Retona isn't just a catchy badge — it's a portmanteau for "return to nature," Kia's Jeep-style SUV built on the same chassis as its own military jeep.
Lead trim: Retona 2.0 FE-DOHC four
Kia Retona1998–2003
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Kia Retona yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactRetona isn't just a catchy badge — it's a portmanteau for "return to nature," Kia's Jeep-style SUV built on the same chassis as its own military jeep.
The Kia Retona (Retona Cruiser after the KDM facelift; initially sold as the Asia Retona in some markets; the name is a portmanteau of "return to nature") is a small mini SUV produced from 1998 to 2003 at Gwangju, South Korea, based on Kia's military jeeps and developed by Asia Motors, on the same platform as the first-generation Sportage Convertible and related to the Kia KM131; it replaced the Asia Rocsta and was succeeded by the Kia Sportage. It is a 3-door body-on-frame four-wheel-drive SUV with a 2.0 L FE-DOHC four or a 2.0 L RT turbodiesel, competing with the Lada Niva, Suzuki Jimny and SsangYong Korando; a 2006 survey of German owners by Auto Bild found it "abysmally" unreliable.
Collectors Spotted in the Kia Retona Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Kia Retona yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retona 2.0 FE-DOHC four | 1998–2003 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | 4WD | — | — |
| Retona 2.0 RT turbodiesel four | 1998–2003 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | 4WD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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