The basic convenience features have been expanded, transforming it into a premium compact car. This is Kia’s new Morning. The new Morning is equipped with specifications commonly found in mid-sized vehicles, significantly enhancing driver comfort.
Kia held a launch event for the Morning model change, ‘The New Morning’, on July 4 at The Flagship Store in Incheon. Since its domestic launch in 2004, the Morning has continued to be a beloved model through three generations. After the discontinuation of the Chevrolet Spark, it has been a top seller in the compact car market, continuing monthly sales of around 6,000 units together with the Kia Ray.
The front grille has been reduced in size, and in its place, straight LED headlights have been adopted, continuing Kia’s tiger face design. The rear also features a straight rear lamp, resulting in a stable and neat appearance.
It’s not just the appearance that has changed. Basic options have been significantly expanded. An 8-inch display and rear camera are now standard features. When choosing navigation, Kia Pay is also available for use, along with advanced driver assistance systems. Even though it is a compact car, the convenience for drivers has been greatly expanded, equipping it with features typically found in mid-sized cars.
With these options, the price has increased slightly compared to the past. The price for the Trendy model is 13,150,000 KRW, the Prestige model is 14,850,000 KRW, and the Signature model is 16,850,000 KRW. This is an increase of around 1,000,000 KRW compared to the previous model.
According to Lee Kang-jo, the responsible product planner at Kia, “In the past, corporate customers preferred fully basic cars without options, but now they prefer options like rear cameras and audio.” Furthermore, he emphasized that “in the new Morning, unnecessary options that consumers do not use have been excluded, and only essential driving options have been included.” This is expected to be a good alternative for customers who value cost-effectiveness and practicality.
In the first half of this year, Morning sales amounted to 12,900 units, marking a -9.4% decrease compared to 14,255 units in the same period last year.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr