The new cars of 2014 MIAS: New Ford Escape, Kia Soul among debutants

MANILA, Philippines - Along with new local auto entrants in Volkswagen, Rolls-Royce, and Tata, the 2014 edition of the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) continued its growth in girth and scope—highlighted by the an entire pavilion devoted to a range of motorcycle marques. With attendance numbers reaching an all-time high of 102,000, there remains no doubt about the significance of summer’s yearly car show at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. MIAS thus continues to be an ideal venue and occasion not just to feature existing portfolios but, more importantly, highlight new-to-market models.

Here, we look some of the stalwart brands and what they unveiled at MIAS.

Ford Escape

After passing on the entire run of the second-generation Escape, Ford Philippines is finally set to continue the tale of this compact SUV line in the fourth quarter of the year. This new Escape nixes the boxy profile of its predecessor, and instead takes stylistic (and platform) cues from the current Focus sedan.

“We are excited to bring the all-new Escape to the Philippines, which will further expand our unmatched lineup of SUVs in the market and address the various needs and requirements of every market segment,” said Ford Philippines managing director Kay Hart in a statement.

The Escape units will be sourced from North America, and indeed buttresses Ford’s SUV portfolio—already expanded with the recent entry of the EcoSport “urban SUV,” effectively becoming the brand’s entry point into the segment. The Escape is expected to fall between that and the bigger Everest.

Ford Philippines has not confirmed the specifications of the Escape it will bring in as CBUs, but two flavors of its power plant is available in the US. One is a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine serving up 178hp and 184lb.-ft (supposedly mustering up to 13.6 kilometers per liter); another is a 2.0-liter EcoBoost delivering 240hp and 270lb.-ft (reportedly good for 12.75 kilometers per liter).

Kia Soul, Picanto

Meanwhile, Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC), official local distributor of the Kia brand, took the covers off the second-generation, all-new Soul also at MIAS. The segment-defying “urban hatchback” retains its signature boxy look while being stretched in wheelbase and in width. Consequently, interior space has increased for greater passenger and cargo room. The chassis has been stiffened through an all-new platform made of 66 percent ultra-high strength or high-strength steel.

Badged as a 2015 model, the all-new Kia Soul is inspired by the looks of the 2012 Kia Track’ster concept car – “a performance-oriented, 3-door, Soul coupe concept” highlighted at the Chicago Auto Show in 2012.

In a release, Kia VP for overseas marketing Soon-Nam Lee commented, “Keeping what made the current Soul special while addressing areas for improvement presented Kia’s designers and engineers with a difficult task, so our people have listened closely to customer feedback… The Soul already has great emotional appeal so our main focus with the 2015 model was infusing it with improved driving dynamics, developing a higher quality cabin, and adding desirable features to highlight the new Soul’s fresh sophistication.”

The Soul is powered by a 1.6-liter diesel engine good for 127hp and 260Nm mated to a six-speed transmission giving a choice between manual or multi-mode automatic. It will be tagged with an introductory price of P970,000.

Meanwhile, CAC also featured the newest iteration of the Kia Picanto. Powered by a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine, the Picanto is expected to deliver hearty and thrifty performance. Kia said “class-leading safety features applied in the body and frame strength also ensure steering stability and rigidity. The tough but sleek body shell is engineered to provide improved protection from collision.”

The steering wheel is adjustable for added convenience, while an enlarged side bolster and different firmness levels supply back support for the driver. The new Kia Picanto is priced at P450,000.