Photo: Kia
With the Stinger, Kia proved to the world that it is as serious an automaker can be about its sporting image. And with the advent of the third-gen Ceed and Forte, business is going quite well for Kia.
Despite this newfound success, the automaker from South Korea isn’t giving into the current trends. In an interview with Wards Auto, vice president of product planning Orth Hedrick made it clear that an A-CUV won’t be offered in the U.S. anytime soon.
“For a lot of folks going all the way down to an HR-V or a Trax or Soul doesn’t work for them,” he argues, making a case for conventional designs in the compact segment. On paper and in real life, the all-new Kia Forte is much, much better as a means of personal transporation than Honda’s and Chevy’s small crossovers.
In addition to the A-segment crossover utility vehicle, Kia Motors America has different priorities from Hyundai. The sister brand announced plans to introduce the Santa Cruz as a rival for the Honda Ridgeline, but Kia is a little more realistic about cutting the mustard in a stateside market that’s dominated by domestic brands.
“It’s a big step to take and I think it’s a major commitment,” comments Hedrick. “It’s a fierce battle. You have to go into it eyes wide open,” added the former product planner at Nissan, whose Titan pickup is selling worse than Toyota’s extremely old Tundra.
Last, but certainly not least, the Stinger. According to Hedrick, there’s no point to be made about a Stinger-focused sub-brand or more variants of the liftback sedan. As things stand now, the best the Stinger has to offer is a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine.
Speaking of the Stinger, the next generation of the K900 luxury sedan is scheduled for unveiling next month at the 2018 New York Auto Show. And even though Kia refuses to comment on the possibility of Stinger-influenced design elements, the teaser for the largest sedan in the lineup speaks volumes about what’s in the offing.
“For a lot of folks going all the way down to an HR-V or a Trax or Soul doesn’t work for them,” he argues, making a case for conventional designs in the compact segment. On paper and in real life, the all-new Kia Forte is much, much better as a means of personal transporation than Honda’s and Chevy’s small crossovers.
In addition to the A-segment crossover utility vehicle, Kia Motors America has different priorities from Hyundai. The sister brand announced plans to introduce the Santa Cruz as a rival for the Honda Ridgeline, but Kia is a little more realistic about cutting the mustard in a stateside market that’s dominated by domestic brands.
“It’s a big step to take and I think it’s a major commitment,” comments Hedrick. “It’s a fierce battle. You have to go into it eyes wide open,” added the former product planner at Nissan, whose Titan pickup is selling worse than Toyota’s extremely old Tundra.
Last, but certainly not least, the Stinger. According to Hedrick, there’s no point to be made about a Stinger-focused sub-brand or more variants of the liftback sedan. As things stand now, the best the Stinger has to offer is a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine.
Speaking of the Stinger, the next generation of the K900 luxury sedan is scheduled for unveiling next month at the 2018 New York Auto Show. And even though Kia refuses to comment on the possibility of Stinger-influenced design elements, the teaser for the largest sedan in the lineup speaks volumes about what’s in the offing.
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