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2017 Kia KX3 Facelift Unveiled at the Chengdu Auto Show in China

Cars made specifically for China and other Asian markets are getting really good. This is the refreshed KX3 from Kia, recently unveiled at the 2016 Chengdu Auto Show, and it looks a heck of a lot better than the Soul.
2017 Kia KX3 Facelift 19 photos
Photo: Kia
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We don't know what's going on with Kia's crossover lineup. But the KX5 is the Chinese version of the new Sportage, so this has to be classed as a sub-compact crossover, about the same as the Niro and the Soul.

Want more proof that the hybrid Niro and the hipster Soul aren't up to the job? Well, the facelifted KX3 comes with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that produces 161 hp.

That's about as much as normal 1.6 turbos from Peugeot, DS or Ford (talking just about China). Not many crossovers offer that much power. For example, the Duster, which is the most popular Renault-Nissan model, stops at 140.

In China, the KX3 will also be sold with a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter making 125 hp and an aging 2.0-liter making 160 hp. Both sound perfectly adequate, even by Western Standards. In fact, the 90 hp Renault Captur seems underpowered. As is popular in this market, a 6-speed automatic gearbox is also available as an option.

While we like the bold statement made by the Sportage's baby brother, we can't help notice that the design looked a little better before the facelift. This 2017 model has gained a large oval grille covered in chrome, which reminds us of the horrible old Peugeots.

To compensate, the body kit looks a little more rugged, thanks to the addition of front and rear scuff plates. And there's an option to have contrasting black paint for the roof, mirrors, and alloys.

The interior looks unchanged, reminding us of the Cerato. The biggest news is the addition of a clean-air filter which will keep the worst pollutants out of the passenger’s lungs, or so claims Kia.

The trunk is sizable and can be increased further when the rear bench is folded. But as a League of Legends player myself, I can't help wonder why they had to show Team Acer in the background.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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