine with five-speed manual. It was available as a two-door, three-seater model with 1.5-tonne (3,300 lb) payload and as a four-door, six-seater "Crew Cab" with 1.4-tonne (3,100 lb) payload. In December 1985, Ford updated the Econovan in Australia to upgrade the engines for unleaded petrol. The petrol engine fitted to 4.0-metre Econovan increased in displacement from 1.4 to 1.8 litres, and
7921-465: Was then taken into custody on January 26, 2017, in relation to this case and others in which he is involved. In 2022, a trend known as the Kia Challenge went viral on the social media platform TikTok . The TikTok challenge involves stealing certain models of Kia and Hyundai cars manufactured from 2010 to 2021. Certain Kia and Hyundai were reportedly manufactured without immobilizers making
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