Kia Archives

You can forget almost everything that you remember about the first two generations of the Kia Rio. The latest all-new Rio subcompact is stylish, chocked full of cool features and gets up to 40 mpg on the highway. Kia gave us the keys to the all-new third-generation 2012 Rio 5-Door SX for the weekend. Normally most people would never think about taking a Kia to The Hamptons for the weekend, but thanks to its stylish and sporty exterior, this Rio did not scream "economy car" like the first generation.

The all-new 2012 Rio is offered in both five-door and sedan versions. On the outside the Rio's styling stands out compared to more conservatively styled competitors like the Nissan Versa. The five-door hatchback is not only the sportier looking of the two Rio models, but should also be the wiser choice if you live in the city. Its shorter overall length makes it easier to parallel park and the rear hatch makes it easier to throw all of your stuff in the back. Our Rio SX came standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, dual exhaust tips and LED lighting.

Kia's all-new flagship sedan, the 2013 Kia K9 is officially going on sale today in South Korea. Kia's new rear-wheel-drive sedan shares its platform with the Hyundai Equus and was designed by former Audi designer Peter Schreyer.

The 2013 Kia K9 is being offered with a choice of two V6 engines, even though the Hyundai Equus is offered with a V8. The base 3.8L V6 packs 286 horsepower, while the top V6 engine will pack 330 horsepower. Both V6 engines will be mated to Kia's new eight-speed automatic transmission. The K9 has four driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport and Snow), which change the suspension, steering, engine and transmission settings based on road conditions or driving styles.

Consumer Reports has announced the latest results of its subcompact sedan test, in which the Kia Rio outpointed the Hyundai Accent and Chevy Sonic as the top rated sub-compact sedan in CR's tests.

"Subcompact cars were once collectively known as "penalty boxes" for their noisiness, rudimentary interiors, uncomfortable rides, and weak performance. But now improved redesigns, combined with an affordable prices and impressive fuel economy, make a number of subcompact models good all-around choices for people looking to stretch their budget," said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Connecticut.

Consumer Reports found the new Chevrolet Sonic to be a relatively refined model that offers a quiet cabin for the class, agile handling, and excellent braking. But testers found the Sonic's fuel economy is mediocre in this segment. The Hyundai Accent GLS sedan and Accent SE hatchback were not overly fancy, but they hit the mark for basic, sensible transportation and are good values.

The lowest scoring vehicles in the test were the Nissan Versa sedan and the Toyota Yaris hatchback.

Kia has released the first official photos of its new rear-wheel-drive flagship sedan, codenamed the Kia KH (or Kia K9).

The new flagship sedan will go on sale in South Korea this summer. Soon-Nam Lee, Kia's Director of the Overseas Marketing Group, stated, "Our all-new flagship sedan integrates all of our key capabilities such as design, performance, high-tech features and infotainment into one striking model."

The K9 shares its platform with the Hyundai Equus, so its likely that it will be offered with the same 5.0L V8.

It hasn't been announced when it will be introduced in other markets outside of South Korea.

An all-new Kia Cee'd hatchback is scheduled to debut next month at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, but we have the first official photos now.

The Kia Cee'd is based on the same platform as the Hyundai i30, but is longer, wider and lower than the outgoing model. The new Cee'd gets Kia's new design language with its sculpted hood and styling cues that are similar to the new Kia Optima.

The interior of the new Cee'd is more driver oriented and has a more premium look and feel than the last model. Kia hasn't announced what will power the new Cee'd when it is released in Europe later this year.

We'll know more next month.

Kia has released the first teaser photos and details for its new rear-wheel-drive flagship sedan, codenamed KH. Kia hasn't released the official name of its new sedan, but here's our first look at the new sedan.

The "KH" will borrow its platform from Hyundai, but Kia hasn't announced which engines will power the Kia sedan. The rear-wheel-drive Genesis is offered with a 3.8L V6, 4.6L V8 and a 5.0L V8. According to Kia the design of the concept is "distinctive, modern and classic."

Soon-Nam Lee, Kia's Director of the Overseas Marketing Group, stated, "Our all-new flagship sedan integrates all of our key capabilities such as design, performance, high-tech features and infotainment into one striking model."

The new rear-wheel-drive Kia sedan will go on sale in Korea this summer, but launch dates for other markets, including North America have not been confirmed.

Kia has released a second teaser photo of the upcoming Track'ster concept that is going to be unveiled this week at the Chicago Auto Show.

The Trackster concept borrows its platform from the Kia Soul, but wears sportier clothes. The concept was designed by Kia's design studio in California and is what a three-door Soul could look like.

Stay tuned...

Kia has released a teaser photo of the Track'ster concept that it is going to debut at the Chicago Auto Show, next week.

The Track'ster is a three-door hatchback, which was designed by Kia's design studio in California. The Track'ster concept is based on the Kia Soul, but places more emphasis on "performance," with its aggressive bodykit and lower profile.

The Track'ster could be a preview of a sportier Soul, which is one of Kia's best-selling models.

This year's Super Bowl is just around the corner on Sunday February 5th. Advertising during the game is always a big deal and we're already starting to get previews of what we can expect to see. Kia has released the details and a preview of its 60-second spot that will air during the fourth quarter of the game, called "Drive the Dream."

The commercial is for the new 2012 Optima Limited and stars Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima, Motley Crue and MMA fighter Chuck Liddell.

According to Kia: The new 2012 Optima Limited races through a Gen X couple's wildest thoughts as they sleep, including: Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima waving the checkered flag at a speedway; an in-your-face Mötley Crüe concert; mixed martial arts legend Chuck Liddell battling in the ring; a heroine and hunk on horseback in a romance novel setting; champion bull rider Judd Leffew taming a bucking rhinoceros; and a fairy tale ending.

This past fall, Kia unveiled the GT concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which featured a stylish four-door coupe design with a 390 horsepower 3.3L V6 and rear-wheel-drive. The concept is expected enter production sometime in 2013.

Now according to insiders that spoke with Inside Line, it looks like the four-door Kia GT could be joined by coupe and wagon versions. The unnamed sources claim that Kia sees the GT as a more affordable alternative to the Audi A5 Sportback and A7.

Kia has revamped most of it's lineup, but one model is still needs to adopt Kia's latest design language, the Forte sedan.The current Forte has been only on the market since 2009, but it looks like Kia is going to be redesigning it as early as the 2013 model year.

Kia World has uncovered design sketches of what appears to be the next-generation Forte sedan. If these sketches are accurate, the next Forte will borrow many of its design cues from the larger Optima.

If the rumors are true, the next Forte will debut sometime in 2012.

Last month Kia announced that the 2012 Kia Rio 5-door hatchback would start at $13,600, now we have the pricing for the sedan version of the Rio that starts at $13,400.

The 2012 Rio sedan is available in three trims: LX, EX and SX. All are powered by a 1.6L horsepower four-cylinder engine that packs 138 horsepower and that gets up to 30/40 mpg. Just like the hatchback, the Rio sedan is also available with Idle Stop and Go technology that basically turns off the engine when the Rio is not moving.

The top of the line Rio SX sedan starts at $17,500 and comes standard with metal pedals, LED front accent lights, LED taillights, a Supervision™ meter cluster, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power-folding outside mirrors and UVO powered by Microsoft® voice-activated infotainment system with rear camera display.

Kia has announced the pricing for the all-new 2012 Kia Rio 5-door hatchback, which starts at $13,600 for the base model with a manual transmission. Adding an automatic transmission pushes the price up to $14,700. The 2012 Rio's starting price is now lower than the outgoing model.

The 2012 Rio comes standard with air conditioning, electric power steering, an AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with USB and auxiliary ports and SiriusXM satellite radio. The top of the line Rio EX starts under $18,000 and comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamp and tail light accents, a sport-tuned suspension with larger front brakes, projection headlamps, twin chrome exhaust tips, fog lamps, and a standard voice-activated infotainment system with a 4.3-inch color touch screen and rear camera display.

All 2012 Rio trims are powered by a 138 horsepower 1.6L four-cylinder engine. The base LX model can be equipped with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, while the other trim levels come standard with the automatic. Start-stop technology is also offered on the Rio, which Kia refers to as ISG. The Kia Rio with the ISG technology gets 31/40 mpg.

Kia hasn't announced the pricing for the Rio sedan.

Kia officially unveiled the GT concept in Frankfurt last month. The concept featured a new four-door coupe design that was unlike anything with a Kia badge before. The overwhelming positive response to the rear-wheel-drive GT proves that Kia is ready to move beyond its budget focused lineup.

"Almost everyone has accepted the GT as being the right kind of car for Kia, and that says we're ready to stretch the brand further," said Kia's European boss Paul Philpott. "If we can get the same reaction globally as we did in Frankfurt then the GT can play a key role in moving the whole brand forward."

The Kia GT is expected to go into production in 2013 once Kia has completed changing its existing lineup.

The first official images of Kia's new rear-wheel-drive four-door coupe concept have leaked ahead of the concept's official debut next week. It was originally thought that Kia's new V8 concept would carry the Veredus name, but now its been confirmed that the concept will be dubbed the Kia GT.

The GT name isn't something new, but the concept takes Kia into a new area that it's never existed in before. Although Kia's parent, Hyundai has the rear-wheel-drive Genesis and Equus sedans, Kia has yet to release a rear-wheel-drive sedan. The details still remain scarce about the GT concept, but it is known that it will be powered by a V8, which could be a version of the 5.0L V8 that powers the Genesis R-Spec.

Kia is expected to release a rear-wheel-drive sedan next year and the GT concept is expected to be based on the same platform.

Come back for more next week!

Kia is going to debut a new rear-wheel-drive sport sedan concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show this month. Although the automaker has released the first official photos of the concept, we've yet to hear an official name.

Car and Driver is reporting that the concept may be dubbed "Veredus" due to a recent patent filing. According to Car and Driver, the sport sedan concept is the only vehicle in Kia's short-term plans that still needs a name, so it makes sense that it would be applied to this concept. There is a possibility that the name will be used on a production vehicle, such as Kia's version of the Hyundai Azera or its upcoming rear-wheel-drive sedan based on the Hyundai Genesis.

Stay tuned...

Kia is no longer the same bargain basement brand that it was in the late 90's and early 2000's. The automaker now has its sights on much higher segments and intends to show this off at the Frankfurt Motor Show, next month. Kia has given us a preview of its newest concept, a four-door sports sedan with rear-wheel-drive.

According to Kia the new concept is "powerful, dynamic and forward-looking." It signals Kia's new design direction.

"No matter from which perspective you look at it - this concept car is roaring with energy and ready for take-off," says Peter Schreyer, Kia Motors Chief Design Officer, proudly.

"I believe the car is a strong statement from Kia: we are ready to fast forward to an all new chapter."

Now that Kia has basically revamped its entire lineup, it's time to set its sights on other segments where Kia has never ventured before. Kia is going to unveil a new V8 rear-wheel-drive coupe concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.

Kia's boss, Hank Lee recently spoke to What Car? and confirmed that Kia needs a halo model to improve its brand image. The rear-wheel-drive coupe will be the first of a series of concepts to gauge public reaction to higher-end Kia models.

The rear-wheel-drive coupe concept will be based on a new rear-wheel-drive Kia sedan that is set to be released in 2012. Kia is expected to release another concept car based on the same platform at the Detroit Auto Show this coming January. A production version of the coupe is expected in 2015.

Kia is also rumored to be working on a new Mazda MX-5 rival in addition to a model to go head to head with the VW GTI.

Looks like Kia will no longer be the bargain basement/ throw away car that it was in the late 90's and 2000's.

Do you love the Kia Soul commecials with the hamster's behind the wheel? Well Kia has released a special edition of the 2011 Soul that is inspired by those commercials, the Kia Soul Hamstar, which starts at $20,295.

The special edition Soul is based on the Soul+ trim and is dressed in custom Hamstar artwork, highlighted by a black star graphic with the signature Hamstar script logo on the hood and off-black matte finish stripes on the vehicle's sides. The exterior also features body colored bumpers with a rear bumper applique, power sunroof, fog lights, a rear sport spoiler, black 18-inch alloy wheels, black fender vents with turn signal indicator and a matte black alloy fuel door.

Kia recently confirmed that it is developing a special Pro-Cee'd that will be a VW GTI rival. The new high-performance Kia will be based on the next-generation model and will be powered by a new direct-injection 1.6L engine with at least 200 horsepower.

It was originally thought that Kia would use a larger 2.0L engine, but to keep costs down, the 1.6L option was chosen.

Kia's Managing Director of Kia UK stated, "The sports models aren't there for volume. They'll just be a boost to the brand's image - particularly in the UK."

The GTI fighter will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the fall of 2013.

Kia has announced the pricing for its first ever hybrid in the U.S., the 2011 Optima Hybrid.

The stylish Optima hybrid starts at $26,500 and is set to arrive in dealerships in June. The 2011 Optima hybrid shares it powertrain with the Hyundai Sonata hybrid and is powered by a full hybrid system that can be driven in electric mode up to 62 miles per hour. The hybrid system mates a 2.4L engine to an electric motor and a lithium polymer battery. It gets 35 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway.

To differentiate it from the gasoline engine powered Optima models, the Optima hybrid features unique a front grille design, 16-inch alloy wheel design, headlamp design, fog lamps, heated outside mirrors, front and rear lower bumpers and side sills and LED tail lamp design.

Kia is far from the budget brand of the mid-1990's with its new lineup that includes the new Optima, which is finally competitive against sedans like the Camry and Accord. Now that Kia has managed to build an Optima that people will actually buy, what is next? Well a premium rear-wheel-drive sedan based off the Hyundai Genesis could be in the works.

Kia Motors Australia COO Tony Barlow told Drive, "We have an interest in all new models under development. A rear-wheel-drive premium sedan could be seen as a logical step from the Optima to the next level of Kia development."

In 2009 there were rumors that Kia was working on a new flagship sedan, which was referred to as the K9. Peter Schreyer, Kia's chief designer didn't confirm that a new rear-wheel-drive sedan is in the works, but he did say, " "I think when you can work with the rear-wheel drive proportion it is always good for the designer. For a big sedan it is the better proportion; fantastic proportion of course."

When he was asked if the K9 would represent a new design direction for Kia, Schreyer stated, "Always we try to do that ... but I cannot talk about things that are probably in development."

According to the latest rumors Kia may unveil a concept or production version of the K9 at the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall.

Kia has revealed the changes to the 2012 Soul, which is having its world debut today in New York. The 2012 Kia Soul gets a few styling updates and some changes under the hood.

Under the hood the Soul has two different engine choices. The base engine is the new 1.6L GDI that puts out 135 horsepower and gets 28 mpg city and 34 mpg on the highway. If you want more power, the 2.0L four-cylinder puts out 160 horsepower and gets 27 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. The 2.0L can be mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

The front end of the Soul is now enhanced with projector headlights and LED daytime running lights. The front and rear bumpers have also been restyled. Inside the Soul gets Kia's new "UVO" hands-free communication and infotainment system. There is also a new Premium Package that adds heated front seats, leather seats, a navigation system and automatic climate control.

Kia gave us a preview of what to expect with the next-generation 2012 Rio in Geneva this past march, with the 2012 Rio hatchback. Now Kia has unveiled the sedan version of the all-new Rio.

Michael Sprague, vice-president, marketing & communications, KMA stated, "The all-new Rio brings Kia's successful combination of world-class styling, outstanding fuel economy, advanced technologies and tremendous value to the smallest and most economical vehicle in the Kia line-up."

The 2012 Rio sedan has the same front end as the hatchback, which is definitely not a bad thing. The Rio sedan is longer, lower and wider than the current generation. The Rio will be powered by a 135-hp 1.6L GDI four-cylinder engine in the U.S. The Rio is expected to get 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.

Next week Kia is set to debut the four-door version of the 2012 Kia Rio and an updated 2012 Soul.

According to Kia the 2012 Soul will be updated "with significant power and fuel efficiency upgrades under the hood." The 2012 Soul will get a new six-speed transmission, which will help it get close to 35 mpg on the highway. The updated Soul will also get a few exterior updates including new LED projector headlamps.

Stay tuned for all the info in a few days...

NADAguides, a provider of vehicle pricing and information has announced its annual "Must Consider" vehicle list for 2011. The list consists of vehicles that may not be at the top of consumers' minds, but that should definitely not be overlooked. The vehicles that are part of this year's list possess a combination of quality engineering, design and features, great performance and excellent fuel efficiency.

This year's list consists of...

Wards Auto has announced Ward's 10 Best Interiors list for 2011. Editors drove 51 vehicles that were all-new or featured significantly upgraded interiors in determining the 2011 winners. This year's top ten list consists of a sport sedan, three economy cars, three luxury brands, an SUV and a family sedan.

"We've never evaluated so many vehicles for any awards competition in the past, which tells us every auto maker wants the freshest, highest-quality interior possible for all the vehicles they sell," Ward's AutoWorld Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter says. "Auto makers are so focused on the smallest details that it's hard to find a bad interior these days. Still, some are better than others, and we're recognizing the best of the best."

Kia is set to officially debut the sedan version of the all-new 2012 Kia Rio at the New York Auto Show this April. Kia held a press event this morning and it looks like the new sedan was confirmed for the show.

The hatchback version of the Rio was unveiled in Geneva earlier this month.

Expect more details from the show...

Kia is debuting a new concept, the Naimo at the 2011 Seoul Motor Show. The Naimo concept is an electric crossover concept that is powered by twin lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor with 110 horsepower and 206 lb-ft. of torque.

Kia claims that the concept can travel up to 124 miles on a single charge and has a top speed of 93 mph. It will take five hours to recharge the system using a standard household power outlet, but a special quick charge system can recharge the batteries up to 80 percent in 25 minutes.

The design of the Naimo concept features a wrap-around windshield, an asymmetric sunroof and front and rear dot-style LED lighting. You won't be able to find a conventional wiper blade on the windshield since the concept uses a high-intensity air jet at the base of the windshield. Door mirrors have also been replaced by tiny cameras installed in the A-pillars.

Kia's European CEO Paul Philpott recently hinted to AutoExpress that the automaker is planning a rival for the Mazda MX-5. "I'd like to have a Kia MX-5," he said. "2011 and 2012 are about establishing the brand. But for 2013 and 2014, we're thinking about halo models that stretch the company forward."

Philpott further explained that Kia is positioning itself as the younger, sportier brand than Hyundai. "In the past, we have been too close together, but if Kia is fun, dynamic and more youthful, Hyundai is more about style and comfort: more upmarket."

Chief designer, Peter Schreyer also stated "The brand deserves a sporty car, like a roadster."

Kia recently unveiled an all-new version of the Kia Rio for the 2012 model year in Geneva. The new Rio adopts Kia's current design language and looks far better than the current car that looks at home in a rental fleet.

It looks like Kia is thinking about releasing a hot hatch version of the Rio to boost its image in Europe. Europeans love hatchbacks, where models like the VW GTI are immensely popular. Kia's marketing and product planning chief Benny Oeyen recently told Autocar, "The quality and design is much greater than the brand image represents. You can improved this with cars. A helpful car for us would be a hot hatch, cabrio or a coupe."

The most immediate option will likely be the hot hatch. This fall the standard Kio Rio will be released. In the US it's expected that the Rio will be be powered by a 1.6L engine with 138 horsepower.

Kia has announced a more powerful Kia Sportage, the Kia Sportage SX, which is powered by a 256 horsepower 2.0L 4-cyl.

The Sportage SX is powered by the same turbocharged 4-cylinder that can be found under the hood of the new Optima, but puts out more power in the Optima. The 4-cyl also puts out 264 lb-ft. of torque, is mated to a six-speed automatic and gets up to 27 mpg on the highway. In addition to the more powerful engine, the Sportage SX also gets a new sport-tuned suspension with firmer shock and strut rates.

The front-wheel-drive SX starts at $25,795 while all-wheel drive models start at $27,295.

Now that everything has been unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show, the next big show is the Geneva Motor Show, next month. Kia is going to be unveiling an all-new Kia Rio at the show and here is your first look at the small car.

The new Rio adopts Kia's latest design language and looks much better than the current generation. The front end is dominated by huge headlights, aggressive lower air intakes and the Kia corporate grille. The Rio has grown a bit, since it is now longer, wider and lower, which translates to more interior room.

Expect more details soon...

Kia's all-new Optima is a giant leap forward from the previous generation and Kia wants the world to know it. There's no better opportunity than the Super Bowl to grab the world's attention. Kia is going to be featuring the new Optima in a 60-second spot during the first quarter of the game.

The spot is titled "One Epic Ride" and it shows how people such as a police officer and an international villain, aliens and an ancient chief desire the new Optima. The commercial is also part of a contest in which five 2011 Optimas will be given away. Kia is also going to be teaming up with SocialVibe to create a Kia-branded social media game.

Kia has announced that the next-generation Kia Rio will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Kia has also released a few teaser photos of what we will see at the show.

Described by Kia's Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, as 'sporty and elegant, the next Rio will be longer, lower and wider than the current Rio.

"Downsizing is becoming more and more of a trend these days and a B-segment car as attractive as all-new Rio, with its driver-oriented cabin and interior trim options, will no doubt help consumers to be more comfortable making that switch. New Rio is the 'next big step' in Kia's design revolution and we anticipate this model becoming even more popular than the current vehicle," comments Soon-Nam Lee, Director of Overseas Marketing, Kia Motors Corporation.

Let's be honest. The Minivan has been around since the early 1980's and although some have tried, the minivan has pretty much been relegated to the "unsexy" category. Flash forward to 2012 and the next automaker to try to change that is Kia with its KV7 Concept.

The KV7 Concept is Kia's attempt at showing the future of the van segment. It "embraces the box" by steering away from the dramatically raked windshields and wedge-shaped noses found throughout the van segment, pretty much the same as the Ford Flex. The concept features a passenger side gullwing door that is a lot more fun that the traditional minivan's sliding door.

Inside the KV7 Concept tries to appeal more towards a social group of people that Kia refers to as "Ringleaders" rather than the traditional family. The interior featires four swiveling seats, including the driver's seat, and a rear-corner mini-lounge with seating for three and integrated storage compartments to promote interaction in an open social environment.

Tne KV7 Concept is powered by a new Theta II 2.0-liter GDI turbocharged engine that puts out up to 285-hp and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Kia has officially unveiled the 2011 Kia Picanto, which is going to be officially unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March.

The all-new Picanto is now longer and has a longer wheelbase. The Picanto will feature four all-new powertrains in 1.0- and 1.2-litre displacements. In addition to the standard gas engines, LPG, bi-fuel and flex-fuel variations will be available depending on each market.

Kia is going to debut the KV7 concept at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Kia hasn't released much detail about the new concept other than the sketch shown here. According to Kia the KV7 concept is going to make a dramatic design statement and by dramatic Kia is probably referring to the gullwing doors...

Kia is going to replace its slow selling Amanti sedan this year with a model that is named the Cadenza. The Cadenza release was originally planned for April, but now Kia officials are saying that it will be sometime in the first half of 2011.

The Amanti replacement comes at the same time as the new Optima is being launched. The base Optima LX and midrange EX models have already begun to arrive in dealerships. Some are worried that launching two similarly sized sedans at the same time could create a problem, but Kia executives claim that the two sedans are aimed at different buyers. According to Orth Hedrick, director of product planning for Kia Motors America, the Optima is targeted more at mainstream buyers of midsize sedans, while the Cadenza is aimed at a different group. The Cadenza's look and size places it in the same category as the Toyota Avalon and Buick LaCrosse.

The Geneva Motor Show is still four months away, but that isn't stopping Kia from releasing its first pictures of the 2012 Kia Picanto.

The 2012 Kia Picanto minicar is about the same size as the Toyota iQ and will go on sale shortly after the Geneva Motor Show with sales set to start in May. The Picanto shares its platform with the next-gen Hyundai i10, which is also due to be released next year.

The Kia Picanto could eventually be offered in the US.