The KV6 automotive petrol engine has a 24-valve quad-cam V6 configuration, and a pressurising variable-length intake manifold to add hot spots throughout the rev range.

The original unit was designed for low volume production but was later redesigned to fit into the smaller Rover 75's bonnet, although performance remained similar.

At introduction, the engine enjoyed considerable technological advancement compared with its competition,[citation needed] most notably being the lightest and shortest V6 in its class.

[citation needed] This caused the height of the cylinder liners to vary, which risked over-compression or under-compression of the head gaskets.

The 1998 redesign of the KV6 by Rover Group under BMW included replacing the original metal inlet-manifolds and butterfly valves, with plastic units manufactured in Germany.

The second common fault is failure of the thermostat housing (often failing along the mould line), that will lead to gradual but rarely complete loss of coolant.

A third common fault is oil contamination in the VIS motors that are mounted on the sides of the inlet manifold and control air intake.

Damage to the butterfly valves or VIS motors is limited to causing a rattling noise in the manifold or minor loss of power at certain engine conditions.

[2] For those outside warranty, Kia "covered costs proportional to what should have been the full expected life of components" and charged for labour and consumables.