2009 Kia Borrego: Expanding Kia's SUV Lineup
- November 8, 2007
- Concept Cars, Kia, New Model Introductions, The Car Biz
- Posted by George Peterson
- Comments Off on 2009 Kia Borrego: Expanding Kia's SUV Lineup
Detroit Introduction Set for New Entry
Back in 2005, also at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show, Kia showed a truck-based, mid-size SUV concept called Mesa. Disguised as a design study, three years later Kia is ready to show us the production version.
More details will come in January, but we know now that it will be built in Korea, named Borrego, and arrive at Kia dealers in 2008. See Kia’s release below the jump. This first image of the Borrego shows a much more realistic product than Mesa was, but one that carries a very traditional SUV shape.
Is Timing Right?
When we first saw the Mesa concept in 2005, we asked if this was the right product at the right time. Three years later, it is still a valid question. Especially if you believe the media hype, the trend now is to socially responsible vehicles as small as you can get for your needs. General Motors and Ford are both set to walk away from truck-based mid-size utilities, as either car or new purpose-built platforms are better suited to the real-world jobs these vehicles are actually asked to do.
Customers, the ones who really matter, get to decide late next year the answer to this question.
Kia Motors America Announces Name Of New Midsize SUV
First Kia Midsize SUV Will Make World Debut at Detroit Auto Show
IRVINE, California ยท November 6, 2007 – 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. The Kia Borrego will be manufactured in Korea and go on sale in North America in late spring or early summer of 2008 as a 2009 model.
Built with body-on-frame construction incorporating the latest in NVH engineering philosophy, Borrego 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. Borrego will be available with either a V6 engine or the company’s first V8 offering, which will also boast Kia’s largest towing capacity to date.
Kia Motors America – the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation in Seoul, South Korea – offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 dealers throughout the United States.
