
Kia Granbird

The Kia Granbird is a high-decker coach produced by the South Korean manufacturer Kia. It was derived from the Hino S'elega platform and for a brief period of time from former Asia Motors. Production started in 1994, and the exterior look stayed the same until the second generation in 2007, and then finally a refresh in 2020. The Granbird is manufactured at Kia's Gwangju plant, which also makes the Soul, Sportage, Rondo, and Kia's commercial and military trucks. The Granbird is only sold in selected markets.
First Generation (1994–2007).
In 1994, Kia introduced the Granbird, and the against rivals Hyundai Aero and Daewoo BH series. This generation was only offered with direct injection diesel engines.
Second Generation (2007–present).
In 2007, the second generation Granbird only available with the Parkway and most versions, shared with the Hyundai Universe as one of the coach models built on a dedicated commercial vehicle chassis. It underwent a first refresh in 2011. The second refresh of the Granbird, called it as the Granbird Silkroad variant, debuted at the Seoul Motor Show in 2015.
Model refresh (2020–Present).
Unveiled on 14 May 2020, the refreshed Kia Granbird continues to be underpinned by Hyundai's dedicated commercial vehicle chassis shared with the refreshed Hyundai Universe. It is available in Super Premium Sunshine and Super Premium Parkway trims. It features a large, completely color instrument cluster, and a large touchscreen infotainment system. The interior also features a new flat TV and an entertainment system is standard on the Super Premium Sunshine and Super Premium Parkway versions. The indoor height has been increased by 80mm, and the upper left and right widths of the interior have been expanded by 120mm.
For the first time in its class, a front parking assist device that sounds a warning sound when there is an obstacle in the lower front, a steering haptic that gives attention to the driver through vibration when operating with safety specifications, and automatically opens the door through a sensor when a person or object gets caught when the door is closed. The main entrance touch sensor, a speed-sensitive car height control device that adjusts the height of the vehicle according to the vehicle speed to improve aerodynamic performance, etc., are applied.
The powertrain of the refreshed coach is a Powertech 12.3-liter diesel engine paired to both manual and automatic transmissions.