With its Korean sibling Hyundai drawing most of the attention lately with a string of impressive new models, Kia has unveiled its latest concept which is set to debut at the Geneva motor show.
The Kia No 3 is an all new concept MPV – essentially a taller five-door hatch – which promises to be both stunning and fun to drive.
It features a unique extended windscreen and panorama glass roof with a diagonal supporting bar, automatic sun visor and the new ‘face of Kia’ showcased by the front grill, head lamps and brand logo in a new constellation.
At just over four metres long, the concept is painted in a matt Titanium Grey finish with contrasting gloss-white accents.
In addition to the No 3, Kia will also display its new cee’d ISG (Idle Stop & Go) models – a technology borrowed from Hyundai – which will offer up to a 15 per cent improvement in fuel consumption.
In Europe, the Kia cee’d ISG cars are available with a choice of 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines in each of the three cee’d family bodystyles.
Kia has also taken its fuel saving technologies one step further with the development of its first fleet of prototype cee’d Hybrid cars especially for testing and evaluation in Europe.
The cee’d Hybrid uses a Kia’s Gamma 1.6-litre petrol engine mated to a 15kW/105Nm electric motor coupled with a CVT transmission and the new ISG (Idle Stop & Go) system.
Initial calculations place fuel consumption at just 4.81 litres per 100 km and a CO2 figure of 109 g/km – down 25 per cent compared to the standard 1.6-litre petrol cee’d, with adequate performance of 11.8 seconds to 100km/h.
