Kia called the Credos its first self-developed mid-size sedan, but under the skin it was really a fifth-generation Mazda Capella/626 — a badge-engineered car sold as a homegrown achievement.
Lead trim: Clarus Rover KV6 V6
Kia Credos / Clarus1995–2001
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FactKia called the Credos its first self-developed mid-size sedan, but under the skin it was really a fifth-generation Mazda Capella/626 — a badge-engineered car sold as a homegrown achievement.
The Kia Credos (Clarus in Europe; the station wagon was the Parktown in Korea) was Kia's first self-developed mid-size family sedan, on sale in South Korea in 1995 and in Australia in 1998, based on the fifth-generation Mazda Capella/Cronos (the Mazda 626) and related to the Kia Carnival/Sedona. Initially three engines were offered by trim: the 1.8-litre Kia T8D, a 2.0-litre Mazda FE SOHC and a 2.0-litre Mazda FE-DOHC; a licensed Rover KV6 (2.0-litre DOHC V6 in the text, 2.5 L in the infobox, so its displacement is left blank) arrived with the 1998 facelift, which also added the Parktown wagon, a commercial flop in Korea. The interior was described as dull, spacious and comfortable, with a massive boot; in the UK the basic 1.8 SX cost £11,000, about £4,000 less than the equivalent Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Vectra, and in Australia (from May 1998, only with the 2.0) 839 were sold in three years. It was replaced by the Hyundai-sourced Optima in September 2000, ending the badge-engineering relationship with Mazda. The page gives no per-engine years except the KV6 (1998), so trims carry the generation span.
Collectors Spotted in the Kia Credos / Clarus Lineage
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Trims & Figures
4 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarus Rover KV6 V6 | 1998–2001 | V6 | — | — | — | FWD | — | — |
| Credos 1.8 Kia T8D four | 1995–2001 | 1.8 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | FWD | — | — |
| Credos 2.0 Mazda FE SOHC four | 1995–2001 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | FWD | — | — |
| Credos 2.0 Mazda FE-DOHC four | 1995–2001 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | FWD | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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Rivals
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