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Kia to start Hyundai ix35 production at the beginning of 2010
Kia will launch volume production of the 2010 Hyundai ix35 (known as Hyundai Tucson in US) at the beginning of 2010.
Hyundai will start assembling its all-new Tucson crossover at Kia‘s state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Slovakia, according to Kia. The all-new Tucson, which made its official debut at the LA auto show, will be named the ix35 when it goes on sale in Europe at the beginning of 2010.
The all-new Tucson (ix35) is brand-new compact crossover from Hyundai, which is replacing the very successful first-generation Tucson model after six years on the market. The 2010 Tucson now features a completely redesigned exterior and interior, as well as a brand-new platform with state-of-the-art powertrain technology, including a range of new gasoline and diesel engines and new manual and automatic transmissions.
Overall, its a great package and according to several automotive publications, this is probably the best and the most competitive made-by-Hyundai vehicle ever!
And now the most important thing, technically, the all-new Tucson is a twin model of the upcoming Kia Sportage crossover, which is scheduled to make its official debut in the first half of next year.
The 2011 Kia Sportage is expected to feature all the goodies you can find in the all-new Hyundai Tucson, and, as latest spy shots revealed, it will continue the evolution of Kia’s striking design language that combines appropriately designed proportions, surfaces and lines, so expect to see a very modern executed exterior and interior design lay-outs!
just annouced on the US newswire, it will have a MSRP base price starting at $18,995 (US)
Thanks conwel. Sweet idea Hyundai making company cars and KIA making company trucks.
Yep it looks like the boys are playing together well. Nice crossover by Hyundai, I mean Kia…I mean Hyundai!
Hyundai and Kia are one in the same so it doesn’t matter who makes what.
I just received an email from Kia saying the new Sorento starts at $20,790!
KIA will be the cheaper brand. Greg, thats only $2000 more than the much smaller Tuscon, and $1000 Less than the Santa Fe. That’s what I mean about KIA being the cheaper Brand. The 2011 Tuscon will be $19,000 the Sportage will stay at $16,000 base MSRP.
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KIA is much cheaper than Hyundai on every car except the Subcompact, but that will change too.
“manufacturing plant in Slovakia”
Why not Czech factory ?
Slovakia Kia factory vs. Czech Hyundai factory
are they compete each other?
btw, This is good thing for Slovakia.
more product line, more bonus.
btw, i don’t think why Hyundai need 2 factories in europe?
Actually, Kia ceed’ and Hyundai i30 are essentially same car.
in the long term, Czech or Slovakia, i think one factory should be close.
Kia already builds a Sportage it its plant in Slovakia, and they are going to add new ix35 to production there, while Hyundai will start building new Venga in their Czech plant, plus they are going to produce their version of Venga mimi-MPV.
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So they are sharing the production plants to build twin models and with this, they are cutting production costs… I see no problems with that. Everyone does it.
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If they want to expand in Europe, that means they have to introduce more “European” models and those have to be build in Europe to slash some taxes and shipping costs. That’s why they need two factories.
I hear the Elantra/Forte will be built at the new Canadian Assembly plant under construction. Strange that this site didnt get the news that they are going to build an Accent/Rio plant in Mexico.
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The small cars must come with more content, but at an affordable price. It was a matter of time before they would get produced in North America.
I still think ix35 is a bit too similar to BMW’s xDrive35i on the X6…
HyundaiSmoke, when did a new Canadian plant become news? They had one in the late 80’s and closed it down four years later. Are we missing the news here?