Kia Bongo

Note:This vehicle is not meant to be confused with Mazda Bongo.

Kia Bongo

Manufacturer	Kia Motors
Production	1980–present
Assembly	Gwangju Plant, Gwangju, South Korea Indonesia, locally known as the Big-Up in some advertising boards Bicutan, Parañaque City, Philippines Quito, Ecuador (AYMESA)

The Kia Bongo (Hangul:기아 봉고), also known as the Kia K-Series or Kia Pregio, is a pickup truck produced and built by Kia Motors.

The Bongo was first launched in 1980 under the name Bongo. In 1997, the second generation and third generation Bongo Frontier was launched. As of 2004, the Kia Bongo was in its fourth version, the Kia Bongo III. "Frontier" was dropped from the name with this revision.

Background

The Kia Bongo Frontier was originally available in RV or pickup trucks. It was replaced by the Kia Bongo III in 2004. The Bongo Frontier was the first Kia Motors car to be exported to Europe and South America.

1st Generation (1980–1997)

Kia Bongo 1

Production started in 1980 and coachvan started in 1981, 'wide bongo' production started at 1987 and ended at 1997. In 1992, a 2.7-litre engine was introduced.

Kia Besta(Coachvan)

2nd Generation (1997–2000)

Kia Bongo 2

The Bongo Frontier was the first rear-wheel-drive car produced by Kia Motors.

the van, Pregio was introduced in 1996 and prodused until 2003.

Kia has produced small and large trucks for the Korean market for at least 25 years. Rear-wheel-drive Bongo trucks have been on the market in Korea since at least the late 1980s, and these were equipped with a 4-cylinder diesel engine.

Kia pregio (van)

3rd Generation (2000–2004)

Kia Bongo 3

The 3rd generation Bongo Frontier was introduced in 2000 and was given a facelift from the previous model.

4th Generation (2004-present)

Kia Bongo 4

The 4th generation became known as the Kia Bongo III, and the model was again facelifted. With stricter emissions control, 4*4 dump was discontinued in June 2005, and 1.2-ton and 1.4-ton discontinued in November 2006, and then because of low marketing, Coachvan, van, and trucks except 1ton and 1.3-ton all ceased production in December 31, 2007.

Names

In some markets, including Europe and South America, the Bongo Frontier is branded as the Kia K-Series.

In Brazil, the Bongo model for passengers is named the Kia Best A, usually referred to as 'Besta', that unfortunately means "beast" (or "stupid").

Right hand drive models are produced in Indonesia (locally marketed as Big-Up), while left hand drive models are produced in Ecuador.