Take the Kia K3, a compact car under the Kia brand that was once more popular. The previous Kia K3 had a monthly sales of over 10,000 in its glorious moments. However, as market competition has become more intense and the product itself has continued to emerge with multiple problems, the current Kia K3 has also become difficult in the market. Looking back at the sales of K3 last year, its annual sales data was only 28,289, which was not as good as the sales of Nissan Sylphy, the sales champion in the car market, for half a month. Facing such sales data, Dongfeng Yueda Kia should really think about it. Own problems. This is not over yet. In the new 2021, the Kia K3 did not harvest good sales in the past January and February, and only handed over the new car sales data of 2,103 and 1,515 respectively. Faced with this kind of market response, we can’t help but want to ask: Does Kia K3 really have a future? And just recently, overseas also officially released the official map of the mid-term facelift Kia K3. As a serious facelift, the new car has changed significantly compared with the current Kia K3. It is reported that the new model will be officially released on April 20, and will be officially unveiled with domestic users within the year at the earliest. For the official map of the mid-term facelift of the Kia K3 model released this time, it is simply a replacement of the family-style exterior design similar to the previous new generation of Kia K5. From the perspective of specific details, the new car has become more fashionable. At the same time, thanks to the use of LED headlights and tiger-style front face, the overall recognition is also improved by a step compared with the current model. There is no change on the side, and a new through-type taillight group design is used at the rear. From this taillight change, we can be more certain. Obviously, the new Kia K3 is moving to the rear design of the new generation of Kia K5. On par. Of course, it is undeniable that the design of the new Kia K3 still looks more sporty. Compared with the current models, I personally feel that it is indeed more in line with the mainstream aesthetic. There is no change in the interior, perhaps because the K3’s positioning is not high, and this time it is only a mid-term change instead of a replacement, so the manufacturer has not made a big upgrade. For this set of interior language, I personally feel that there is no problem at the design level. The manufacturer only needs to control the materials and workmanship. The power is still the same as that of the current K3. It is equipped with 1.5L and 1.4T power systems. The maximum power is 115 horsepower and 130 horsepower respectively. The transmission is a matching CVT continuously variable transmission and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. . From the perspective of the positioning of the Kia K3 family car, the two sets of power systems seem to have no problem at all, but compared with models of the same level, the advantages are not prominent. You know, there are many joint venture models like Sylphy, Corolla, Ralink, Lavida, Yinglang, Elantra and so on in the current market. Why should consumers give up the above models to choose you on the premise that the product is not excellent? How about this Kia K3? Current Kia K3 gearbox In addition, in terms of power, although the Kia K3’s 1.4T engine performs well, it is equipped with a 7-speed dry dual-clutch gearbox that people don’t like. This is a bit of a surprise. After all, there are many models for consumers to choose from, and there is no need to be fastened to your tree. Finally, there are many complaints about the cash Kia K3. On the vehicle quality network platform, complaints about the uncomfortable shock absorption of the Kia K3 suspension, abnormal noise in the central control, abnormal noise in the car, abnormal noise of engine stalling, and audio-visual system failure have been high. In addition to these, Kia’s poor after-sales service has become the last straw to bring down Kia’s old car owners. Many riders responded that Dongfeng Yueda Kia has problems such as non-fulfillment of service promises and charges in disguise. So, based on the after-sales experience of products like Kia, how can new consumers dare to pay for you? Written at the end: We are very pleased that Kia is about to launch a new mid-term facelift K3 model, but at the same time, we are actually a little uneasy. After all, the new car is only a major update in appearance, but the engine, gearbox, and chassis of the driving quality are completely unchanged this time. So at this point, it can be speculated that even if the K3 undergoes a mid-term facelift, its overall product power will remain the same. Finally, I sincerely say that the current Kia K3 is really no longer as brave as it used to be. I don’t know when it will take before K3 can be transferred, let alone whether the Kia brand has a future in China? After all, the current Kia really has no sense of existence, what do you think? (Reported by UTV Dazhuo Editor) Note: The pictures are from the Internet, and the rights belong to the original author. Thanks!

In the first 4 months of the year, Kia Seltos was the best-selling 5-seater SUV in Vietnam with cumulative sales of 5,158 units, far ahead of competitors in the same segment such as Toyota Corolla Cross (3,909 vehicles) Hyundai Kona (1,413 vehicles), Honda HR-V (574 cars) or Ford EcoSport (480 cars). According to a Kia salesperson in Hanoi, the main contribution to this result of Seltos Luxury is between the Deluxe and Premium models. This version is the most chosen by customers among the 3 variants of Kia Seltos being sold in Vietnam. The price is “just right for the piece” and the design is eye-catching Currently, Kia Seltos has a suggested selling price of VND 609-729 million, VND 10-20 million higher depending on the version compared to the launch time in July 2020. In which, the Luxury version is priced at 659 million VND and the cost of rolling in Hanoi is about 760 million VND. This price is considered to be quite competitive when compared to other models in the same segment. For example, the 1.8G base version of Corolla Cross is priced at 720 million VND, HR-V version G costs 786 million VND, Kona 2.0AT Standard costs 636 million VND or Peugeot 2008 costs 739-829 million VND. With a small amount of money, combined with an eye-catching design, Kia Seltos Luxury has received a lot of attention from young users, suitable for customers who buy a car for the first time for family use and do not require too much of a car. equipment and technology. Anh Quoc Khanh (HCMC) said that when he bought a car half a year ago, he wondered about the highest version of Seltos and EcoSport, several tens of millions of dong more expensive. Finally, consulting with relatives, he chose Seltos because of its larger, more superficial shape, and the cabin design is also more modern and spacious than the American SUV, suitable for families. In addition, Mr. Khanh said that the appearance of Seltos Luxury and Premium is almost identical, only slightly different in the first part, taking the middle version is more suitable for financial conditions, saving a considerable amount of money spent on car maintenance. Sufficient amenities Of course, Kia Seltos Luxury users will have to accept utility cuts compared to the Premium version. The most noticeable is the front light cluster instead of the Full-LED type, the Luxury version is only equipped with Halogen Projector lights and fog lights, the turn signals are also Halogen type. In return, other highlights of Seltos in general are still maintained on the Luxury version, which can be mentioned 17-inch alloy wheels, LED position lights, LED taillights, chrome trim in the grille and rear. sport spoiler, shark fin antenna… The overall dimensions of the Kia Seltos are also good in the segment, slightly better than EcoSport, Kona and equivalent to Corolla Cross, 2008. Specifically, the Seltos length x width x height parameters are 4,315 x 1,800 x 1,645mm respectively. , wheelbase at 2,610 mm and the best ground clearance in the segment – 190 mm. According to Mr. Khanh, the amenities of the Luxury version are sufficient for family needs. Leather seats, automatic air conditioning, still 6 speakers and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a slightly smaller screen (8 inches compared to 10.25 inches) is not a problem. The main plus point is that there are rear vents, many B-class or even C-class SUVs lack this detail. The main disadvantage compared to the Premium version belongs to the driver when there is no electric seat, no ventilation, no cruise control or automatic anti-glare interior rearview mirror. The rest, no interior lights or the removal of the sunroof is also a good point because these two equipment are not necessary. Outstanding operating parameters but still minor errors It is easy to see that the parameter set of Kia Seltos is somewhat outstanding and attractive when placed next to rivals as well as models in the price range of 600-700 million VND. The 1.4L turbocharged engine has a capacity of 138 horsepower and 242 Nm of torque, along with the option of 3 driving modes and 3 terrain modes. However, the Korean SUV is inherently only an urban car and front-wheel drive, these functions can only partially support when it is necessary to go on bad roads, but it is difficult to use it for offroad. A 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is standard equipment to help improve turbo engine lag. However, with Vietnamese traffic conditions, when experiencing traffic jams or moving slowly, the Seltos gearbox may overheat and the gearbox overheating warning light will appear on the dashboard. This condition does not significantly affect the operation of the vehicle. Another problem that many Seltos often encounter is water leaking into the cabin when it rains. This error is reflected by users because the rubber gasket on the front door and chassis is not sealed, when it encounters water, it will leak. When this problem occurs, it will be received by the Kia dealer and fixed by shrinking the corrugated iron in the inner gasket of the door. Besides, because it is a hot car, the demand exceeds the supply, so Seltos often has a shortage of goods and buyers have to “line up” to receive the car. Exchange with Zing , a Kia sales team leader in Ho Chi Minh City said that if you make a deposit in mid-June, you will have to wait until the end of July to have a car, which means the waiting time is more than 1 month.

Hunting clouds in Hang Kia – Pa Co. (Photo: Cung Phuc) Hang Kia – Pa Co valley is as beautiful as a fairyland. Hang Kia – Pa Co is located in the middle of Xa Linh and Luong Xa mountain ranges, with an average altitude of 800-900m above sea level, a cool year-round climate and surrounded by primeval forests with invaluable vegetation. equally rich. Drug hotspot turns into a beautiful cloud hunting spot Hang Kia, in Thai is “Bat Cave”, and Pa Co means “Goat Forest”, the residence of the Mong people in these two communes, which were formerly the villages of the Thai people. However, because it is not suitable for farming and living practices, the Thai people here have moved elsewhere. About 30km from Mai Chau town, Hang Kia – Pa Co are the two most difficult communes of Mai Chau district, once the capital of opium and a hot spot for drugs and social evils of Hoa Binh province. The cause of this situation is that the Mong here have a close relationship with the Mong people in Van Ho district (Son La) and the Mong people in Laos. Taking advantage of this, some subjects have carried out acts of illegally trading and transporting drugs. Since then, criminal lines have been formed and this place has become a transit point for drugs from Laos to Vietnam. Currently, Hang Kia – Pa Co has returned to its peaceful rhythm of life. Some households have begun to develop homestay tourism, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. From 2010 up to now, the local tourism activities began to have strong development steps. Since 1986, Hang Kia – Pa Co was planned as a special-use forest and in 1997 was converted into a nature reserve. The residents here are up to 90% of the Mong ethnic group, which still retains many unique cultural features. Khen dance – one of the unique cultural features of the Mong people in general and the Mong people in Hang Kia – Pa Co in particular. On festivals, the Mong ethnic group in Hang Kia – Pa Co organizes pounding day cakes to treat friends, this is also one of the unique culinary features here. The group took a souvenir photo at Hang Kia gate. (Photo: Huy Khoi) The most characteristic feature of Hang Kia – Pa Co for tourists is to go to “heaven’s gate” to “hunt clouds”. From above, visitors can watch white clouds floating around the mountains. We went to Hang Kia on a last day of April. The period from October last year to April next year is the ideal time to hunt clouds because these days with high humidity and cold will easily have the opportunity to meet more cloudy. The night before, we sat outside to eat and drink, surrounded by clouds making us feel like we were sitting in a refrigerator, a natural refrigerator. If you don’t wear a hat, it will only take a moment for the clouds to soak your hair. The later it got late, the colder it got, a few rains came, making our group all secretly happy that tomorrow morning will hunt clouds successfully. We woke up at 5am so we could reach the sky gate at 5:30am to hunt clouds. On the way, the gravel roads are messy, foggy, going 1-2m apart but “faint human image”. The more we waited, the less we could see the clouds descending, twisting together densely and floating around the mountain peaks. So cloud hunting failed. Kha A Dinh, the owner of A Dinh homestay, told us that if it rains heavily the night before, and the next morning is sunny, the hunt for clouds will succeed. “This season is the best season to hunt clouds, hopefully, you guys are lucky next time,” A Dinh said. Hang Kia and Pa Co market If the rattan hunt fails, you can visit Hang Kia and shop at Pa Co fair. In fact, very few people are allowed to enter Hang Kia because this place is not a tourist attraction, but is under the management of the Ministry of Defense. Fortunately, we were loved by the local people and personally took us to Hang Kia to tell us the name was taken to give this place name. What you should pay special attention to when entering Hang Kia is to stay away from the Ki tree, a wild plant that grows along the entrance to the cave, has very sharp thorny leaves that sting like a needle. Locals said that sometimes when I don’t look at it, it also stabs itself. We had to actively use our shoes to crush the Ki tree so it wouldn’t hit us. Entering the cave, we caught a few bats flying out of nowhere, then flew away again. That’s the Bat Cave. The cave is small and deep. Sometimes we had to crouch to keep our heads off. In the cave there are many stalactites, traces left by thousands of years of water droplets flowing on the top. Pa Co market takes place on Sunday mornings with products of the indigenous Hmong people. Banned pork is sold at the market gate. The red pork pieces like beef, white fat and thick, the price is about the same as pork in the city, but definitely much better. Dresses and shirts sewn and embroidered by the people themselves are also on sale, priced at 1 million/piece. The price is expensive because this is completely handmade. To sew a brocade dress/shirt, it takes a month of hard work for the sisters/mothers. There are Hmong women about 70-80 years old who bring ginseng roots, precious plants only in this area, and lovely Mong dogs… for sale. People often buy and bargain less because people here are still too poor, buying to support them is the main thing. Group of tourists taking pictures with Mong children in Mongolian village, Hang Kia. (Photo: Huy Khoi) With a cool year-round climate, and located on a famous tourist route connecting Mai Chau and Moc Chau, going to Hang Kia is often combined with tourists to visit neighboring areas. For example, if in the calendar year, you can run to Moc Chau to see plum or peach blossoms, take advantage of visiting Hang Kia to play. There is also a plum garden here for you to see, if you like. Located between Tan Lac and Mai Chau on National Highway 6, you can go through Thung Khe Pass or Da Trang Pass, you can see the clear sky in the morning, the afternoon sun is hot, the sky is blue, the afternoon is gentle with sunlight. Afternoon sun and night fog spread all over the road. Going down Mai Chau 30km, visitors can visit Lac village, Mai Chau, a famous and poetic attraction among high mountains and green rice fields. Currently, Lac and Mai Chau villages have developed community tourism with electric cars that take tourists to visit 8 villages, there are double bicycles for renters to cycle through fragrant ripe rice fields.

Specifically, Kia Seltos in Vietnam is manufactured and distributed by Thaco with a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, different from the Seltos series equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine recalled because of an engine error in the US. Kia Seltos in Vietnam is equipped with a Kappa 1.4 T-GDi engine, with a capacity of 138 hp and a torque of 242 Nm. Previously, according to an announcement from the US Road Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 147,000 Kia Seltos and Souls had technical problems due to the incorrectly manufactured oil ring. standard. This leads to a possible lack of lubricating oil, overheating, locking the cylinders and potentially causing a fire hazard. If the engine is having problems, it will cause the lubricating oil to lose quickly, make strange noises or turn on the oil pressure warning light. Kia North America said it had dealt with the problem with its engine-clutch supplier. In addition, the vehicles in the summoning area will be checked and replaced with damaged parts. In Vietnam, Kia Seltos is an urban SUV that competes with Toyota Corolla Cross, Hyundai Kona, Ford EcoSport, Mazda CX-30, Peugeot 2008 or Honda HR-V.

Kia Seltos in the US and Vietnam use different engines – Photo: Autoblog. Kia North America is conducting a mass recall of Seltos vehicles to prevent the risk of fire. However, the entire number of Kia Seltos cars included in the recall is equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI petrol engine. Meanwhile, Seltos in Vietnam market uses two petrol engine options of 1.4 Turbo and 1.6L. Therefore, there is no contact between vehicles in the market during this recall, the Kia Motors statement stated. On April 13, the US Road Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Seltos recall program carried out by Kia Motors in North America, with a very large volume. The above information immediately affected car owners outside the US market, including Vietnam. Kia Motors also quickly released a statement clarifying the market areas related to the recalled Seltos, along with a description of the fault that caused the car to face a fire risk. Accordingly, the oil rings in the engine have not been fabricated, heat treatment in accordance with standards causes abrasion, causing the cylinder lining to be scratched, causing oil to enter the combustion chamber, leading to Lack of oil and could cause the vehicle to stall and face the risk of fire. Speaking to the Transport Magazine, Mr. Tran Viet Hung – Deputy Director of Communications Thaco confirmed that the program to recall Seltos cars in the US according to the announcement of Kia Motors on April 13 does not affect vehicles manufactured and distributed by Thaco. distribution in the Vietnamese market. Thaco is still in close contact with Kia Motors and closely following this issue to ensure absolute safety for vehicles sold to the market.

Standard equipment on the Volkswagen Taos S front-wheel drive includes LED exterior lights, 17-inch wheels, ceiling rack, 6.5-inch central touch screen, Bluetooth connectivity, digital dashboard 8 inch, reverse camera. Choosing to upgrade to a 2-wheel drive 4Motion system, users will have to spend $ 25,040 but get heated front seats, heated front glass and side mirrors. Next, the Volkswagen Taos SE has a starting price of $ 27,245 for the front-drive configuration and $ 28,695 for the two. The default equipment on this version is also more complete with 18-inch rims, ceiling mounts, side mirrors with body color, 8-inch center screen, high-end speakers, wireless phone charging desk, 3 ports USB-C charger (default 2 only) or SiriusXM radio. The interior is also available in fabric or leather options, along with electric heated front seats, smart keys and one-way personal windows. Finally, the Volkswagen Taos SEL starts at $ 31,490 using 18-inch wheels on the FWD and 19-inch wheels on the AWD version, and adds adaptive LED headlights, radiator lights, digital dashboard 10.25 inch, default leather seats, BeatsAudio speakers, interior backlight, 2-zone air conditioning and ventilated front seats. All Volkswagen Taos configurations by default use a turbocharged 158-hp 1.5-liter engine, 250 Nm of torque with an 8-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. 2 bridges. Reference: Carscoops

Since its launch to date, Kia Seltos has regularly been in the group of 10 most popular Vietnamese car models. Recently, Kia globally announced the recall of 147,249 Seltos and Soul units in the US market to fix errors in the oil ring in the engine. According to the announcement from the Korean automaker, all affected vehicles are fitted with a 2.0-liter Nu MPI 4-cylinder engine. The cause of the fault is identified as improperly heat-treated the rings, causing them to leak oil out. The large-scale recall is expected to start by Kia America on June 11, 2021. Error correction may include replacing the client’s engine with a new engine in the event of a breakdown of the engine. Kia says that the installation of oil ring noise sensors is also in progress to help better control vehicle engine performance. The large-scale recall in the US has caused more or less concerns for Vietnamese consumers. Because, Kia Seltos is currently one of the best-selling cars in Vietnam. However, the unit that assembles and distributes the Kia brand, Thaco Group, said that the Seltos model in the Vietnamese market is completely out of the recall. The reason is that Kia Seltos in Vietnam does not use the same engine as the car in the US market. Specifically, the Kia Seltos versions recalled in the US are equipped with a Nu MPI 2.0L engine while the car in Vietnam uses 1.4 Turbo and 1.6L MPI engines. Kia Seltos officially launched in Vietnam at the end of July 2020. Currently, the urban SUV model has 3 versions of Deluxe, Luxury and Premium with retail prices of VND 609 million, VND 659 million and VND 729 million, respectively. Since its launch to date, Kia Seltos has regularly been in the group of 10 most popular Vietnamese car models. According to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), a total of 3,840 Kia Seltos cars were sold in the first three months of this year. This level of sales volume helps Kia Seltos rank 6th in the 10 most expensive cars in the market.

According to the explanation from Kia Vietnam, Seltos car versions recalled in the US are equipped with Nu MPI 2.0L engine; Meanwhile, THACO AUTO is manufacturing and distributing this crossover in the Vietnamese market with 1.4 Turbo and 1.6 MPI engine options. More than 20,000 Kia Seltos are being recalled in the US. Previously, according to information from the US Road Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA), the new recall announced by Kia involved 125,400 Soul cars from 2020-2021 and 21,849 Seltos 2021 cars. All produced from November 20, 2019 to October 15, 2020. Explaining the error, Kia said: “During production at the piston oil supplier, inconsistent heat treatment occurred which caused the ring stiffness to be too high”, at the same time. : “Excessive oil ring stiffness can lead to external chipping, scratch the cylinder walls and may result in increased oil consumption, resulting in abnormal engine noise and / or The oil pressure warning light lights up “. The Korean car manufacturer warns that defective vehicles can damage the engine if they continue to be operated, even causing a fire in some cases. However, Kia has not received any accident reports related to this error. Kia Seltos is currently produced and distributed in Vietnam by THACO AUTO with 3 versions of Deluxe, Luxury, and Premium with prices of VND 609, 659 and 729 million, respectively. After more than 8 months of being in Vietnam, Kia Seltos continuously participated in the group of 10 best-selling cars in the market and always ranked first in the segment of B-size urban SUVs. In the first quarter of 2021, Kia Seltos achieved success. Company with sales up to nearly 4,000 units in Vietnam. Sponsorship news

On April 13, the US Department of Road Traffic Safety (NHTSA) issued a notice requesting a recall for Kia Seltos and Soul equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engine. The total number of vehicles affected is 147,249 units. According to the NHTSA, the oil ring parts of the engine were not made to the correct standards and stiffer than necessary. This can wear and scratch the cylinder lining, causing lubricating oil to get into the combustion chamber. Besides the possibility of lubricating oil loss or the engine overheating, locking the cylinders, this problem can lead to a fire risk, according to NHTSA documents. Kia Vietnam has just announced the recall program of Seltos and Soul cars equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine in the US, not related to the new Kia Seltos produced and distributed in the Vietnamese market. Regarding this information, on April 22, 2021, Kia Vietnam responded to the press and said the program recall car Kia Seltos In the US, according to the announcement of Kia Global on April 13, 2021, it is not related to Kia Seltos cars produced and distributed in the Vietnamese market by THACO AUTO. Specifically, the Kia Seltos versions recalled in the US are equipped with a Nu MPI 2.0L engine, while THACO AUTO produces and distributes in the Vietnamese market with 1.4 Turbo and 1.6 MPI engine options. Currently, THACO AUTO is produced and distributed in Vietnam with 3 versions: Deluxe, Luxury, and Premium with selling prices of VND 609, 659 and 729 million, respectively.

Starting next year, Hyundai Motor and Kia will launch pure electric vehicles in China every year.

Hyundai and Kia fell out of TOP15 sales in the first quarter

As we all know, China, as the world’s fastest-growing economy, has become the world’s largest auto market. Here, there are the world’s largest and youngest consumer groups and the most complex and diverse car-using scenes. The so-called Chinese market wins the world, but in the past few years, due to political factors, superimposed product strength, quality reputation and other multiple reasons, Korean brands have been difficult to improve in recent years. According to the March sales statistics of the National Travel Association, no matter whether it is at the level of car companies or the models of various market segments, the sales TOP15 list can not find the names of two Korean companies and related products. In the 2020 annual report released by BAIC Group, although it did not disclose the specific revenue and gross profit of its joint venture Beijing Hyundai, the announcement revealed that Beijing Hyundai’s terminal sales volume was 502,000, which has been declining for 4 years. In contrast, Dongfeng Yueda Kia’s situation is slightly better. The brand officially announced that the sales volume in 2020 will be 249,300 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 2.6%.

It can be said that if Hyundai and Kia do not make changes, their prospects will be even more bleak under the trend that their own brands continue to rise.

Therefore, Hyundai Kia has proposed four core strategies, which can be simplified into four aspects. First, further strengthen localized R&D and launch exclusive high-quality products and services for Chinese consumers; second, import exclusive electric vehicle products recognized by the global market into the Chinese market; third, make full use of them to start earlier Promoting the transformation and upgrading of joint venture brands to become a brand favored by Chinese consumers.

New energy products in China will increase to 21

According to Hyundai Kia’s strategic announcement this time, they will further strengthen China’s localized R&D and marketing efforts, and launch products and services that are more valuable to Chinese users. According to reports, Hyundai Kia plans to establish its first overseas advanced digital R&D center in Shanghai in the second half of this year. The R&D center will focus on the current four disruptive technology development directions-autonomous driving, interconnection technology, electrification and shared travel, and accelerate the digital transformation of Hyundai and Kia in China. At the same time, Beijing Hyundai and Dongfeng Yueda Kia will also carry out business innovation in all links including production, sales and marketing, focusing on the needs of local users.

In response to the major changes in the electrification of the global automotive industry, Hyundai and Kia will simultaneously develop all new energy models including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, pure electric and hydrogen fuel cells. In 2020, sales of Hyundai and Kia plug-in hybrid models and pure electric vehicles ranked fourth in the world. In December 2020, Hyundai·Kia created E-GMP, a global modular platform for electrification. The strategic products IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 respectively launched by Hyundai and Kia are based on this E-GMP platform. Hyundai Motor’s IONIQ 5 received 18,000 orders in just one hour in Korea’s pre-sale, breaking the local pre-sale record of the Korean car brand. Kia’s EV6 orders reached 21,016 on the day the pre-sales officially opened in South Korea, reaching 162% of the 2021 sales target. As for the Chinese market, Hyundai Kia has made it clear that it will accelerate the pace of new electric vehicle launches.

Starting next year, Hyundai Motor and Kia will launch pure electric vehicles in China every year. IONIQ (艾尼氪) 5. EV6 will be introduced one after another, and a dedicated pure electric model for the Chinese market will be launched. By 2030, Hyundai Motor and Kia plan to increase the number of new energy products in China to 21 models, covering hybrid vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

E-GMP, an electrified global modular platform built by Hyundai and Kia

In particular, Hyundai and Kia have made great efforts in the R&D and application of hydrogen fuel cell technology in recent years. As the first company to mass-produce hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell dedicated model NEXO was launched in 2018. In the field of commercial vehicles, the first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell heavy truck XCIENT Fuel Cell has also achieved commercial operation in Switzerland. At the end of last year, Hyundai Motor also released the exclusive brand HTWO for hydrogen fuel cell systems. At the same time, they also introduced their hydrogen fuel cell technology to China. The group’s first overseas hydrogen fuel cell system production and sales base “HTWO Guangzhou” is expected to be officially completed in the second half of 2022, and the total investment is expected to reach 8.5 billion yuan by 2030. RMB (including factory operating expenses). This will be the first plant named after Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel cell exclusive brand “HTWO”, and it will also be China’s first large-scale hydrogen fuel cell system production dedicated plant.

At the brand level, Beijing Hyundai will continue to implement the “HSMART+” technology brand strategy and develop into an innovative brand focusing on smart experience. Through innovative technologies in the three areas of environmentally friendly travel, connected travel and free travel, it will provide consumers with a new travel experience . As for Dongfeng Yueda Kia, it will simultaneously become a fashionable and young mobile travel brand. During the Shanghai Auto Show a few days later, in addition to all Kia models equipped with new logos, Dongfeng Yueda Kia will also fully upgrade its dealer network based on new standards, and deploy high-end direct experience centers and specialty city experience stores in major cities across the country. Wait.

Southern Reporter Liang Luozhe

After the great success of the urban SUV model Kia Seltos in the Vietnamese market, Kia’s exclusive distributor in Vietnam, Thaco Truong Hai, continued its move to launch another urban SUV, the Kia Sonet. . Information revealed first, the new SUV model has received great attention from the monotonous world. So what are the similarities and differences between Kia Sonet and Kia Seltos?

Classification, size

The Kia Seltos is designed to be a B-SUV, while the Kia Sonet is a smaller mini SUV (SUV A +). Kia Sonet has an overall size of 3,995 x 1,790 x 1,642 (mm) long x width x height; wheelbase 2,500 (mm). Meanwhile, Kia Seltos seniors have corresponding dimensions of 4,315 x 1,800x 1,645 (mm), a wheelbase of 2,610 (mm). Thus, Seltos is longer than 320 (mm); 10 (mm) wider and 3 (mm) taller; wheelbase more than 110 (mm). With a much larger length and wheelbase, the Seltos looks better on the outside and the interior is easier to sit, especially for the second row occupants.

Although small, but the Mini SUV Kia Sonet is an A + SUV, compared to the A-class hatchback, the Kia Morning, it is clear that the Sonet still has a larger size.

Kia Seltos is 320 mm longer (Photo Giaxeoto.vn)

Engine power

As the A-SUV segment, the Kia Sonet cannot compare with the Kia Seltos in terms of performance. While Seltos uses 1.4L and 1.6L petrol engines with 121-138 horse power, Sonet uses a 1.2L petrol engine with a capacity of only 87 horse power (equivalent to the Morning). Sonet 1.0L T-GDi version uses Turbo engine for 118Hp capacity. Sonet in the world market also has a 1.5L oil engine with a capacity of 97 horsepower, far behind Seltos. So, if you own a Mini SUV Kia Sonet, the owner will have to balance because the ability to climb up when carrying heavy loads is quite weak. Just look at the Kia Morning to know.

Kia Sonet is only “strong” as Kia Morning (photo Giaxeoto.vn)

Beautiful, youthful and modern exterior design

Since its launch in Vietnam, Seltos has continuously created a fever because of its extremely eye-catching design. Characteristic SUV design, indicators such as tiger nose calipers are arranged harmoniously to help the car look extremely seductive. Many experts and consumers rate the Kia Seltos with the highest score on the exterior. The Kia Sonet, when compared to the Kia Seltos, is equally beautiful, even though the exterior looks smaller, but still exudes the sportiness of a modern urban SUV.

Comfortable cabin compartment

The most similarity when comparing the interior of the Sonet and the Seltos is that the cabin is similar. Both cars are equipped with a 10.25-inch LCD screen that stands on the dashboard. 3-spoke steering wheel with audio adjustment and hands-free phone. Digital display behind the wheel instead of traditional analog. Other amenities that 2 5-seater SUVs have such as intelligent explosion, automatic air conditioning, and the front seats are designed to hold tight against fatigue. The difference is probably in the sunroof on the highest-end Sonet. But do not know if this detail will be cut when returning to Vietnam or not? In addition, the Kia Sonet also surprised with a new 7-seat version launched in Indonesia. But perhaps this version is not about Vietnam.

Safe enough

The Kia Sonet is equipped with just enough safety features such as 6 airbags, ABS brakes, EBD, ESC, brake assist, front and rear parking sensors, tire pressure warning, automatic headlights and security keychains. Full Isofix for child seats. Seltos has some additional features such as support for horizontal slope departure, traction control …

Above are some comparisons between two small SUV brothers Kia Sonet and Seltos. It is expected that with a low price, Sonet will be a new blockbuster in the Vietnamese auto market in the near future.

Ranked 5 urban SUV models in March: Kia Seltos ‘crushed’ Hyundai Kona.

The urban SUV segment is witnessing a fierce race between rivals Toyota Corolla Cross and Kia Seltos to compete for the top spot. Meanwhile, the “hot” car, once known as Hyundai Kona, is slowly being “turned away” by domestic consumers.

Kia Seltos: Sales of 1,602 units

According to VAMA sales report, summarizing in March 2021, sales of Kia Seltos were 1,602 units, leading in the urban SUV segment in the month. This car together in the ranking of 10 best-selling car models of the month when standing at No. 4.

Toyota Corolla Cross: Sales of 1,390 units

Affixing a long-standing brand name in the market helps “rookie” Toyota Corolla Cross get a “springboard” to quickly catch up with the “game” against competitors that have been open for sale for many years.

In the March 2021 rankings, Toyota Corolla Cross achieved sales of 1,390 units sold on the market. Compared to the leader, this car is only inferior to the leader of 212 units.

Hyundai Kona: Sales of 334 units

Hyundai Kona was once considered a new “monument” to replace the Ford EcoSport in the urban SUV segment, but the appearance of the Toyota Corolla Cross and Kia Seltos made this model lose market share.

In the whole of March, only 334 units were delivered to users. This number is not equal to the odd number of the Kia Seltos.

Honda HR-V: Sales of 173 units

As usual, the Honda HR-V continues to be a rather poor sales model. In March 2021, sales of HR-V were 173 units.

In the market, Honda HR-V does not sell as strongly as Kia Seltos or Hyundai Kona due to the highest selling price in the segment (786 – 871 million VND) because CBU is imported from Thailand instead of locally assembled.

Currently, Honda HR-V is being adjusted sharply by dealers in Vietnam with a reduction of up to 130 million VND to stimulate demand.

Ford EcoSport: Sales of 117 units

Ranked last in the ranking of 5 urban SUV models in March 2021 is a familiar Ford EcoSport name. Sales of this model sold for the month was 117 units.

In the context of new competitors appearing and quickly overwhelming sales, Ford has released an upgraded version with many changes in appearance such as removing the cornering wheel and adding comfort but not helping. Improved attractiveness with customers.