Stylish Kia set for Paris debut

Kia has released photos of its new European-built small car. The photos were released at the British International Motor Show this week ahead of the Golf-sized C-segment car’s September unveiling.

Code-named ED, the car will be built in Kia’s first European manufacturing facility at Zilina in Slovakia. It will debut at the Paris Motor Show on September 28.

Kia says ED has been conceived, designed and built for European consumers, where it claims it will be a “genuine challenger” to the established class leaders like Golf and Focus.  Scheduled to go on sale across Europe in December of this year, the well-styled five-door hatch will (eventually) make it to markets like Australia.

Detailed stats on the new car are scarce. Kia states the car is around 4200mm long and boasts a wheelbase of 2650mm. These measurements are 280mm and 40mm shorter than the current Cerato and compares to 4204/4249/4400 and 2578/2614/2640 for the Golf, Astra and Mazda 3 respectively.

According to Kia the ED will “offer class-leading interior space, plus highly competitive levels of equipment and state-of-the-art active and passive safety.”

European customers will choose from a range of four engines comprising 1.4, 1.6 and 2.0-litre CVVT petrol engines and a 1.6-litre VGT diesel engine.

“Our new C-segment model is code named ED because it is a European design created with European consumers in mind,” said Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe.

“The production model’s styling highlights that this car is a truly European design… a car designed in Europe, made in Europe, to fulfill 100 per cent of European customer needs.”

Kia says the ED combines “strongly solid forms with sensitively flowing lines, jewel-like detailing and a broad stance.”

First seen as the Cee’d concept car at Geneva earlier this year (for more details click

Compared to the current crop of cars, it can’t come too soon.