ON THE UP
Best-selling car brand loved by Brits reveals plans for upcoming hatchback & replacement for 167 mph super saloon
Their surprisingly fast super saloon was taken off the market just last year
A CAR brand that's become a hit with Brits is looking to line up two new EVs at each end of its range of models.
The best-selling carmaker is eyeing an entry-level electric motor that could boast a tantalisingly low asking price, as well as a souped-up grand tourer.
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Kia has proven to be a firm favourite brand in the UK - with their Sportage model one of the best-selling motors in 2024 so far.
What's more, the Korean marque is one of leading carmakers when it comes to affordable EVs with many of their models ranking highly in terms of sales - including the Niro EV, EV6 and EV9.
Indeed, the Niro EV is hugely popular with Brits and remains one of the nation's top 10 best-selling electric cars, while the EV9 was recently voted ‘Best Electric’ car by What Car? in 2024.
Keen to keep up their momentum, Kia are now eyeing a small, city-car EV that could become the successor to the Picanto.
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The Picanto, the smallest and cheapest motor that Kia currently have on offer, comes with just two petrol engine options - a 1.0 and 1.2-litre.
At the moment, an electric version of the Picanto does not exist, presumably as it would reduce the little car's boot space and increase its cost - going against the Picanto's budget-friendly design.
But an entry-level EV is seemingly next on manufacturer's list of ideas for the future.
Kia's president, Ho-sung Song, confirmed to Autocar that an electric city car to replace the Picanto was their “next target”, although he admitted it would be “very difficult, very challenging” to build one that was affordable in 2024.
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He added: “Our next target is an EV model starting from €30,000.
The Sun's Motors Editor, Rob Gill test drives the Kia EV3
"This is what we’re preparing to offer customers.
"Still, we think we need sub-€25,000 (£21,070) in our EV cars and maybe we can leverage around €20,000.
"But that cannot happen in the next two years.”
Similarly, Kia are planning a fast, luxurious EV in the same mould as the cult favourite Stinger GT that was discontinued in 2023.
The classy grand tourer, considered by many petrolheads to be vastly underrated, was comparable to the super saloons built by the likes of BMW and Audi.
The range-topping Stinger GT came with a 3.3-litre, twin-turbocharged V6 engine capable of 365bhp - which is comparable to the BMW M2 - topping 167mph.
When asked about the potential all-electric Stinger GT replacement, Song said to Autocar: “That kind of model is under study.
“What kind of model can help build the brand? This is what we are now studying.”
A car expert recently got behind the wheel of a second-hand Stinger GT and described it as “one of the best value for money grand tourers you can get on the market.”
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At the lowest level, the Stinger GT was priced at £40,000 from new but can now be picked up for around £25,000.
Elsewhere, we recently took the Kia EV3 for a spin and described the family-friendly set of wheels as a "game-changer" thanks to its 372 miles of range and £36,000 asking price.
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