Kia displays its ambition with new models at Geneva

Kia has unveiled a series of all-new models at the Geneva Motor Show.

Following its official debut at the North American Auto Show in Detroit, the Kia Stinger made its European entrance today.

Designed to offer a refined but sporting drive, the Stinger is available with a choice of three engines. Up first is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, sitting alongside a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel and a range-topping 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6. When fitted with the latter engine, the Stinger becomes Kia’s fastest-accelerating and most powerful car ever made.

Offering a more practical mode of transport, the all-new Picanto has also made its debut. Featuring the largest boot of any car in its segment, the Picanto has a great deal of practicality, while excellent levels of interior space mean it’s comfortable, too.

It is due to be released with three engines: a 1.0-litre, a 1.25-litre, and a 1.0-litre turbocharged power plant.

Affording ultra-low emissions, the Niro Plug-in Hybrid has also been revealed at Geneva. Due to go on sale in Europe in the third quarter of 2017, the Niro combines an economical 1.6-litre engine with a high-capacity electric battery pack. Through this use of technology, the Niro produces just 30g/km of CO2 and has a claimed all-electric range of around 35 miles.

Finally, the Kia Optima Sportswagon Plug-in Hybrid has been unveiled. With a similar ethos to the Niro, the Optima combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine with a 50 kW electric motor and lithium battery pack.

Despite being able to offer 440 litres of load space and a technology-laden cabin, the Optima should emit just 34g/km of CO2 and be able to run on all-electric power for around 37 miles. It is also due to go on sale in the third quarter of 2017.

Michael Cole, the chief operating officer of Kia Motors Europe, said: “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.”