Kia has finally released some secrets of their upcoming midsize SUV. Here is their official press release:
Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced it will give its new midsize SUV the moniker of “Borrego” when it debuts in January at the Detroit Auto Show.
Code-named HM during development, the new Kia Borrego is the first mid-size SUV from Kia and features a body-on-frame construction incorporating the latest NVH engineering philosophy for enhanced refinement.
With room for up-to-seven occupants, the newest addition to the Kia model line-up gives the brand a truly comprehensive global product range that delivers value, safety and ownership peace of mind to consumers.
The latest example of Kia’s commitment to designing products to suit specific markets, the Borrego is primarily intended to meet the needs of consumers in the USA.
Borrego will be available with either a V6 engine or the company’s first V8 offering (in some markets), which will also boast Kia’s largest towing capacity to date.
The Borrego, named after the bighorn sheep native to California’s largest desert state park, will be manufactured in Korea and begin sales there in early 2008 with overseas sales commencing in late spring or early summer.
The Kia Borrego styling is derived from the Mesa concept vehicle first shown by Kia at the Detroit Motor Show in 2005 and is larger than Kia’s popular Sorento model.
Borrego SUV will be Kia’s newest addition to its well-rounded full-line of vehicles that continually provide value, safety and a steadfast 10-year/100,000-mile warranty to consumers.
Clikc image to enlarge or click here for high resolution Borrego image!
November 6th, 2007 at 11:54 pm
Wow, the Borrego will have a V8 engine as an option! This is amazing. I heard rumours about V8 before but just couldn’t belive it. I just hope Borrego sales will not be hurt by high gass prices in the future.
November 6th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
Yeah, hope not. Did you get the Borrego info from my email or http://www.kiamedia.com ??
November 6th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Yes I did and I would like to thank you for that!
November 7th, 2007 at 1:45 am
Are you going to post the eco_cee’d info on there? By the way, if you need to contact me, my email address is love.my.kia@charter.net
November 8th, 2007 at 3:35 am
I know that 3 new Kia vehicles coming to the U.S. market, throughout 2008. Remember how when they first introduced the Rondo it was almost litterally on the showroom floor the next day? Well, that is what they are going to do with the pick up truck. There were not any(that I can remember) teaser shots of the Rondo. It will come to an auto show(I’m guessing Chicago or L.A) and boom, it will be on the market. Another change is(this is a rumor, I’m not sure if it’s true) we will see a restyling of the Spectra and Spectra5 to look more like the new Cee’d and Cee’d Sporty Wagon. If this happens, because of consumer input from American citizens, we will see an “Eco Spectra” and a Spectra convertible(based on the ex_cee’d). Now remember, I am not 100% sure of any of this, but, the vehicles we will see come to the market in the U.S. will be: Borrego, early spring to late summer; Mojave(KCV-IV), mid-summer to early fall; Soul, probably October.
November 8th, 2007 at 3:42 am
Also new info, one of the probably three vehicles to hit the market in ’09 will be the ’10 Kue!
November 8th, 2007 at 4:43 am
So your sure about Borrego (everyone know by now) Mojave and Soul coming right?
On one article I read a few months ago, there was supposed to be three models and a redesigned model to
be shown next year. The three models and redesigned model from the article adds up
to what your saying.
It just strange how a Kia Pickup truck got away from spycams, but if you look at it, so did the Spectra.
For 2009, I always thought it was Kee, Kue and Sport Sedan (I’m just guessing).
November 8th, 2007 at 4:50 am
Didn’t you notice how the Rondo flew under the radar also? One day it was at the L.A. auto show, and the next day it was at the dealer. Plus, the testing for the pickup is in S.Korea where spycams aren’t allowed. I can’t wait to see the production model!
November 8th, 2007 at 4:53 am
By the way, I think you are right about the models in ’09. They will redesign the Sportage and Rio in ’09 too. They will all come out as ’10 models.
With all of these new cars coming to Kia, where are all of the dealerships gonna put more than one car of each? Now, my Kia dealer has 17 acres of land to build on, so they are not too worried. But, some of the dealerships are all clustered together, you’d think they were used car dealerships!
November 8th, 2007 at 5:17 am
I just got this email from Ian Beavis, Manager of Public Affairs for KMA. This is what he said exactly:
We’re pushing for Tier2Bin5 diesels as quickly as possible.
No US Borrego interiors until January.
All the best,
Ian
November 8th, 2007 at 5:27 am
Excuse me, he is the Vice President in marketing. Sorry.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:17 am
Is it just me, or does the Borrego look longer than it really is?
November 8th, 2007 at 8:13 am
Kia:
For the love of Gawd, what is UP with your vehicle naming department?
The Borrego? That *might* fly in the western U.S where people may have heard the the name ‘Borrego Springs’, but here in Michigan people are going to look at that name and say “What the hell is a Booger-O?”
Don’t get me wrong…. I am a *firm* supporter of your products. My pro-Kia website clearly states that.
But coming from the Detroit area, I am WELL aware that a vehicle’s name is a very important part of the attractiveness of a vehicle. At the very least, the name has to be pronounceable and be “neutral” in meaning.
Names like “Kee”, ” ‘ceed” . “Pro ‘ceed” (in Europe… I know), Borrego, Rondo (to a lesser degree), just don’t create desire and/or positive imagery in THIS North American mind.
Your other names have been okay to-date. Don’t spoil it now.
And while I’m at it….. PLEASE, PLEASE do NOT make the “Kee” using ANY of the styling cues on the Frankfurt concept car. It scares me when I read things like “…this is the future face of Kia vehicles”. *shudder*
Make a 2 door RWD coupe, by all means! Even the basic profile isn’t bad. But you MUST drop the goofy front-end and the weeeiiirrrrdd wraparound back window design.
Again…. I’ve become a big fan of your vehicles. DON’T disappoint me now!
-SpectraMan
November 8th, 2007 at 9:48 am
To answer Greg: confirmed vehicles coming next year are Borrego and Soul. It is only a quetion of time when facelifted Sportage comes to US market! It is already on sale in Europe, S. Korea and China. So Sportage could be the third new vehicle in 08!
Don’t count on pick-up truck. Kia did consider building it, but as far as I know, they postponed or canceld the developement of it!
But we will soon see the next generation Spectra! If I heard right, Kia will show a concept car at L.A. Auto Show next week, which will be the base for next generation Spectra!
November 8th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
A part of an article about Hyundai, Kia’s parent company:
Krafcik says he is happy with Hyundai’s current lineup, calling it the “freshest” in the industry, with every vehicle except the Tucson cross/utility vehicle new in the last 24 months.
However, talk of a pickup truck may be all but dead. “I can’t say we’re missing a pickup truck,” Krafcik says. “Right now, it’s probably good to not have a light pickup because the segment is so difficult.”
I don’t think Kia can develope vehicles on their own…
November 8th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I have to get used to the name (I don’t really like it). It’s a shame they wasted some perfectly good names to some concepts though (Mesa, Mojave). Borrego sounds um…. Its gotta grow on me.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Kia said it named the SUV after the largest state desert park in California…I am wondering why they didn’t use Mesa which would be perfect to me.
November 13th, 2007 at 4:27 am
the link actually leads to a korean kia blog but the interior pics are awsome!!
November 13th, 2007 at 4:32 am
Link? What link?
November 13th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Boris posted this link: http://cafe.naver.com/kiacar38.cafe?iframe_url=/ArticleRead.nhn%3Farticleid=17
But I accidentally deleted it thinking it was a spam.
Sorry Boris and welcome to KIA-WORLD blog!
I see you have a great interest in Borrego, Boris! Here we have the same but better quality interior pics: http://www.kia-world.net/index.php/2007/07/28/first-official-images-of-kia-mesa/
Or take a look under the skin and see some of the tech:
http://www.kia-world.net/index.php/2007/08/01/new-hm-official-pictures/
November 13th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
of course I’m interested – its got half my name. but until now the best KIAs have to be ……. the cee’d family especially the pro_cee’d and the best concept without doubt has to be the KEE. speaking of KEE, keep an eye on the web to see if the KEE has been fixed.
November 14th, 2007 at 4:39 am
I think that body colored door pillars are the V8, because the V8 doesn’t have the antenna at the back, and all of the ones that have the anttena on the back have black pillars. I know for a fact that the ones with the antenna are V6. If you don’t understand it, email me. Thanks!
November 14th, 2007 at 6:58 am
woah spam bots… never thought of seen those here :/
November 14th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Sometimes engineers change exterior or interior parts during the testing. They improve the car all the time until it makes it to production. Perhaps P. Schreyer ordered them to colour those pillars to looke better!:) But most likely you’re right, saying that it has to be something connected to engine choice.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
WHY ARE WE GETTING STUPID CRAP LIKE THAT????!!!
November 15th, 2007 at 12:25 am
Now it’s gone. Cool.
November 15th, 2007 at 12:35 am
I had problems with spams on Kia-world blog lately. More popular the blog, more spams I got. Yesterday I got 40 of them. It pissed me off, really! So today(two hours ago) I installed an anti spy program and it works!!
November 15th, 2007 at 1:21 am
I am so sick of getting “Viagra” emails! Those are the only ones that get through my spam blocker! I DO NOT NEED VIAGRA! Damn them! lol
November 15th, 2007 at 1:35 am
He he Greg, good for you! Wait a few decades and you’ll welcome those spams!