| New Eco-Model | Frankfurt Motor Show | Kia eco_cee'd |
Kia unveiled its own eco-friendly car in the form of a lightly modified
pro_cee'd, at the
Frankfurt Motor Show last week. Using a 1.6-litre, 113bhp turbodiesel, the car manages a claimed combined cycle figure of 72.4mpg whilst emitting only 104g/km of CO
2, making it Euro 5-compliant and firmly in competition with VW's BlueMotion and
SEAT's Ecomotive technology.
Such frugal, eco-friendly figures will make the car exempt from the proposed London Congestion Charge, as well as sliding neatly into the band B UK road tax bracket, ensuring that the Kia won't steal all your pennies under ownership. When added to a seven-year warranty, you can certainly expect decent value for money if the car goes on sale sometime next year. We think it will.
To maximise the car's fuel and CO
2 saving potential, Kia has fitted its own Idle Stop & Go system - similar to that fitted to the new
MINI Clubman - and an energy-efficient regenerative braking system. Furthermore, the pro_cee'd's body has been subtly altered to lower its drag coefficient to 0.3.
If the Eco_cee'd does go on sale, don't expect much of a premium over a standard diesel-powered 1.6-litre pro_cee'd. VW's Polo BlueMotion for instance, is being sold in Germany for just £540 more than a normal Polo with an equivalent 1.4-litre engine.
With everything in mind, including big potential fuel, tax and CO
2 charge savings, Kia looks set to offer a competitive eco-conscious car of its own. The list of such cars continues.
Kyle Molyneux - 20 Sep 2007