Kia aims to be one of the top five car manufacturers by the year 2010, and with the Kia 2700, they have targeted a new section of the market: commercial vehicles and light trucks. If you thought that Kia only produced city cars and a few 4x4s like the Sportage, think again.

The Kia 2700 is a light truck 5.1 metres long that is built to carry gear. The cargo deck measures 3.1 metres by 1.6 metres and can pack a payload of 1,500 kg – that’s over a tonne of gear. As if that wasn’t enough, the Kia 2700 has a towing capacity (braked) of 1,400 kg and an unbraked capacity of 700. Furthermore, even the internal storage space is generous, with the middle seats folding down and a large glovebox – and two cupholders for that morning coffee on the way to work.

The engine on the Kia 2700 is a 2.7 litre diesel that delivers a maximum power of 57kW/4000 rpm and a maximum torque of 172/Nm/2400 rpm. It’s not class leading in terms of power output; however, the Kia 2700 is not overly thirsty, so you won’t have to top up the 60 litre tank too frequently, and it has been designed to keep the CO2 emissions to a lower level. The five speed manual gearbox uses the power effectively to obtain maximum use of engine torque.

But the Kia 2700 isn’t all rough and ready. The suspension (double wishbone with torsion beam at the front; leaf spring at the back) and advanced noise-reduction technology make it a quiet enough truck so you can easily hear what’s playing on the radio/single CD that comes as standard, and the power steering (also standard) puts the 3.3 tonnes of truck easily around the 4.93 minimum turning radius. The 4 sensor ABS brakes with EBD on the Kia 2700 have been enhanced with a load sensing proportional valve in the rear.

If you do the type of work that requires the load carrying capacity that the Kia 2700 offers, then you will certainly appreciate the driver and passenger comforts at the end of a hard day’s work. The Kia 2700 seats a maximum of three people (two if the middle seat is folded down to maximise storage space) with ample legroom around the cloth upholstered seats. Tilt adjustable steering wheel, power windows, height adjustable headrests and air conditioning all come as standard in the Kia 2700, as does a digital clock and an ergonomically designed driver’s seat that slides and reclines. The tinted windows eliminate glare and the keyless entry also add to the practical ease of the the Kia 2700, while the seatbelt warning light, wide bumper and large clear lens headlights all contribute to its safety – so, hopefully, you will never have to take advantage of the reinforced frame.

While it is suitable for more urban hauling and cartage work (e.g. construction), the Kia 2700 is unlikely to be useful as a back country vehicle as the minimum ground clearance is a mere 150 mm. Another disadvantage of the Kia 2700 is that it can only carry a maximum of three people, making it unsuitable for transporting labour crew. These factors aside, the Kia 2700 is likely to be a welcome, useful and versatile addition to a commercial fleet of vehicles.

Current model series include:

• Kia K2700 2.7 Diesel

For anymore information on the Kia 2700, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Kia dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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