Wheels of fashion

Small can be stylish. Just like in fashion, weight matters.

With fluctuating fuel prices, it is a good idea to go for a car that doesn’t use as much fuel as its competitors. And this is achieved by selecting a small displacement engine car. Generally, the lesser the volume of air and fuel mixture an engine draws in, the less fuel it uses. One has to factor in the weight of the car versus the power it can achieve as well. The answer to this decides whether a car will chug along and drink more fuel as it accelerates to a desired speed or charge up effortlessly and carry its load while consuming the appropriate amount of fuel. The Kia Picanto is one vehicle that balances the scale of power and displacement versus weight.

Weighing in at 941 kilos, the Picanto is a lightweight fighter. Its thrifty engine, which produces 64ps, is more than adequate to get four people comfortably around town. Being able to travel 20.8 kilometers per liter of gasoline is no mean feat. The Department of Energy itself attests to this result. And with a build quality and styling that is above its class, the Picanto can hold its own among its contemporaries. Even the Picanto’s styling has recently been updated with a new headlight and taillight and aerodynamic grille design.

If space is an issue, moving up from hatchbacks to sedans is the logical choice. The Kia Rio comes in sedan configuration with a bigger overall dimension that translates to more space inside the car. Running on a 1399cc engine and churning out 94ps, it is slowly becoming the car of choice for small families who desire flexibility in space and a touch of Euro-inspired sportiness. Fuel efficiency coupled with good looks also make it a favorite for businesses requiring a number of vehicles. It also helps that the Rio is easy and affordable to maintain.

Both the Kia Picanto and Rio are cars perfect for the city commute. Both are easy to park and easy to squeeze in traffic while being fuel efficient (and traffic is a never-ending problem inside the metropolis). But for those who want to step up their game and arrive in style, Kia has a series of vehicles to do just that.

 Representing a quantum leap in vehicle styling and engine design, Kia’s diesel models are now gaining reputation for being the trendy, torquey and unsurprisingly quick alternative to gas-guzzlers.

Kia’s Workhorse

Completing Kia’s lineup is the Kia K2700 diesel-powered one-ton truck with double rear wheels and provides a combination of loadibility, versatility and economy that make it ideal commercial transport solution for a wide variety of both urban and rural applications.

Trade-Up Deals

Columbian Autocar Corp. (CAC), sole distributor of Kia vehicles in the Philippines, is proud of the variety of Kia vehicles it has in its showrooms today. “I believe that each vehicle caters to a specific need of the market in these trying times,” says Felix Mabilog, Jr., CAC chief operating officer. He assuredly states that Kia is in touch with the market knowing their wants and their needs. “Style, technology, power, purchase and maintenance cost, value for money — all these come into consideration when we introduce a model to the market,” Mabilog ends.

CAC continues to make it easier to own a brand new Kia with its popular Trade-Up Deals. A program designed for current car owners, Kia shortens the selling-buying process by accepting the trade-in value of a vehicle of any make and model towards the purchase of a brand new Kia Picanto, Rio, Sportage, Sorento, Carens, Carnival and K2700. This program is available at all authorized Kia dealerships nationwide.

(Visit www.kia.com.ph for details.)