The Kia Visto was the Kia version of the Hyundai Atos Prime, a city car with a redesigned rear end and a lower roof than the original Atos. It was sold in South Korea and Indonesia from 1999, and Kia briefly planned to offer it in Europe before Hyundai dealers objected.
Kia Visto at a glance
| Maker | Kia, for Hyundai Motor |
|---|---|
| Launched | Busan Motor Show, 17 May 1999 |
| Based on | Hyundai Atos Prime |
| Markets | South Korea, Indonesia; planned for Europe |
| Body | five-door hatchback |
| Engine | 1.0-litre petrol |
| Roof | 4.5 cm lower than the Atos |
| Boot | 219 litres, 889 with the rear seats folded |
| European name | Atos Prime, from the end of 1999 |
The Visto is described in the English Wikipedia article on the Hyundai Atos, and this page uses that account.
History of the Kia Visto
The Atos Prime was created after Hyundai took a majority share in Kia and began sharing engines and platforms between the two companies. The car had a completely redesigned body compared with the original Atos: the roof was lowered by 4.5 cm, the tail was reshaped with new lights, a new tailgate and body-coloured bumpers, and the nose kept the original shape but gained a new grille, optionally chromed. The interior stayed the same.
Two names for one car
The car was presented at the Busan Motor Show on 17 May 1999 as the Kia Visto, intended to be sold in Europe through Kia’s dealer network alongside the older Atos, which would stay in production and be sold by Hyundai dealers. European Hyundai dealers opposed the plan, arguing that the Visto would compete with the Atos, so Hyundai renamed the car Atos Prime at the end of 1999 and positioned it as a better-equipped model to complement the Atos. In South Korea and Indonesia, however, the Atos Prime was sold as the Kia Visto exactly as first planned, while the Atos remained on sale through Hyundai dealers.
What changed
The Prime had a less spacious interior than the Atos but better aerodynamics because of the lower roof. Boot capacity fell to 219 litres, or 889 with the rear seats folded, and the 1.0-litre petrol engine was carried over. Europe received the Atos Prime in December 1999, the same month the Atos had a slight facelift; in September 2001 both cars were facelifted again, with new headlamps and bumpers and, for the Prime, new tail lamps and interior upholstery. A second facelift in September 2003 brought an entirely new nose and tail in a more angular style, keeping only the doors, side panels and interior of the old Prime, and added a 1.1-litre 12-valve Epsilon engine of 59 hp with a five-speed manual and an optional four-speed automatic. That version was sold in India as the Santro Xing and in Europe was updated to Euro 4 in 2005.
Design and features
- Atos Prime basis: a Hyundai city car with a Kia badge for two markets.
- Lower roof: 4.5 cm less than the Atos, for better aerodynamics.
- Five doors only: the Prime was never offered as a three-door.
- Short European career: sold in Europe as the Atos Prime, not the Visto.
Kia Visto versions
- Kia Visto (1999–2004): the Korean and Indonesian version of the Atos Prime.
- Atos Prime (1999–2003): the European and most export version.
- 2003 facelift: new angular nose and tail, 1.1-litre engine.
The Visto was Kia’s smallest car before the Picanto and it sat below the Pride in the range. More Kia models are in the Kia collection.
Sources
- Hyundai Atos, English Wikipedia: Atos Prime, Kia Visto, engines, markets, facelifts
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