Kia Cosmos: the last mid-size bus from Asia Motors

The Kia Cosmos was a medium-sized single-decker bus sold in South Korea by Asia Motors, the bus and truck arm that later became part of Kia. It was a badge-engineered Hino Rainbow, and it stayed in production from July 1989 until October 2002, when Kia left the mid-size bus market altogether.

Kia Cosmos at a glance

Based mainly on the Korean Wikipedia article, which is the only detailed account of the Cosmos; the English article on the Hino Rainbow confirms that the Cosmos was a badge-engineered Rainbow.

History of the Kia Cosmos

The name Cosmos comes from the Greek word kosmos, meaning the universe or order. The bus was developed as the successor to the Asia AM808 light bus and was based on the Hino Rainbow P-RJ170BA, one of the medium-duty Rainbow models that Hino had been building since 1980. Asia Motors built the Rainbow under licence for the Korean market rather than designing a bus of its own, which was normal practice for the Korean industry at the time.

Cosmos and New Cosmos (1989–1999)

The bus went on sale in July 1989 under the internal model code AM818. Early cars used Hino’s 6,728 cc H07C diesel, an engine that also appeared in the Kia Rhino truck. In September 1995 a centre door for village-bus work was added and the model was renamed New Cosmos; at the same time part of the interior was changed, the dashboard was restyled in the manner of the Kia Granbird facelift, and roof-mounted air conditioning became available. When the new Rhino arrived in 1998 the engine was changed to the 7,412 cc L7, Hino’s H07D. The first-generation Cosmos was discontinued on 1 October 1999.

New Cosmos AM828 (1999–2002)

The facelifted New Cosmos, code AM828, followed on 2 October 1999 with a heavily revised front and rear and a sliding centre door. To meet emission rules introduced in the second half of 2000, Kia fitted the D6DA engine, a KK-TCI unit derived from the H07D with a smaller bore. The 2001 model year brought a one-piece tail lamp design, and the 2002 model year carried the millennium Kia logo.

Production ended on 20 October 2002, thirteen years after the bus was launched. Kia gave two reasons: the fleet-average emission rules of that year, and overlap in the market with the Hyundai Aero Town. The Cosmos was dropped without a successor at the same time as the Kia Combi and the Kia Towner, and with it Kia withdrew completely from the mid-size bus market.

In service

The Cosmos was a common village and school bus in Korea for more than two decades. The last one in commercial service, operated by Buil Transportation in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, was replaced on 11 May 2013 by a Hyundai Aero Town; after that the type could still be seen in private, kindergarten, school, church and airport use.

Design and features

• Hino engineering: the body and chassis were the Hino Rainbow, built in Korea under licence.
• Mid-size format: a single-decker aimed at village, school and shuttle work rather than long-distance coaching.
• Two facelifts: the 1995 New Cosmos and the 1999 AM828 each brought new front and rear styling.
• Long service life: the type stayed in commercial use until 2013, eleven years after production ended.

Kia Cosmos versions

• Cosmos AM818 (1989–1995): the original bus with a 6,728 cc H07C engine.
• New Cosmos (1995–1999): centre door, revised interior and dashboard, roof air conditioning.
• New Cosmos AM828 (1999–2002): new front and rear, sliding centre door, D6DA engine from 2000.
• 2001 and 2002 model years: one-piece tail lamps, then the millennium Kia logo.

The Cosmos shared its market with the larger Granbird coach, and its H07C engine was also used in the Kia Rhino truck. More Kia models are in the Kia collection.

Sources

• Kia Cosmos, Korean Wikipedia: dates, model codes, engines, production total, end of service
• Hino Rainbow, English Wikipedia: origin of the design, badge-engineered Cosmos