Kia Motors at Geneva Motor Show

Hatchbacks, hybrids and a sports saloon on the Kia stand at the Geneva Motor Show.

What's the news?

The new Picanto, Stinger sports saloon; plus plug-in hybrid versions of the Niro and Optima Sportswagon are the highlights of Kia's stand at the Geneva Motor Show.

Making its global premiere in Geneva is the 'all-new' Kia Picanto. The company boasts that the Picanto boasts a larger cabin than many of its rivals and a 255-litre boot. Features available on the city car include a seven-inch 'floating' touch screen, Android and Apple connectivity and Autonomous Emergency Braking. Due to launch in the second quarter of this year the Picanto will be available with 1.0 and 1.25-litre petrol power (with CO2 emissions from 89g/km); a 100hp, 1.0-litre, direct injection turbocharged petrol engine will be available later this year.

Launched at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit earlier this year the Kia Stinger appears for the first time in European specification. There will be three engines; 255hp turbo petrol, 200hp turbodiesel and 370hp twin-turbo petrol V6. Rear-wheel or all-wheel drive will be available when the car goes on sale towards the end of the year.

Another world debut is the Niro Plug-in Hybrid, scheduled to go on sale in the third quarter of 2017. It is intended to capture two growing market segments; that for plug-in hybrid vehicles and the ever-popular compact crossover market. Official figures are yet to be revealed but the target is for CO2 emissions below 30g/km plus an electric only driving range of 55km.

Kia's second plug-in model launched at Geneva is the Optima Sportswagon Plug-in Hybrid. Built exclusively for the European market the petrol-electric estate goes on sale later this year. The Sportswagon offers 440-litres of cargo space, 133-litres more than the Optima Plug-in Hybrid saloon. Under the bonnet there is a direct-injection petrol engine and an electric motor with a combined output of 205hp; CO2 emissions are expected to be 34g/km on the Combined Cycle.

Anything else?

Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer of Kia Motors Europe, commented: "The variety of new Kia vehicles on display here in Geneva underlines the ambition and increasingly broad appeal of the company and its cars.

"The Stinger is the most powerful car that Kia has ever produced, while the new Picanto - one of the company's best-selling models worldwide - makes a statement with a bold, modern design, new technologies, and best-in-class versatility. New plug-in hybrid versions of the Niro and Optima Sportswagon will help Kia achieve its 2020 target to improve fuel economy by 25 per cent over 2014 levels."

Published on: March 9, 2017