Photo: CarPix
The Kia Cee'd Sportswagon, otherwise know as the compact estate from Kia, has been around four a couple of years. It's arguably one of the most sensible cars in their model range and it's aimed squarely at the family men and dog walkers. But the automaker is planning big changes for the 2016 model year and we have the details.
First of all, some cosmetic tweaks are expected to come out from underneath that camouflage. Peter Schreyer has already done a decent job designing a compact with premium German feel, but the Spotswagon will get a new grille, bumpers and wheel designs.
Overall, we don't expect major changes on the outside, while on the inside, we might see bits borrowed from the Hyundai i30 facelift which just went into production.
Practicality is a big plus for the Kia, as it will continue to have one of the biggest boots in its class, 60/40 flat-folding rear seats and lots of headroom.
We can also expect noticeable drops in fuel consumption on both the diesel and the petrol front. Speaking of which, downsized turbo engines will be launched, mirroring those offered by their rivals from Ford and Volkswagen. A 1-liter T-GDI has already been developed, but it could be too small for the SW (it has 120 hp). A 1.2-liter T-GDI is also coming and with about 140 hp available, it may be perfect for the car's needs.
Far from simply being existing blocks fitted with turbochargers, these new engines take advantage of the latest technologies. For instance, they feature a split-cooling system that heats up the block first to ensure efficiency. The exhaust manifold is ntegrated into the cylinder head, like on the 1.0 EcoBoost, while the GDI system uses a new 6-hole direct fuel injector.
A Kappa 1.4 T-GDI Bi-Fuel with CNG capabilities might also be offered. The engine and CNG tank were revealed last October at the Paris Motor Show and could rival similar setups from Opel, Skoda, SEAT, Audi and VW.
Overall, we don't expect major changes on the outside, while on the inside, we might see bits borrowed from the Hyundai i30 facelift which just went into production.
Practicality is a big plus for the Kia, as it will continue to have one of the biggest boots in its class, 60/40 flat-folding rear seats and lots of headroom.
New engines and a twin-clutch gearbox
But we're really beating around the bush with talk of interior space. The big change is going on under the bonnet. Sister company Hyundai has just launched its first twin-clutch gearbox on the Cee'd sister car, the i30. There's a six-speed version which is going to be available on mainstream models and a 7-speed for performance models with the 1.6-liter turbo, which the wagon doesn't have.We can also expect noticeable drops in fuel consumption on both the diesel and the petrol front. Speaking of which, downsized turbo engines will be launched, mirroring those offered by their rivals from Ford and Volkswagen. A 1-liter T-GDI has already been developed, but it could be too small for the SW (it has 120 hp). A 1.2-liter T-GDI is also coming and with about 140 hp available, it may be perfect for the car's needs.
Far from simply being existing blocks fitted with turbochargers, these new engines take advantage of the latest technologies. For instance, they feature a split-cooling system that heats up the block first to ensure efficiency. The exhaust manifold is ntegrated into the cylinder head, like on the 1.0 EcoBoost, while the GDI system uses a new 6-hole direct fuel injector.
A Kappa 1.4 T-GDI Bi-Fuel with CNG capabilities might also be offered. The engine and CNG tank were revealed last October at the Paris Motor Show and could rival similar setups from Opel, Skoda, SEAT, Audi and VW.
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