Kia YI PAO Urban SUV And K5 PHEV Join The Brand’s Chinese Menu

Kia’s presence at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show is highlighted by several premieres, most of which are limited to the Chinese market.

One of them is the new YI PAO B-segment SUV, whose name translates into ‘One Shot’. Developed “to appeal to the needs of younger buyers”, it’s basically a rebadged Stonic with “numerous high-tech convenience and safety features”, says Kia.

In fact, these are the only details released about it at the time of writing. However, the automaker will open the order books for it locally in the second half of the year, and will likely drop an extensive image gallery, alongside the spec sheet, in the coming months.

The facelifted Kia K5, otherwise known as the Optima in western markets, is also present at the automotive event. The sedan uses a new plug-in hybrid powertrain, which combines the 2.0-liter GDI engine, rated at 156PS (154hp / 115kW) and 189Nm (139lb-ft) of torque, with a 50kW (68PS / 67hp) electric motor.

The assembly is backed up by a lithium-polymer battery pack, which allows it to travel in electric mode for an undisclosed number of kilometers. Kia will start producing the new K5 Plug-in Hybrid in the following weeks, before launching it locally later this year.

Said to have been “tailored to the Chinese market”, the Kia Sportage is on display in Beijing as well. It’s equipped with new features, such as the Baidu connectivity system, Driver Attention Warning, Lane Keeping Assistant and Forward Collision-avoidance Assist.

Present for the first time in China is the Kia Telluride Concept. It previews a new three-row SUV, which is already in development, and could debut as early as this year, or in 2019.