Kia president and chief design officer Peter Schreyer once mentioned in an interview that Kia cars in the past looked very neutral. The Kia Credos is pretty much one of those cars—neutral and bland-looking. The exterior is plainly styled, but the interior is distinctly spacious. But while nothing was exciting about the Credos, it was without a doubt functional and affordable.
Kia Credos - Large Family Car
The Credos was Kia's first car in the segment D or large family car class. Underneath it's metal skin is the underpinnings of the fifth-generation Mazda Capella, also known as Mazda 626. Manufactured from 1995 to 2001, this front-engine front-wheel-drive midsize or medium passenger car was marketed to compete against the likes of Hyundai Sonata and Ford Mondeo.
Two body styles were available—sedan and station wagon—but only the sedan touched ground on the Aussie soil. The Credos was also known as Kia Clarus in Europe, while the station wagon was called Kia Parktown in South Korea. It replaced the Kia Concord (1987-1995) and was succeeded by the Kia Optima (2000-present).
Powertrain
Kia used four different engines for the Credos, but not all were available for all markets. Those four engines were: 1.8L Kia T8D, 2.0L Mazda FE-SOHC, 2.0L Mazda FE-DOHC, and 2.0L Rover V6 DOHC engines. In Australia where the Credos ran a three-year stint, the available powertrain was a 2.0L Mazda FE-DOHC 16-valve petrol engine paired with either a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual gearbox, which produces a peak power of 98 kW and peak torque of 171 N⋅m.
The combined fuel consumption of the automatic version is 11.5L/100km, while the manual version is slightly more economical at 11L/100km.
Trims and Features of the Kia Credos
The Credos was available in one trim level only, and it was not as barebones as one would expect from the asking price. It came standard with a 6-speaker radio/CD, alloy wheels, air conditioning, central locking, cloth trim, driver's airbag, engine immobiliser, power mirrors, power steering, and power windows. Aside from the roomy and comfortable—albeit dull—interior, the boot also offered considerable storage space.
Competitive Design Elements
Aside from its price advantage, which made the Credos a top budget choice, it possessed the following build and design qualities:
- Its ground-hugging design, flush-fitting doors, and streamlined profile all contribute to an impressive drag coefficient of 0.29. The low centre of gravity also increased the car's ability to hug the road, especially around sharp turns and curves.
- Almost one-third of its bodywork is made of high-strength steel.
- The sedan's boot has a 350-litre capacity and is easy to load.
- The headroom and legroom for the rear seats are both 960mm. The passengers on the back seat can slide their feet under the front seats.
- It has a turning circle of 10.6m, which is tight enough.
Overall, the Kia Credos is a modest car with spaciousness and affordability as its most considerable appeal. It does not excel, but neither does it fail where it counts. However, Kia had to phase it out because of its slow-selling performance in a crowded market segment that's dominated by premium brands.