Kia To Unveil Two New Products: A Small Car and An RV.

Kia Motors Co. is scheduled to begin selling two new models on April 15, one is a small car called the 'Visto' and the other a recreational vehicle, the 'Carstar'.
The Kia Visto will enter the domestic, small-car market's sales war, competing with two existing small cars, Hyundai's Atoz and Daewoo's Matiz.
The Korean small-car market is now showing signs of a downturn after a boom thanks to increased demand following the IMF bailout.
Kia, now a subsidiary of the Hyundai group after being purchased by Hyundal Motors late last year, explained that Visto means brisk or fast in Spanish, and it has made up for weak points, chiefly security and design, in small cars currently on the market.
Kia feels it can enduce a lot of young people in their 20's and 30's who are oriented to economy and convenience, an official from the third-largest car maker in Korea said.
The retail price of the Visto, with an 800 cc engine capacity, ranges from 5.2 million to 5.5 million won.
The two-liter engine Carstar was designed for commuters as well as leisure-seekers. It will come in three different models: a propane(LPG) engine, a duo LPG/regular gasoline engine- both seven-passenger vehicles, and a six-passenger gasoline-running vehicle. Its price will be between 14 million and 15 million won.

Shang-Bok Shim : simsb@joongang.co.kr