Think Rondo is no longer the stylish name it was? Does Magentis remind you of those magnetised bedsheets your granny always raves about?

Apparently Kia shares your concerns, and is investigating how best to revamp its model naming system to appeal to a wider (ie: under 40 year-old) audience.

The new Soul and Forte (aka Cerato) are rumoured to be safe, as both nameplates are fresh enough and hip enough to strike a chord with younger car buyers. However, the rest of the range will likely see a good number of badges being thrown into the bin.

“We want to leave the old baggage behind,” Kia’s Michael Sprague said in an interview with Automotive News.

“A lot of people don’t know who we are anyway. So why not come out with new and more attractive names like Forte and Soul?”

An alpha-numeric naming convention isn’t expected to be on the cards, but we do expect to see some funkier names popping up in Kia’s stable in the near future. All we ask is that they make more sense than Ssangyong’s.