The crossover SUV first appeared in 1995, a joint venture with Lotus engineering.
In 2005 the second generation came out with a platform that was shared with the Hyundai Tucson. The engine receives an upgrade, moving up to a V6 that puts out 173 hp (ther is also a 2.0 4 cylinder diesel engine, but only in the UK). It also has a larger body than its predecessor and customers complained that some of the off-roading skills of the car have been tamed in order to achieve better performance on city roads. In that respect, Kia has decided to improve the quality of the finishings. A facelifted version of the second generation came out in May 2008.