Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, SUVs, Kia
LEAKED! Every angle of the upcoming 2009 Kia Borrego SUV
by John Neff on Nov 28th 2007 at 11:31AM 
click above image for big gallery of the 2009 Kia Borrego
Kia probably was hoping not to unveil every nook and cranny of its new Borrego SUV (called Mohave in Korea) this way, but the internet is a cruel mistress and it just goes to show that you shouldn't park your new SUV on a red carpet in public if you don't want people taking pictures of it. These snapshots of Kia's new SUV from every angle inside and out have surfaced on Kia-World.net, which you can view in the gallery below. It's a sharp looking vehicle, though still a body-on-frame SUV. As we've mentioned previously, a full-size SUV will be a tough sell for Kia in this CUV-crazed market. The Borrego will be armed with a V6 (a 3.0L unit according to badging on this particular vehicle) and the brand's first V8, however, and promises excellent NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) levels for an SUV. Shots of the undercarriage also reveal what appears to be an air suspension to help cushion the ride, and the interior includes such upscale options as Kia's first nav system. Like most recent products from Kia and its parent company Hyundai, the Borrego looks like a contender in every respect, and will no doubt carry a price tag that's too low for shoppers not to at least consider. The full reveal will happen at the Detroit Auto Show in January, and we'll be on hand to relay all of the official details on Kia's first full-size SUV.
[Source: Kia-World.net via Carscoop]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
srivendel 11:40AM (11/28/2007)
Looks very good. A bit bland, but that thing has great proportions and nice, clean lines. I like this much better than the overly feminine Hyundai Veracruz. Kia should have no trouble moving these things.
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seoultrain 11:41AM (11/28/2007)
Is Hyundai/Kia just completely unable to keep its cars secret?
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Christopher H. Kim 11:52AM (11/28/2007)
Kia and Hyundai cars gets released in Korea before it gets released in the states.
Avinash machado 11:42AM (11/28/2007)
Looks better than the CR-V.
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mudzipper 1:26PM (11/28/2007)
I agree, it looks much better than the CR-V inside and out. Push button start/stop, niiice
joe23521 12:01PM (11/28/2007)
That's really not saying much...
2004m3driver 12:56PM (11/28/2007)
It is saying much actually because the CRV is one of Honda's best selling vehicles. You might not like it, but the people who shop for those type of cars do.
joe23521 4:06PM (11/28/2007)
I realize the CR-V is a good seller. What I'm implying is that it is not very visually appealing. So saying that this Kia "looks" better than the CR-V really isn't saying much...now if this "sells" better, that would be saying something.
Look-wise, this reminds me more of the Pilot, whose segment this vehicle is actually competing in I think.
amastadon 11:43AM (11/28/2007)
Don't like the two-tone body at all. Very bland looking.
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Bob-omb 11:53AM (11/28/2007)
I see a little bit of Lexus in the lines, but I'm not sure why.
Hopefully this will dispel the myth that all Korean cars are tiny and slow. I admit this car would be a hard sell for almost any manufacturer, but Kia really doesn't have any problem selling body-on-frame Sorentos.
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Jason 12:26PM (11/28/2007)
It's because from the angle of the photo in the article, that front facia does look a lot like the Lexus GX.
The headlights also remind me of the GMC Acadia.
AZMike 11:55AM (11/28/2007)
I was hoping for another bland, grey interior with a dashboard of endless black.
looks like my prayers have been answered, and I'm sure that the Funeral Directors Association would concur.
AZMike
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Pete 11:59AM (11/28/2007)
I think it looks decent. The materials all around look a bit cheap and there are some gaps that I would not be happy with. Overall, I am a bit scared by their ability to make something that doesn't completely suck.
Bob-omb 10:48PM (11/28/2007)
Ahh, good ol' import hatin' AZMike back again.
For the record, I've never heard any car get more praise on a black interior than Kia's Optima. Car & Driver, Motor Trend, Consumer Reports, all of them singled out that fact and mentioned it. And I will take a gray or black interior over the gaggy yellow-ish beige interiors that Chrysler, Ford, and Honda use in their cars.
AZMike 11:38PM (11/28/2007)
Bob-omb,
so glad to here from you again; but hate to disappoint you here.
first, I'm far from an import hater. I owned the first Yugo registered in California back in June of 1986; I had the second 1995 Kia Sportage sold in Arizona. I've had four Kias since, and three Hyundais. I've also owned two Mercedes-Benz (1986 and 1991; and yes, the Yugo and '86 560 SL shared the same garage). I've had four Renaults, too. just sold my last LeCar last year.
I have absolutely nothing against imports whose countries of origin trade fairly with the USA; that obviously doesn't include anything of Japanese origin.
and getting back to the subject at hand; the interior color selections of the Borrego.
there are very few vehicles built today that have all this black "accent" on the interior. it's interesting to note that German cars were certainly guilty of this for many years, and now they are color-keyed inside like domestics were thru the '90's. even the early Cadillac CTS and SRX were afflicted with the "black dash disease"; now they're "cut and sewn" in perfect color harmony.
a friend of mine bought a new 2007 Mustang a few months ago. the interior is parchment, but there was a lot of black "accent" trim inside, like the dash and console. I had the interior color custom-mixed, and now everything inside is parchment, including the steering wheel, dash, and console. the cheap look is now gone.
it's interesting that Ford worked hard to pick up many of the styling cues from the earlier Mustangs (with the 1969 model being the target), and they really missed the boat on the color-keying. my first car was a '65 Mustang, and EVERYTHING in the interior was bright red.
I loved it.
AZMike
Bryan 11:57AM (11/28/2007)
Nice looking SUV. Very nice. Though the KIA badge is what kills it. People rather buy a Toyota or Honda, just because its a toyota or honda.
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Nellydesign 1:13PM (11/28/2007)
Toyota and Honda didn't start out with that kind of customer clout. They were considered a joke when they first entered our market much like Hyundai. Toyota and Honda got to this point by building competent vehicles with good quality. Hyundai will get there too. And faster I think.
Guenther 12:02PM (11/28/2007)
The [VGT / V6 3L] badge probably refers to the diesel that is used overseas. If they could offer that here, these things would sell like hot maple-walnut pancakes.
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TBlueMax 1:46PM (11/28/2007)
Has to be a diesel as the picture of the instrument cluster has the tachometer redline at 4,500rpm.
Would also love to see this offered as a diesel in the States.
Paul P. 12:13PM (11/28/2007)
If I remember correctly this is a full frame suv, and not a crossover, right? Along with a V8, air suspension, nav system...ect. I have to say I'm pretty impressed. Very full featured for a Kia. Is it AWD or true 4x4 with a low range transfer case?
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