Kia KV7 Concept unveiled at Detroit Auto Show

Kia has just unveiled the Kia KV7 Concept at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The crazy concept features a Kia Soul/Toyota Rukus exterior design, garnished in lavish modern day characteristics, such as internet capabilities, various touch screens, swivel seats and ‘gullwing’ doors.

Kia’s Californian design studio, the team behind its creation, focused on maintaining the same design philosophy as the Kia Soul and its ‘embracing the box’ motto, but also contributed efforts toward building a modern ‘activity van’. It also offers SUV-like qualities, such as a high driving position and easy access to the cabin.

Speaking of the cabin, just take a look at that vibrant, colourful layout; it looks like an interior decorator’s holiday beach house. Kia says it was designed using modern day technology as its inspiration, following some mobile phone design trends. You have got to love those swivel seats, too. There’s also a giant ‘iPad’ floating table behind the rear passenger seats, which can be used as a general modern multimedia gadget.

The front runners get their fair share of technology too. The dashboard physically shifts forward by 150mm once the car is started to bring all its features within arm’s reach. The dash itself consists largely of a huge LCD touch screen interface, displaying everything from climate control settings to Wi-Fi-compatible internet browsing.

Under the bonnet sits a surprisingly powerful 2.0-litre GDI turbocharged engine offering 213kW. Even though this engine is fairly potent, Kia says it is capable of returning 7.8L/100km fuel consumption figures.

Overall, it’s a very creative and very desirable minivan that is sure to quench even the youngest of tech-savvy thirsts.

2014 Kia Grand Carnival takes shape

New spy photos of the 2014 Kia Grand Carnival provide proof the next-generation people-mover will have a bolder, more stylish shape than the ageing current model.

The drooping front end of today’s Carnival will be replaced with a stubbier front end comprising a short overhang and an upright nose. There are suitably large headlights and grille for the company’s biggest model.

The images also suggest a wraparound-style glass treatment at the rear, while the positioning of the rear door handle reveals the Kia Grand Carnival will continue to offer a sliding door for access to the second and third rows.

Sadly, there’s no gullwing-style rear door as featured on the company’s fancy 2011 Kia KV7 seven-seater concept shown at the Detroit motor show.

The new Kia Grand Carnival is expected to debut at the 2014 New York motor show next April before reaching Australian showrooms in late 2014.

Kia’s prototype is believed to be running the company’s 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine with a six-speed auto as available in the current model. It’s not clear whether Kia will continue to offer the current 3.5-litre V6 petrol in the new model.

Kia's smooth-riding Carnival

SIZE matters. And it matters a lot when you have a large tribe to haul around. 

 

So a few months ago Kia dropped the Carnival short-wheelbase version which was short only in comparison to the leviathan tested here. And they added a punchier but less thirsty turbo diesel to help with the fuel budget and the family freighting.

This is a small bus, make no mistake. It looks like one, takes loads like one, and even sounds like one. But it doesn't drive like one and that's top of the features that has made it the best-selling people-mover here.

VALUE

The changes to the Grand Carnival also brought a price jump, with the range now starting at $44,490 and moving up three more steps to top out at $52,190.

We tested the third-level SLi priced from $50,190 for the diesel ($4000 more than the 2.5-litre V6 petrol). At this spec level you get all the stuff you'd expect in a reasonably kitted car, plus powered sliding doors, reversing camera, heated exterior mirrors, cruise control, Bluetooth, six-speaker audio with CD-stack and music player jacks, powered pop-out windows for the third row, front and rear airconditioning, leather upholstery, roof rails and 17-inch alloys.

Hyundai's iMax is close to $8000 cheaper, but with more thirst and less power and torque, and misses out on extras like the reversing camera and leather.

If you're worried about the stigma of people-movers, get Honda's Odyssey at about $4000 cheaper, and pass it off as a car. It looks and feels like one, but unfortunately when you load it up you'll find it has the small torque of one, too.

Another way to avoid the stigma is with the Dodge Journey R/T, also about $4000 less, which looks brutish enough that nobody will dare say anything. But it doesn't have the muscle to back it up, and the interior quality is a weak point.

Like the Honda, there's a lack of torque with the Toyota Tarago, and it's joined by an outdated auto. But while it costs $2300 more than Kia, the Korean matches its only high point: four-star safety.

The Chrysler Grand Voyager CRD LX is about $7000 more, and though it's fairly well kitted-out, it's nowhere near as loaded as you'd expect for that price. And despite having a larger engine, it doesn't deliver the goods. You won't have to worry about any "breeder bus" slurs if you buy the Mercedes-Benz Viano. 

You can shrug them off with the knowledge that you've splashed the maximum cash at this level, $26,000 more than the Kia. But for that you get five-star safety, effortless torque and a luxury fit-out. And the three-point badge, for some, will be worth the price.

TECHNOLOGY

The new 2.2-litre turbo diesel and six-speed automatic transmission are borrowed from Kia's Sorento SUV. It's 700cc smaller than the engine it replaces but it's bigger where it counts, punching out 143kW of power (up 7kW), but more importantly a hefty 96Nm of extra torque at 429Nm. That's enough to pull a junior footy scrum over the line.

It might also leave enough in the budget for a post-game hamburger stop, with the fuel economy improving from 8.5L/100km to 8.1L/100km. Then, if the little know-it-alls start quizzing you about what you're doing to save the planet, you can tell them CO2 emissions are down from 224g/km to 213g/km. And to shut up and eat their burgers.

DESIGN

There's design for style and there's design for function. Custom has it that the most functional way to carry things is a box, and that's the Grand Carnival in a word. It's not sleek, it's not sharp but it's cornered the market on space. Even the third row won't feel short-changed - although they'll feel a long way from the driver. The 5130mm length makes for a lot of leg room but a bit of a parking challenge. Luckily there's a reversing camera, and if you teach the third row passengers to use the international standards for semaphore flag signalling, you should be fine.

You can remove the second row of seats and fold the third away to give you room for an impromptu sleepover.

Access is easy with sliding doors that are huge and, thankfully, powered, with a light touch persuading them to close. Unfortunately, you don't get the same on the rear door until the top-spec, but the manual effort will save you on gym fees. It's got clever features, such as the extra monitor mirror that lets you keep an eye on any civil wars brewing in the rear and the centre-front table that folds down to give you walk-through access if you have to impose martial law.

SAFETY

The Grand Carnival hasn't been crash-tested here, but the shorter wheelbase won a four-star ANCAP rating in 2006. Most of its main rivals don't have ratings, not a good thing when you're carting a large proportion of your bloodline around. The exceptions are the Toyota Tarago with four stars, and the Benz Viano with five.

The safety list includes anti-lock brakes with brakeforce distribution to counter uneven loading and brake assist to give extra force for panic stops, stability and traction control, plus dual front, side and curtain airbags. On the downside, the middle passengers in the back rows get only lap seatbelts rather than lap-sash.

DRIVING

We expected the Grand Carnival to lumber around like a tranquilised hippo but it delivers a surprisingly good drive. You won't get any sports performance, granted, but it kicks in off the line, and the powerful diesel is strong all the way through.

Despite the size and shape, it handles more like a car than a van. Cornering can be approached without fear as long as you don't get too vigorous, when it will punish you with pronounced wallowing and a reminder of its two-tonne weight.

It's not fazed by carrying a heavy load, and actually rides much better when at least half the seats are filled, which is going to be most of the time for its target market. The driver sits high and gets to steer smoothly (even if it looks as if they should be at the horizontal wheel of a city bus). It's very manoeuvrable but you have to keep an eye on the corners on parking ramps and in shopping centres. The reversing camera helps with parking, but sensors at all corners would be welcome too.

source

KIa Grand Carnival Review

With no less than eight exterior colours and eight seats, the new Kia Grand Carnival is very much the comfy, funky people mover of Australia. Packed to the hilt with all sorts of nice touring goodies, the Grand Carnival is exceptionally nice to spend a long journey inside. 

From the tidy instrumentation and switch gear, boasting a dual trip meter, cruise control with steering wheel mounted controls and a digital clock, to the beautiful clarity of sound coming from the six-speaker stereo, the relaxed feel that the new Grand Carnival has is sumptuous to say the least. You’ll find the auxiliary input, USB audio input with iPod compatibility, steering wheel mounted audio controls and masses of storage compartments very useful indeed.  And while all occupants can enjoy the benefits of the dual-zone air-conditioning, or even tri-zone climate control in the Platinum model, the driver will be very contented with the power and refinement of the lusty engine. There are two engines offered. One is the torquey 2.2 CRDi diesel-fed motor, and the other is a smooth, powerful 3.5-litre V6 petrol.

Loaded with passive safety features and dynamic ESP and ABS, each of the Grand Carnival models are designed with safety in mind. Kia’s five year/unlimited kilometre warranty is very enticing.

Premium van manufacturers had better watch their backs. The all new Kia Grand Carnival is a very worthy people mover that is luxurious and competitively priced. 

Can the Kia Grand Carnival compete with Euro luxury barges? Let’s take a look. 

Design: The design of the Kia Grand Carnival is tasteful and roomy. I can think of a number of van-like designs that perhaps should not have left the design room. Not so with the Kia Grand Carnival. The Grand Carnival has a poignant exterior design that features a slanted nose (No scary drop offs at the front windscreen here!) at the front and a smooth flowing roof line overhead. Large curvy, triangular headlights at the front and tall taillights at the rear offer exceptional night vision and certainly keep the big wagon looking sharp parked at your kid’s mate’s house during the school rushhour. Colour coordinated bumpers, door mirrors and outer door handles, and a prominent waistline create an elegant and sophisticated look. The stylish lines, and attention to detail, spill over into the beautifully crafted interior. Smooth curves and clever use of space have made the interior of the Kia Grand Carnival a very open and spacious area.

This is certainly no wimpy van. The large 225/70 tyres, and 16 inch steel rims, on the EXE model give the van a strong and solidly built presence on the road. The tyre size on the Premium and Platinum models are increased to 235/60 tyres.  These sit on 17 inch alloys. Add front fog lamps, roof rails, a powered sunroof, electric sliding side doors (Platinum and Premium models only), eight seats, a six-speaker audio system and cruise control ito the mix, and you get the picture that the Kia Grand Carnival is designed for doing the business. 

Safety: When trusting your entire family or friends to a long journey on today’s busy roads it is important that you consider your vehicle to be of premium quality in its safety credentials. Here the Kia Grand Carnival does very well indeed. Driver and front passenger SRS airbags are standard on all models. The Premium and Platinum models include front side SRS airbags to protect the pelvis and thorax, as well as having curtain SRS airbags front and rear to protect the head and upper torso. Very good dynamic safety is on offer as well. ESP (Electronic Stability Program), TCS (Traction Control System), ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution) with brake assist are standard across the board. You can add to these: front seatbelt pre-tensioners, side 3-point seatbelt, height adjustable head rests (all seats), driver seatbelt, an energy absorbing steering column, child proof rear door locks, child restraint anchorage points (5), central locking with keyless entry and an immobiliser, and to top it all of a security alarm with a panic button.

Luxury: If you like that little bit extra when it comes to bells and whistles, then the Premium and Platinum models cater to your needs. Leather trim becomes standard. There are armrests in the first row.(1st row). You have an electrically adjustable driver's seat with awesome lumbar support , a leather wrapped steering wheel /gear shift knob, a 6 CD stacker with an AM/FM tuner, steering wheel mounted controls, an additional central speaker with a sub-woofer and, for the Platinum model, tri-zone air-conditioning. 

The high end Kia Grand Carnival Platinum can rightly claim the title of an executive MPV with a host of gadgets.  The petrol engine is a V6 DOHC CVVT motor with 3.5-litres to play around with. The 202 kW at 6300 rpm offers loads of smooth grunt. Thinking diesel? Then the CRDi 2.2-litre motor is leading edge in its design and power delivery, and with 429 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm you can load this baby up and hit the hills with ease!

This is a genuine luxury vehicle wrapped in an MPV, people moving body shell.  This is the perfect vehicle for lengthy periods on the road because, despite its size, the Kia Grand Carnival is incredibly easy to drive.  Yep, Euro’s look out!

The current model series includes the:

• Kia Grand Carnival EXE
• Kia Grand Carnival Premium
• Kia Grand Carnival Platinum

For any more information on the Kia Grand Carnival, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you'd like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Kia dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet - car buying made easy!

Used Kia - Affordable Kia Cars

KIA is the oldest car manufacturer in South Korea. At its inception in 1944, this company actually did not produce the vehicles, but produced bicycles and steel pipes. At first, this company called Kyungsung Precision Industry, and in 1952 changed to be KIA Motors when they begun to produce cars, motorcycles and trucks.

KIA Motors cooperated with Ford in 1986, from the results of that cooperation; they have produced vehicles for domestic consumption and for export to other countries. KIA begun to launch the products in the United States in 1992 at the city of Portland and Oregon in 1994. But, KIA Motors went bankrupt due to the impact of the Asian financial crisis which occurred in 1997. And then in 1998, this company was taken by their rival, Hyundai Motor Company. Nowadays, Kia is the fastest growing car manufacturer in the U.K and Europe. In the year 2008, Kia Motors has sold more than one million vehicles worldwide.

The story above is a brief history of KIA Motors. If you want to purchase cars made by KIA, but you have a limited budget, maybe you should consider purchasing used Kia cars. Although purchasing a new car is pleasant, but purchasing used car is a good choice for you who have a limited budget. Below are the three affordable used Kia products that are suitable for middle economic class.

Kia Carnival

If you have a big family, maybe used Kia Sedona is suitable for you. Besides the price is relatively affordable, Kia Sedona can accommodate seven to nine passengers depending on the model that you choose. For the European market, Sedona is sold as Carnival that has a lot of competitors in its class such as Mercedes Benz M-Class, BMW X3, Nissan Terrano and so forth.

This car powered by 2497 cc Inline 6-cylinder, and has two types of transmissions: Automatic, 4-speed and Manual, 5-speed. For the automatic transmission, the fuel mixed driving is 14.8 liters / 100 km or 15.89 miles per gallon, and for the manual transmission, the fuel mixed driving is 12.8 liters / 100 km or 18.33 miles per gallon.

Kia Rondo

Kia Rondo is the type of midsize SUVs, though this car looks short but this car has features and advantages similar with the type of SUV. Kia Rondo can also be categorized as an MPV (Multi Purposes Vehicle). Outside the North America and Australia, Kia Rondo sold as KIA Carens.

This car powered by 2399 cc Inline 4-cylinder, automatic transmission 4-speed and for the fuel mixed driving is 10.7 liters / 100 km or 22.00 miles per gallon.

Kia Picanto

Kia Picanto also called Kia Morning. If viewed from the size, Kia Picanto is very small, because this car could be categorized as a mini car. But this car can accommodate four passengers and is very efficient in terms of gas mileage. This car powered by 1086 cc Inline 4-cylinder, automatic transmission 4-speed and for the fuel mixed driving is 5.2 liters / 100 km or 45.67 miles per gallon.

Before you choose a Used Kia, you should consider two aspects; the models that suit with you and your financial capabilities. To get your best car deals, seek prices guidance and review the used Kia on the internet. The best place to find used Kia is used car dealers, through online or KIA dealerships. However, besides selling the new one, KIA dealerships in most major cities in the world also selling used Kia.

To get a quality car, you do not have to pay a lot because there are lots of cheap used cars available and they are still in very good condition.

 

 

 

 

source : enzine article