Kia Motors unveiled two new cars – Pegas compact sedan and K2 Cross –at the Shanghai Motor Show today, both designed, engineered and built exclusively for Chinese buyers.

According to Kia, the Kia Pegas compact sedan “combines maximum practicality and versatility with a wide variety of customer-oriented technologies and features.”

Manufactured and marketed exclusively in China, the new Pegas is targeted at young buyers, offering greater practicality and comfort than many rivals. Its long (2570 mm) wheelbase offers ample cabin space for all passengers, front and rear, while its large boot has a maximum capacity of 475 litres.

The new Pegas is powered by the latest version of Kia’s efficient 1.4-litre multi-point injection petrol engine, which develops 95 ps and maximum torque of 133 Nm. The engine drives the front wheels and is available with a choice of a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic.

The new Pegas will go on sale across China in the second half of 2017.

K2 Cross – SUV-inspired urban design
The new Kia K2 Cross brings a robust SUV-inspired design to Kia’s popular K2 compact sedan. The five-door crossover’s ground clearance is elevated by 45mm compared to the K2 hatchback upon which it is based, affording a more commanding driving position.

The design is enhanced with new roof rails for added carrying capacity, a new metallic-style chin guard at the front, and a purposeful new valance at the rear. While the car maintains the same wheelbase as the K2 hatchback, the new body cladding adds to the car’s width (+30mm, to 1750 mm) and length (+40mm, to 4240mm) for a more muscular on-road presence.

The new K2 Cross is available with a pair of highly-efficient petrol engines – a 100ps 1.4-litre engine, producing 132 Nm torque, and a 1.6-litre engine producing 123 ps and 151 Nm. Both engines feature dual continuously-variable valve timing (D-CVVT) technology to maximise combustion efficiency in the cylinders, and power the front wheels via either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

The new K2 Cross will go on sale in China during Q2 2017.