Kia SUVs Philippines Lineup
The first thing that will enter a boomer’s head when talking about Kia would probably be the Kia of the 90s. When they were an, to say it lightly, up and coming brand struggling to create its own identity in the Philippine market dominated by the Japanese.
Their Kia Pride, available in both 4 door sedan and hatchback and powered by a 63 hp, 99Nm 1.3 liter engine was a hit but became synonymous with substandard drivability and build quality. It was cheap motoring and that was pretty much all it could offer.
With the success of crossover such as the Honda CRV and Rav4 as well as Ford and sister company Hyundai, Kia read the writing on the wall and realized they need a horse in the SUV race too.
First introduced into the Philippines market in 2009, it wasn’t quite an SUV and it definitely was not an MPV. It seated 5 had 2 engine choices and the top-spec model even had ambient interior lights that you can customize and can pulse to the beat of your playlist.
It is powered by a 1.6 liter CRDi Turbocharged Diesel engine that makes 126 hp and 260 Nm of torque.
It has a quirky, youthful design that will definitely make anyone take a second look at it. It seems like Kia Philippines is offering the Kia Soul on its last legs as the next car on our list is set to supplant it soon.
The Kia Seltos is on a mission. It wants to create a clean slate for Kia in the Philippines after the failure of the apparent failure of the Kia Soul to do so.
It rides much higher than the Kia Soul ever did as it markets itself as a fully-fledged SUV, albeit being compact in size and technically being classified as a crossover.
Tests have shown the current Kia Seltos to be quite the capable crossover that will target the likes of the Honda HRV, Ford Ecosport, and the Mazda CX-3. Only time will tell if it succeeds in the market but if tests are any indication, it sure has a better chance than the Kia Soul.
The Kia Sportage offers a strange proposition. First of all, it shares the same platform as its sister company, Hyundai’s crossover, the Hyundai Tucson, as well as the same engine.
It also offers less traditional design than the Tucson’s with its large, upswept headlamps that flank that distinct tiger-nose grille.
Maybe it is the quirky exterior because admittedly it does look kind of busy upfront, but driving the car around, the Kia Sportage offers impeccable poise and smoothness you won't find in the Tucson.
