Korea: Kia Announces K7 700h, K5 500h Hybrid Models

The K5 (mid-size hybrid sedan) and K7 (large hybrid sedan) mark Kia’s full-scale entry into the hybrid market, a segment which sees sales of 2,400 units/month in Korea.

Both cars will be powered by a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder Theta engine connected to a 35 kW electric motor. The power output from the gasoline engine will be 150 hp for the K5 and 159 hp for the K7. In the Korean driving cycle, the K5 will return 16.8 km/l, while the larger K7 will have an efficiency of 16 km/l. According to Kia, these figures are about 40 percent better than the conventional gasoline models.

It remains to be seen when Kia would introduce these hybrid variants in international markets where the K5 is called the Optima, and the K7 is sold as the Cadenza.

A company spokesperson said

The release of our premium midsize to large hybrid, the K7 Hybrid 700h, will represent Kia Motor’s vision to be a leader in eco-friendly cars and prove to be the answer to consumers’ demand for smoothness, comfort and fuel efficiency, to exist all in one package.