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2007 Kia ex_cee'd Concept

Brands don't turn around their images much quicker than Kia. Only a decade ago, Kia wasat the bottom of the motoring food chain providing the most basic forms of transportation for needs-driven people only. But with the help of parent company Hyundai (which has progressed significantly as well), Kia made a direct 180-degree turn in just about every area that needed to be improved upon.

Mechanically, the engines developed by Kia and Hyundai are advanced, so much so that they were a major contributor to the World Engine project of which Mitsubishi and DaimlerChrysler were also involved. Kia has also cleaned up its act when it comes to safety, with many of its products earning top marks in IIHS and NHTSA crash tests. What's more is that the two brands have the position of fifth largest automaker in the

It's hard to believe that a design like this could come from a company that made the Sephia or the old Rio. Kia is ex_cee'd'ing expectations. (Photo: Kia)

industry. Not bad for just ten years.

But then there's the matter of image. Car manufacturers that maketheir bread and butter off low-price models tend not to pay as much attention to styling, luxury or fit and finish, but rather it's the bottom dollar that they normally chase. A good example of this was the previous generation Rio. It wasn't the slightest bit flashy, nor was it pretty by any stretch of the imagination. The old Rio was robust, affordable transportation backed by a good

This is the standard five-door cee'd hatchback. Nice looking, isn't it? (Photo: Kia)

warranty. Today's Kias – the Optima, Rondo and Sedona, to name a few – are contemporary looking vehicles; a touch bland, but no less worthy of your consideration than their stable mates from other Asian manufacturers. Now, North Americans in general tend to be less image conscious than our friends across the Atlantic, and Kia is putting its best foot forward to woo them.

Starting this year, Kia hit the European marketwith a shock, deep in the heart of Europe's most popular market category, the C-segment hatchback. In short, it was designed by Europeans for Europeans, and is built by Europeans, specifically Slovakians at the Korean automaker's Zilina production facility. Initial

The fashionable cee'd sw will be making its debut at Geneva alongside the ex_cee'd concept. (Photo: Kia)

response to the first batch of cee'ds has been extremely positive. The motoring press seems to agree that the cee'd might not break any new barriers in its segment, but it's very competent at what it does. It's a true rival to the likes of the Opel (Saturn) Astra, European Ford Focus, and Volkswagen Golf (Rabbit) for those with open eyes who are willing to see beyond the Kia brand name.

Now that Kia has all the right mechanical components and thedynamics to match, the brand is now addressing image. The man responsible for changing the way that Kias around the world are viewed is Peter Schreyer, Kia's new Chief of Design. Schreyer's credentials are strong. His post prior to Kia was at Volkswagen, where he designed the gorgeous mid-engined Concept R roadster. Since his arrival at Kia he's been pulling out all stops,

This is the pro_cee'd, the concept car that, um, proceeded the ex_cee'd... not to mention all of the other cee'ds. (Photo: Kia)

the latest of which is the ex_cee'd Cabriolet Concept, which will be debuting at this year's Geneva Motor Show in about a week.

Once again playing on the pun of cee'd (pronounced, “seed”, by the way), the ex_cee'd (exceed), is based off of the forthcoming three-door sports hatchback that will begin production later this year. The big change with the ex_cee'd is the obviously removal of its roof. Schreyer opted to give his concept a conventional soft cloth roof as opposed to a complex folding hardtop that most Euro-bound convertibles feature these days, not to mention the KCV-III concept car back from 2003. Schreyer says that the roof is more “romantic”, though we think the choice has a more to do with the hefty structural redesign needed to accommodate such a mechanism and price. Mind you, without thetypically large rear end of folding hardtop convertibles, the ex_cee'd is an attractive machine.

The rest of

An experiment in design and the use of color. Wow, what a treat! (Photo: Kia)

the ex_cee'd's changes are cosmetic. The bodywork is warm “Meringue White”, contrasted by the fashionable “Bitter Chocolate” brown of the roof. Concept-style touches, such as the side-view mirrors, door handles and headlamps are one-off, giving the ex_cee'd a luxurious, hand-crafted look.

Meanwhile, Kia went to town dressing up the interior, fitting custom seats trimmed in “Bitter Chocolate” leather, with matching leather trim on the dashboard. Chrome also finds itself on the lower body moulding, the front intakes, the grille, and the “hubless” 19-inch wheels, which complete the look of this soulful cruiser.

Kia hasn't yet said whether or not they'll produce a convertible version of the cee'd. If so, the cee'd would offer the largest number of body styles of any Kia, which already includes the standard five-door hatch, the upcoming three-door hatchback, as well as the cee'd sw, which stands for Sporty Wagon. Hopefully they will build the convertible, as it'd be a great addition and another sign that Kia is indeed changing.

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