Prestigious design award for all-new Kia Venga

B-segment MPV receives prestigious iF product design award in Germany

Seoul December 7, 2009 – Before even going on sale at the beginning of 2010, the new Kia Venga has already received one of the most prestigious international design awards. The B-segment MPV has been awarded the iF product design award, which recognizes design quality, as well as a number of other criteria, including workmanship, level of innovativeness and eco-friendliness, offering Venga drivers in Europe added confidence in their choice of vehicle.

The international jury of experts honored the Kia Venga, a compact MPV which completely redefines the conventional mini-van profile.

“B-segment MPVs have traditionally been the type of vehicles purchased out of necessity – they are cars of function and practicality," explains Kia Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer. "Now all that is about to change. With the new Venga we have designed a car that will fulfill European consumers' practical requirements, while also being genuinely desirable and fun to drive.

“Venga is going to re-ignite interest among consumers in B-segment MPVs, by setting new standards for the class! The prestigious iF product design award is a welcome recognition of the success of our design strategy,” adds the German automotive designer, who led Kia’s Venga design team.

Since its launch in 1953, the iF product design award, which is awarded annually, has been one of the world’s most important prizes for excellence in design. The award has its origins in the product shows ‘Die gute Industrieform’ (Good Industrial Design) initiated by Hanover Messe and is now one of the world’s largest design competitions.

For the 2010 award, a total of 2,486 products were entered in 16 different categories. The Kia Venga won the ‘Transportation Design’ category, which includes cars, ships, trains and planes.

The official presentation ceremony for the iF product design awards traditionally takes place on the first day of CeBIT, the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT. The Kia Venga will receive its award on 2 March 2010, the opening day of CeBIT, when the Hanover Exhibition Centerīs special feature will display all the iF award-winning products. This display will continue until August 2010 and around 250,000 visitors are expected.

Designed, engineered and manufactured in Europe, the Kia Venga will be available across Europe with a choice of seven engines: two gasoline and up to five diesel engines, generating between 128 and 75 ps. The most economical version, the Venga 1.4 CRDi equipped with Kia’s ISG (Idle Stop & Go) system, will have a CO2 rating of just 117 g/km and will use only 4.5 liters fuel per 100km.

The 4,068 mm long, five-door car has an exceptionally spacious cargo bay thanks to the two-tier boot space floor and sliding rear seats, giving a total volume of 1,253 litres. Kia gives a 7-year warranty (or 150,000 kilometers) on the Venga: five years on the whole car and two further years on the power train.

Editors Note: Kia Venga is available in Europe only; trim levels and specs may vary between countries. Images and further information about the Kia Venga and the iF product design award and iF logo, can be downloaded at www.kia-press.com

Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) -- a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart -- was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands. Nearly 1.5 million vehicles a year are produced in 13 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 172 countries. Kia today has over 40,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of over US$14.5 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World Cup™ -- as well as a EUROTOP partner of UEFA. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.