Busy 2013 for Kia Australia

Kia's big news next year will be the next-generation Cerato that was unveiled to the world at the LA Auto Show last week.

As we reported at the time, the Cerato will reach Australia in sedan form first, in April or May.

A few months later (around July), the sedan will be joined by a hatchback model, and the two-door Koup will follow from perhaps as early as November, but may be delayed until the early months of 2014.

The new Cerato is not the only arrow in Kia’s quiver. It will also launch a facelift of the Optima sedan, according to Kevin Hepworth, National Public Relations Manager at Kia Australia. The upgraded Optima could even be revealed to the world before the end of 2012.

"I think we'll see the facelift very late this year or early next year," he told Australian journalists in Los Angeles for the motor show last week.

Mr Hepworth says the facelift should be substantial, and will involve sheet metal changes front and rear. Under the skin, the updated Optima is expected to introduce the next iteration of motor-driven power steering system for Aussie-spec cars, which will also gain an electronic parking brake in lieu of the current foot-operated system in the current car. It may also be an appropriate time to introduce the Optima Turbo (see separate story) to the local market.

"The fact that there is a facelift coming could stall the plan, if you like – to that time. It's not cheap to introduce a new model – even a variant of a car that exists. So you want to get the maximum out of it," Mr Hepworth explained, "So if that's going to be six months... as they keep pushing back, we keep reducing the pressure to get it until the next generation of cars..."

Odds seem about even for the Optima Turbo to come to Australia, but the same can't be said of the Optima Hybrid.

"Politically, it would be good to have one of the eco-range cars in the company; practically, it's way down on the scale," Mr Hepworth explained. "Hybrid cars in Australia are not big sellers. People don't want to buy them. They don't want to pay a premium to be seen to be green.

"Everyone talks it up; a lot of people say: 'yeah, wouldn't it be great', but have a look at the numbers for the cars they sell here at the moment."

The Optima Hybrid is not offered in right-hand drive, so the question of it coming to Australia remains academic for that reason alone, in the short-term at least.

The Kia exec indicated that waiting for upgrade models as an entree moment for new variants or whole new ranges would be one reason the Picanto light hatch is not yet green-lighted for Australia, with a major change for the light segment hatch due soon.

And, taken one step further, if Kia Australia wants a brand-building turbo car in the range, it doesn't have to be the Optima necessarily. Fitted with the same 1.6-litre forced-induction engine that powers the Hyundai Veloster SR, the Cerato Koup could conceivably fill that role.

"There's been discussion that turbo would be better suited in the Koup... or, as we know, the cee'd's in the mix, so to delay it another 12 months or 18 months until that's available to us. [But] we're not just going to throw a turbo on something and scatter it through the range."

Even the Koup – as a turbo – could be a long way off in the future. Since the new model won't reach Australia until late next year – around November or December – the Turbo model is more likely than not to follow at a significantly later date.

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