Kia out of South Korea constructs value-priced vehicles in a diverse line extending from economical small cars like Rio to premium luxury sedans like Amanti, plus several wagons including Sedona the minivan and sport-utility vehicles with Sorento and Sportage. Look for fresh designs for Optima, Sorento and Sedona in Kia's '07 collection plus a miniature minivan called Ronda.

Kia's mid-size sedan scores a new platform with a longer wheelbase and wider track. That makes more room in the five-seat cabin and more trunk space. Optima adds engine choices with a 2.4-liter in-line-four netting 161 hp and a 2.7-liter V6 with 185 hp. A five-speed manual shifter comes with the four-pack and a five-speed Sportmatic automatic is optional but it's standard with Kia's V6. Other gear ranges from curtain-style air bags to active front headrests and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Options include anti-lock brakes and -- with the V6 upgrade -- electronic stability control (ESC).

Kia's small-class SUV is a crossover vehicle built on a front-wheel-drive (FWD) platform with the versatile cabin of a wagon but the smooth ride quality of a sedan. There are FWD and all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction options and two tiers of trim -- base LX and deluxe EX, with two different powertrain choices. A bargain-priced Sportage LX entry edition packs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine for 140 hp with a manual five-speed shifter. Sportage LX V6 and upgraded EX V6 use a twin-cam 2.7-liter V6 worth 173 hp as linked to a four-speed automatic with Sportmatic manual shift mode.

Kia's mid-size SUV shows a keen new design for 2007 with more safety equipment on tap and a stronger powertrain. The new aluminum 3.8-liter V6 surges to 262 hp and ties to a five-speed Sportmatic automatic shifter. Sorento offers two-wheel-drive (2WD) or four-wheel-drive (4WD) traction and trims of LX and EX plus the LX Sport Package and EX Luxury Package. A comfortable cabin with seats for five contains standard safety items like curtain-style side air bags, ABS, ESC and a traction control system (TCS), TPMS and active front headrests -- even a driver's knee air bag.

Stretching long and looking elegant with sculptured styling drawn from classic luxury touring sedans from Europe, Amanti measures up to large-car status and carries trappings of a premium luxury model. Fresh sheetmetal shapes on the outside and revamped appointments in the five-seat cabin mark the 2007 issues, which also tote a new engine. The 3.8-liter aluminum V6 generates 264 hp. A TPMS is standard equipment and power adjustable pedals are optional, along with a new Premium package which adds Supervision gauges, aluminum trim in the cabin and 17-inch tires mounted on chrome-coated wheels.

Kia rolls out a miniature minivan named Rondo for 2007. Despite the small size of the package, it carves out room in a rather spacious passenger compartment for five or seven riders. Body styling is slick and streamlined and there's the option of an accessory kit with chrome trim and extensions for the front fascia and side sills. Lots of equipment goes into Rondo, including six air bags, ABS and ESC, power controls for windows and door locks, and air conditioning. Engine choices are a 2.4-liter in-line-four worth 161 hp or 2.7-liter V6 for 185 hp.

Kia's minivan expands on a new platform with a longer wheelbase and wider track. The cabin also expands with more space for riders and cargo. With seats for seven, the cabin houses front bucket seats, flip-and-fold second-row seats and a rear bench that folds into the floor. Kia laces Sedona with noteworthy safety features, including a carload of air bags and ABS. Also, Kia lights a fire beneath Sedona with a forceful engine. The 3.8-liter V6 nets 244 hp and links to a five-speed Sportmatic automatic. Trims of LX and EX apply, plus three optional packages for EX.

Spectra is a shapely four-door sedan for the compact class stocking a respectable powerplant with FWD traction and ample standard safety systems. For 2007, Spectra's body shows revised fascia, grille and headlamps, while the five-place cockpit gains fresh fabrics and new chrome and metal-finish trimwork. Model grades are EX, LX and sporty SX, all now equipped with a TPMS and curtain-style air bags for outboard seats in front and back. Good power stems from a 2.0-liter four-pack with continuously variable valve timing (CVVT). It produces 138 hp with a five-speed manual transmission or optional new four-speed automatic.

A five-door hatchback variation of the Spectra sedan mixes spry road manners of a small FWD sports sedan with the cargo capacity of a pint-size SUV and the miserly fuel efficiency of an economy car. So it's partly a sporty car styled like a street-racer hatchback, but also partly a small wagon and thrifty runabout that's practical to use but fun to drive. Spectra5 holds the same engine and running gear as the four-door Spectra, although it gets a strut tower brace in front for improved torsional rigidity, stabilizer bars plus taut tuning of the four-wheel independent suspension.

Kia's subcompact four-door sedan draws class-capping strength from a zippy engine. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder CVVT plant produces 110 hp and employs a five-speed manual transmission or optional electronically controlled four-speed automatic. Rio the sedan brings three trims -- base, upgraded LX and sporty new SX. All stock six standard air bags, including dual advanced frontal and front seat-mounted side air bags, and full-length curtain-style air bags above side windows front and back. Rio SX adds chrome accents to the instrument panel, special fabric inserts on seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with red stitching.

That number attached to the nameplate denotes a tail-side fifth door added for accessing the aft cargo compartment on a hatchback variation of Kia's Rio sedan. The sporty hatchback edition uses the same engine and equipment as the sedan but gets its own trim designation -- SX. Styling for the exterior package on Rio5 features a raked windshield, pronounced wheel arches and an aggressive prow with sweeping corner headlamps and a grille with black mesh insert.