Kia Teases New Carens/Rondo MPV

Kia releases renderings of its all-new Carens compact multipurpose vehicle, set for a public debut at the Paris auto show in September.

The new model represents a complete styling change from the second-generation Carens, which had been sold as the Rondo in the U.S. until it was discontinued in 2010. The model continues for sale in Canada as the Rondo.

The ’13 version features a cab-forward design with a lower roofline, longer wheelbase and more interior space. It will be available in most markets with wheels up to 18-ins. in diameter.

Front and rear light clusters are similar in design to those of the all-new Forte compact sedan, which goes on sale in Korea later this year and in export markets in early 2013.

Kia will not say whether it plans to re-launch the vehicle as a Rondo in the U.S., but the car has been spotted in camouflage on U.S. roads, including around the Hyundai-Kia Technical Center in Ann Arbor, MI.

The MPV will be available in 5- and 7-seat versions, depending on the market.

The Carens/Rondo is produced at Kia’s Gwanju, South Korea, plant, as well as Kia factories in Vietnam, the Philippines and Russia.