This Kia mini-minivan gets a more macho look to jazz up its already decade-old design.
Kia has recently given its Ray miniature minivan a second facelift, following on from a mild refresh back in 2017. This new and more comprehensive update brings with it a slightly revised exterior aesthetic, and a few more tech toys within.
Starting from the front first, the Ray — which has incidentally already been around since 2011 — has gained a more macho face courtesy of pair of more angular and upright LED headlights. The front bumper too have been given the butch treatment, with it now featuring a wider single opening than before and a new aluminium-style skid plate.
The new Ray also nets Kia’s new corporate badges all round, with the one round its rump being flanked on either side by yet another pair of newly redesigned blocky LED taillights, which are interconnected with glossy black trim pieces extending across the tailgate. Rounding up the exterior enhancements meanwhile are a refreshed rear bumper that now features a more prominent black rear diffuser, as well as a set of snazzier dual-tone alloy wheels.
Now moving on within, the updated Ray nets a new 4.2-inch LCD colour digital display within its instrument cluster and the darker trim elements. And trying their hardest not to sound as if they’re clutching at straws here, Kia has also stated that this facelifted mini-minivan now features a light grey interior option ‘to add a modern image’.
A model exclusive to its home market of South Korea, the facelifted Ray will likely retain the outgoing iteration’s 1.0-liter MPI engine and a four-speed automatic gearbox powertrain pairing. This miniature people mover is however incidentally also Kia’s first-ever production EV, and is therefore available too with the propulsion option from a single 67 hp electric motor fed by a 16.4 kWh lithium-ion battery that is good for 138 km of range.
Though what is perhaps even more interesting with this Ray is its rear door configuration, which features a normal swinging door on the left but a sliding door on the right. And it is worth highlighting too that upright minivan can also be had in a single-seater Ray Van configuration.
Further details about this facelifted Ray should be announced in the coming weeks, with its debut in its home market currently scheduled for September. Rather unfortunately for such a practical yet affordable runabout though, it is however expected that this miniature minivan will likely still not be made available anywhere else in the world.
