Quote Originally Posted by OTEP View Post
Kia still uses a lot of steel in their components to reach the desired rigidity. The first Kia Carnivals were basically 4x2 SUV's if you looked at them from the underside.

Other automakers are more liberal in their use of other [more expensive] materials like aluminum, etc.
I wonder, though, if it's indicative of safety cell structure or lack of it? The US/Canadian Echo sedan is slightly heavier, at 970 kgs, but it gets four star ratings in crash tests... I wonder if the Vios body is quite as stiff?