Kia Cee'd "Sporty Wagon" for Europe

SEOUL, Korea — Kia has released photographs of the production version of its new Cee'd wagon prior to its unveiling at next month's Geneva auto show.

The new car, which will be sold under the name Sporty Wagon in Europe, forms part of a three-model Cee'd lineup. It slots in alongside the current five-door Cee'd and the three-door version that is planned to be unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Kia claims the Cee'd Sporty Wagon brings class-leading interior accommodation and luggage space to its class. At 176 inches in length, it is 29.3 inches longer than the five-door hatchback version of the Cee'd, all of which is concentrated in the rear overhang. It is also almost a half-inch taller than its hatchback sibling at 58.7 inches.

The Korean carmaker is making much of its new wagon's rear tailgate mechanism. It is hinged 8.9 inches inward from the top of the rear window, an arrangement it says allows you to load the rear luggage compartment without needing to step back from the car when the tailgate is raised.
The engine lineup mirrors that of the Cee'd five-door, with the choice of 105-horsepower 1.4-liter and 122-hp 1.6-liter gasoline units along with three common-rail diesels: a 1.6-liter with either 90 hp or 115 hp, and an upcoming 2.0-liter with 140 hp.