Dongfeng Yueda Kia to launch two new models in '09

Shanghai, November 6 (Gasgoo.com) Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Co, a joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Corp and Korean Kia Motors, will make and sell the all-new Kia Forte and Soul compact cars in China next year, reported the Beijing Times today. The upgraded Kia Optima is also likely to be made by the venture for its better sales in the China market.

Kia Motors hopes to boost sales of its cars in China by introducing the two or more all-new models. Kia Forte is the new generation model of Kia Cerato, or Kia Spectra (as called in North America). Dongfeng Yueda Kia will start to make this car for the Chinese market early next year.

The new Forte compact sedan, which Kia released in its home market in late August, is equipped with a 1.6-liter gasoline or diesel engine, generates 124 horsepower, and the company plans to add a 2-liter engine later. The price for the Forte ranges from 11.9 million won ($11,300) to 19.6 million won. Unveiled at the 2008 Paris Auto Show in October, the all-new Kia Forte compact car will be launched in China and global markets simultaneously in June 2009.

Last month, the Kia Soul small crossover was also displayed at the Paris show and went on sale in South Korea. It will be made in China in 2009 as well by Dongfeng Yueda Kia to rival Suzuki Tianyu SX4-Sport. The Chinese-made Kia Soul is expected to hit the China market by the end of next year at a price about 100,000 yuan ($14,650).

Kia has introduced three engines for the Soul model, starting with a 1.6-liter inline four and a 2.0-liter inline four, with the former expected to produce around 110-115 hp, and the latter in excess of 140 hp. The third engine is a 1.6-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder. Kia has no intentions of offering the Soul in an all-wheel-drive configuration.

In addition to the new Forte and Soul models, Dongfeng Yueda Kia is also likely to produce the upgraded Kia Optima car in 2009 to boost the sales of Optima in China. The first-generation Optima is Kia's first midsize sedan made by the joint venture for the Chinese market, where this car has not sold well.