Kia will take on the likes of the Mazda5, Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, or the upcoming Golf Plus with this five-door MPV. This prototype is much more car-like than the Kia Sportage, and has the flavor of a small minivan, or a tall station wagon. This MPV prototype was testing with a facelifted Kia Sorento. Seeing the two vehicles side-by-side, this MPV was decidedly more compact, and rides much lower than that sport-ute.


Our spies managed to get a revealing interior shot, which shows a dashboard boasting more of the design touches that grace the new Kia Sportage, with nicely integrated circular air vents and interesting sculpting throughout. The shifter is integrated into the center console, as it is on the Tucson and Sportage. This segment has yet to gain a foothold in America, but vehicles of this type are very popular in Europe. If this category of vehicle takes off in America , it looks like Kia will be a player early on.