SEOUL, KOREA - Kia Motors plans to release a 1.4-liter Pride diesel model in the domestic market. The Pride Diesel is likely to be released within the first quarter of this year. Kia Motors, which took a negative attitude toward the ideal of releasing diesel models, changed its mind as Hyundai Motor’s Accent Diesel achieved a robust growth in sales.
The share of diesel models in total Accent sales is now estimated at about 30 percent. In an era when oil prices are sky high, diesel cars are rising in popularity.
Kia Motors plans to mount a 1.4-liter diesel engine instead of a 1.6-liter one. The 1.4-liter diesel engine has been mounted on the Rio and the Venga, Kia Motors’ strategic cars for the European market.
On European standards, the 1.4-liter diesel engine features a 89 hp and a 17.3 kg․m torque. Unlike in Europe where Kia Motors appointed manual transmissions, the company plans to mount automatic transmissions for the domestic customers.
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*Article provided by The Korea Economic Daily
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