Kia has released a single image of its upcoming 7-passenger SUV.
You might recall that we've been referring to Kia's upcoming midsize SUV as the Mesa for a while now, but Kia has finally given it an official name, the Borrego. The Borrego is going to be available with either a V6 or V8 engine when it goes on sale in the spring or summer of 2008. The body-on-frame Borrego SUV will be officially unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this coming January.
Does it seem kind of backwards that crossovers are becoming more and more popular, but Kia has decided to release an old style body-on-frame SUV instead?
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PRESS RELEASE:
KIA MOTORS AMERICA ANNOUNCES NAME OF NEW MIDSIZE SUV
First Kia Midsize SUV Will Make World Debut at Detroit Auto Show
IRVINE, Calif., 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.
Comments (18)
Can I fit my $100 barrel of oil in the back?
Little late to the party KIA.
Posted by zippy | November 8, 2007 9:11 AM
Posted on November 8, 2007 09:11
Isn't that a new version of Chrysler Pacifica?
No Matter. Still fugly.
Posted by mechelaar | November 8, 2007 11:04 AM
Posted on November 8, 2007 11:04
^^
I don't know, it looks pretty cool to me. Whether or not putting another gas guzzler on the road is a smart move is another matter.
Posted by SEALBoy | November 8, 2007 12:07 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 12:07
Man that's ugly. The grille is straight from a Ford. And the name? How can anybody think that "Borrego" sounds good? I can pretty much gaurentte that at least 50% of all automotive jouralists will use a phrase similar to "the Borrego is just plain Boring" or "the Borrego is anything but Boring" depending on their viewpoint.
Posted by gm0n3y | November 8, 2007 12:27 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 12:27
Now that I take another look, its not that ugly, I just don't like the grille and the color.
Posted by gm0n3y | November 8, 2007 12:30 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 12:30
Oh and I can't spell, I meant "guarantee" not "gaurentee".
Posted by gm0n3y | November 8, 2007 12:32 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 12:32
Who the heck is telling Kia and Subaru to take styling lessons from Chrysler? Put this next to the Tribeca and the Aspen, and I dare you to tell the difference.
Posted by WS | November 8, 2007 12:51 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 12:51
From: Allen Markin, Independent Contractor for Consumer Relations
To: Kia Engineering Department
Re: Kia Borrego
Subject: $100 Barrel of Oil
Text:
Are you fucking crazy? Really, do you even leave the goddamn laboratory? Are you taking lessons from GM now? Why do you go to the same school as GM Executives, did you decide you are not hemorrhaging money quickly enough?
I've decided to wave my fee for your company, they'll need all the cash they can to bail themselves out of this.
Posted by Allen | November 8, 2007 3:38 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 15:38
I am mystified by this. KIA has made some nice cars lately (w/ help from parent company Hyundai). Who told them that the US market needs another SUV? Have they done market research to show that for the most part SUV's sales are in the tank? (The exception are the small crossover car based "cute-utes" Escape, CRV, etc) I fully understand the idea of a small car based SUV i.e. Escape, CRV, Voque, etc. Car like manners and economy with more room than a comparible sedan makes good marketing sense. These large Truck frame SUV's make very little sense in the current fuel crisis climate. (one just needs to look at the Ford Explorer's declining sales to see that).
Posted by longdxcommuter | November 8, 2007 4:12 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 16:12
Uh... Its a truck. Can any of you people say truck?
Toyota still has SUV based Frame on Body designs.
This is a large SUV like the Tahoe or Sequia.
You might even say it gets 10 mpg.. oh my God.. no way!
Grow up people. You want eco boxes they make those too. Better yet, all of you who think Kia is crazy go and form your own car company and build you matchbox toys...
I am so sick of people thinking we all need to drive little wind-up toys to get to work and haul things...
Posted by Andrew | November 8, 2007 4:16 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 16:16
@Andrew:
These vehicles make sense for towing. Outside of that, a body on frame vehicle will always be significantly heavier, slower and less efficient than a unibody style vehicle. You have the right to buy whatever you want, but my post points out that every carmaker has experienced a downturn in large SUV sales, mainly do to the fact that gas has/will reach $3/gallon in the states. My argument is about the timing of Kia to enter the market with this. If this was 7 years ago, no one would complain. Now, it seems like a bad business move. Feel free to buy one and pay $45-60 per fill up.
Posted by longdxcommuter | November 8, 2007 4:44 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 16:44
You'd be lucky to fill this beast with only $45 - $60.
Posted by Arthur Pappas | November 8, 2007 6:32 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 18:32
Frame on body is VASTLY better than 90% of all unibody designs. My wifes Isuzu Rodeo is frame on body and is built like a brick crap house. It has comprable weight and handling to most things in it's category and gets 21 mpg on a V6 with reasonable power. Plus, it's easy as crap to work on. The placement of everything make sense, plus you can put a jack anyware on it and lift. Logical design is half the battle people.
Frankly I am mistified why car companies don't come out with a platform chassis and just make modular bodies. I mean the old VW stuff was this way. Type 3's came in coupe, sedan, and wagon. With new technologies it is pretty feasiable and I don't see it being that economically difficult.
Posted by Brian | November 8, 2007 10:43 PM
Posted on November 8, 2007 22:43
Borrego means Escalade in korean.
Posted by rene | November 9, 2007 8:40 AM
Posted on November 9, 2007 08:40
@Brian
Just curious about the Isuzu. Have you had to replace many intake manifold gaskets? The wifes went through them like crazy. Finally dumped it because of that. Warranty was done and there was no end it sight. ABS failure too.
Just curious, not trying to rip on you anything.
Posted by zippy | November 9, 2007 11:49 AM
Posted on November 9, 2007 11:49
"longdxcommuter:
@Andrew:
These vehicles make sense for towing. Outside of that, a body on frame vehicle will always be significantly heavier, slower and less efficient than a unibody style vehicle. You have the right to buy whatever you want, but my post points out that every carmaker has experienced a downturn in large SUV sales, mainly do to the fact that gas has/will reach $3/gallon in the states. My argument is about the timing of Kia to enter the market with this. If this was 7 years ago, no one would complain. Now, it seems like a bad business move. Feel free to buy one and pay $45-60 per fill up."
That's my point, people who own a Kia car already may want to have an option aside from the Sorento to have a full body SUV for hauling or towing. If they choose to use it as a primary vehicle also, then it is on them. I personally do not need a Full Truck based SUV, but I wouldn't mind having access to a crossover type SUV.
Posted by Andrew | November 9, 2007 2:23 PM
Posted on November 9, 2007 14:23
Just stay out of the fast lane please.
And yes, I've had a full size truck and a midsize SUV. I did like the truck, but no, never again. And never a minivan. If I need to haul stuff or kids again I'll get a sports wagon.
Posted by Kell | November 9, 2007 6:09 PM
Posted on November 9, 2007 18:09
another KIA lack of innovation design... It's just look a like Mercedes Benz GL class... and as long as there's a American/european/japanese cars, I wont buy korean cars because it's crap for me...
Posted by Herou | November 14, 2007 6:33 PM
Posted on November 14, 2007 18:33