Kia releases the first images of its first-ever rear-wheel-drive sedan, the fullsize KH.
The auto maker plans to launch the new vehicle in Korea before June.
“Although launch timings for overseas markets are yet to be confirmed, this all-new rear-wheel-drive large sedan will definitely become the leading model of our lineup around the world, showcasing the best of the best of Kia,” says Soon-Nam Lee, director-overseas marketing group.
The KH shares the same platform as Hyundai’s rear-wheel-drive Equus luxury model. It is assumed it will be powered by the same engine lineup as the Equus, but the spokesman says specs will not be issued until the KH’s debut draws closer.
The Equus features the direct-injected Lambda gasoline V-6 in some markets and a range of Tau V-8s that run from 4.6L to 5.0L and 5.6 L.
It is not clear whether the new vehicle will have its global debut at the Busan International Motor Show in Korea, which is set for May 24-June 3. Busan is a possibility, but Kia’s vehicle-display lineup isn’t fixed yet, a spokesman tells WardsAuto.
“Look for another official image or two coming out in the weeks ahead,” he says.
The KH will be built at Kia’s Hwasung plant in South Korea’s Gyeonggi province, which also produces the Optima, Spectra, Forte, Sportage and Carens models.