"Besta" means "beast" in Portuguese and several other Romance languages — and it didn't stop this Kia coach from becoming the best-selling minivan in Brazil.
Median 139 hp across 60 similar cars
Lead trim: Besta 2.2 Mazda R2 diesel (62 PS) · up to 79 hp
Kia Bongo second generation / Besta1990–1997
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Kia Bongo second generation / Besta 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.
Fact"Besta" means "beast" in Portuguese and several other Romance languages — and it didn't stop this Kia coach from becoming the best-selling minivan in Brazil.
In January 1990 the second-generation Bongo Wide (plain "Bongo" in most export markets) appeared, largely a rebadged SR-series Mazda Bongo Brawny; a 2.7-litre engine was introduced in 1993, the new Kia logo replaced the old "chimney" design in October 1994, and a reengined, lightly facelifted "Bongo J2" (named for the new engine) appeared in 1995. The passenger (coach) version was the Kia Besta (or HiBesta) — "beast" in many Romance languages — which immediately became the highest-selling minivan in Brazil; it originally had the 2.2 liter Mazda R2 diesel with 62 PS and from the end of 1994 the 80 PS 2.7 liter J2, good for 128 km/h (80 mph). The Bongo J2 also formed the basis of the new Kia Pregio, which replaced the Besta, though the Besta 2.7 carried on alongside it until at least the summer of 1997; export models often used K2400 or K2700 labels.
Collectors Spotted in the Kia Bongo Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Kia Bongo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Besta 2.2 Mazda R2 diesel (62 PS) | 1990–1994 | 2.2 L | 61 hp | 105 lb-ft | — | — | — | — |
| Bongo / Besta 2.7 J2 diesel (80 PS) | 1994–1997 | 2.7 L | 79 hp | 122 lb-ft | — | — | — | — |
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
The humble Bongo went electric: Kia launched a battery-powered Bongo III in South Korea in 2020, good for up to 211 km (131 miles) per charge.
The Bongo Frontier's 1999 four-wheel-drive version didn't just add capability — it retired the rugged Ceres truck line, a lineage stretching back to the 1977 Mazda Bongo.
"Besta" means "beast" in Portuguese and several other Romance languages — and it didn't stop this Kia coach from becoming the best-selling minivan in Brazil.
The tougher Bongo Ceres farm truck outlived the regular Bongo by seven years, still built on a design traced back to a 1977 Mazda.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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