8 Passenger Crossover SUV: 2011 Kia Sorento EX AWD
The 2011 Kia Sorento Crossover SUV is a nice package with good size, versatility and plenty of power and amenities. It compares well with the competition (RAV4, 4Runner, CR-V, etc), and brings Kia’s long warranty to the table.
Okay, I realize time flies when you get older, but what ever happened to 2010? As far as the Kia Sorento is concerned, it never happened. Kia bounced from 2009 to 2011 and never offered a 2010 version of its popular SUV.
The wait was worth it.
Detroit 2011: Kia KV7 Concept is a van with a plan
Kia certainly knows a thing or two about embracing the box design. After all, the styling of the Soul is certainly a perfect interpretation of the good things boxy shapes can create. With that in mind, Kia has set to reinvent the van with its new KV7 Concept here at the Detroit Auto Show. But we aren’t talking minivan – this is pure, boxy conversion van hotness.
Inside, there are clever features like swivel chairs for all occupants (including the driver), and the rear quarters are set up in a sort of lounge fashion. There are nifty gadgets like a floating table-top computer and full wireless internet capability. Wrap that in a sleek, boxy package that boasts a 285-turbocharged four-cylinder engine and the end result is a van that means serious business. As much as we’d love to see this concept come to fruition, we’ll chalk this one up as just another example of what happens when you let automotive designers run wild.
Categories: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Kia Tags: Detroit Auto Show
First Drive: 2011 Kia Optima
We admit it – we’re genetically preprogrammed to be shallow creatures. Despite our moms’ best efforts, recognizing inner beauty is all well and good, but it’s physical beauty that first puts both people and consumables on our radar.
First Drive: 2011 Kia Sportage keeps moving in the proper direction
The crossover is the high-fructose corn syrup of the automotive world. Think about it: Rather than using real sugar, Pepsi opts for a cheaper, highly refined and processed sweetener. Which, according to lots of studies, is pretty bad for us. Why would they do that? Higher profits, pure and simple. Likewise, CUVs offer all of the space of a comparably long station wagon or hatchback, get inferior mileage, don’t handle as well, take longer to stop and in most cases offer none of the utility of a true off-roader. But guess what? They pull in fistfuls of greenbacks for auto companies.
Like high-fructose corn syrup then, car experts (“Hi, Mom!”) can scream out their lungs until they’re blue about the benefits of a more sensible, safer, smarter product (again, wagons). Yet consumers simply don’t listen. The fastest growing automotive segment is – of course – the small CUV. Like the Snickers bar, the Twinkie and a twenty-piece Chicken McNuggets meal with BBQ sauce (all of which is mostly corn syrup), they are here to stay, forever. Buyers just seem to like the looks and the perceived safety that a high-riding vehicle affords them. Plus, for those with infant children, not having to stoop down to strap Junior into his car seat is the most luxurious feature on earth. With all that in mind, some CUVs are better than others – and not only in terms of looks, but also handling, packaging, content and value. Is the new 2011 Kia Sportage one of them?
Categories: Auto Review, Car Review, Crossover, Kia Tags: Kia
New York 2010: 2011 Kia Sorento SX offers more standard kit, added visual flare
Kia officially debuted the new SX trim level for the 2011 Sorento at this year’s Atlanta Auto Show, but they also brought the dolled-up crossover to New York for a larger-scale unveiling. The Sorento is already off to a good start in the U.S. – it has already become Kia’s top-selling vehicle for the first few months of 2010 – and the SX, which goes on sale this Summer, offers up a bit more standard equipment and style to the lineup. The revised front fascia is a bit buffer than lesser trims and the ride height has been lowered by about one inch, giving it a more aggressive stance.
Under the hood is Kia’s 3.5-liter V6, which produces 276 horsepower. Upgrades over the lesser LX and EX models include things like sharp 18-inch wheels and Dual Flow Damper shock absorbers. Inside, leather seats are standard, as is a back-up camera, Infinity audio system and voice-activated navigation. Look for Kia’s all-new UVO infotainment system to debut in the Sorento later this year. Check out our galleries below to see the SX in high-res glory.
Categories: Auto Show, Crossover, Kia, New York Auto Show Tags:
2010 New York Auto Show Live:2011 Kia Optima introduced with DI, turbo and hybrid
At the New York Auto Show today, Kia officially introduced its new 2011 Optima mid-size sedan and, as we expected, it shares much with the recently launched Hyundai Sonata. In spite of the same wheelbase and almost identical dimensions, however, this is no case of badge engineering. The Optima has completely different styling from its corporate sibling with a crisp, modern look that is in keeping with other recent Kia introductions.
What it does share with the Hyundai is its complete powertrain lineup, including a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter Theta II inline-four, a turbocharged 2.0-liter version of the same engine and the new 2.4-liter hybrid powertrain. The latter two configurations were both announced by Hyundai yesterday for the Sonata. Each of the engines features direct injection and variable valve timing with the non-hybrids being rated at 200 and 274 horsepower, respectively. All the powertrains are mated to six-speed transmissions, with the base model being available with a manual and the others being all automatic.
Categories: Auto Show, Hybrid, Kia, New York Auto Show, Sedan Tags:
2010 Chicago Auto Show: Kia shows off new Forte Koup racecar
Kia has been making waves this past year or so with introductions like the Soul and the Forte Koup, and for 2010, they hope to be make an impact on the racetrack as well. Here at the Chicago Auto Show, Kia is displaying their new Forte Koup racecar that is competing in Grand-Am’s Continental Sports Car Challenge series for 2010. The Korean manufacturer’s first foray into motorsports will be managed by Georgia-based Kinetic Motorsports who will field a pair of cars in the Street Tuner (ST) class against cars like the Mazda3, BMW 330, and Volkswagen GTI.
The #10 car at the show was fresh off the truck from its debut at the Fresh From Florida 200 at Daytona Speedway last month, where it finished an underwhelming 31st in class. The #12 sister car fared a little better, ending the race in a respectable 19th place. You can watch both cars in action on SPEED Channel’s tape-delayed broadcast of the race on February 13th at 7:00 pm EST.
Categories: Auto Show, Chicago Auto Show, Coupe, Kia Tags:
Chicago Auto Show 2010: Kia Ray PHEV concept live from the show floor
s the environmentally-friendly car wars continue to heat up, Kia has been quietly working up its own assault dubbed “EcoDynamics.” With a fuel cell vehicle, a natural gas-powered model and a hybrid under its belt already, Kia’s fuel efficiency division is stepping up its game with a plug-in parallel hybrid concept vehicle called “Ray” which is making its debut at the 2010 Chicago auto show.
The Ray is a four-door, four-seat, plug-in hybrid based on the Kia Forte platform. Under the Ray’s glass hood is a 153 horsepower, 1.4-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission, used in combination with its 78 kW electric motor. Power can be sent to the Ray’s front wheels from the gas engine, the electric motor, or a combination of both. When running only on the energy stored in its lithium-polymer battery pack, Kia says the front-drive Ray can travel up to 50 miles on a single charge.
Categories: Auto Show, Chicago Auto Show, Hybrid, Kia Tags:
