Kia Archives

Kia continues to move upward towards the entry-level luxury segment with models like the new Kia Cadenza. Buyers are even willing to pay more for the higher trim levels of Kia's mainstream models like the Optima midsize sedan and the Sorento crossover. For the 2014 model year Kia has upgraded the Sorento with a facelift, revised interior and some upgrades under the hood.

Kia's all-new 2014 Cadenza luxury sedan is moving the brand further and further away from its "value brand" label that it was known for ten years ago. WIth a price tag starting around $36,000 and a long list of standard luxury features, Kia hopes to attract buyers that would normally buy an Acura TL or Lexus ES.

It's being reported that Kia is hard at work on a new electric version of the Kia Soul. The Kia Soul EV will be the first mass market electric vehicle from Hyundai/ Kia and will be sold in the global market, which includes the US, Europe and China.

Kia has confirmed that its new rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan, the Quoris will indeed be offered in the US. At the launch of the 2014 Kia Cadenza, Kia confirmed to Automotive.com that the Quoris will arrive in the US soon and when it does it will be priced between $50k-$70k.

Kia is bring back the Kia Sedona minivan for the 2014 model year. The once dead minivan returns to Kia's lineup with a few updates and more interior features.

Kia has announced the pricing for its new flagship sedan, the 2014 Kia Cadenza. The 2014 Cadenza will be offered in one trim level starting at $35,100 when it goes on sale later this month. "The all-new Cadenza is a world-class Kia for the emerging space between mainstream and luxury and will appeal to discerning shoppers in the market for an upscale sedan," said Tom Loveless, executive vice president of sales, KMA. "We're confident that Cadenza's sophisticated styling, luxuriously appointed cabin and long list of available technology will make it a strong contender in the marketplace."

Kia has unveiled the new Kia CUB concept, which is having its world debut today at the Seoul Motor Show. Even though most of us would label the concept as a small five-door hatchback, Kia is labeling it as a four-door coupe concept.

Kia has unveiled the third and final member of the all-new Kia Forte lineup. Following the debuts of the 2014 Kia Forte sedan and five-door hatchback, Kia has now taken the wraps off the 2014 Forte Koup in New York. "The Forte Koup is arguably the sportiest vehicle in our award-winning lineup, and it has helped raise Kia's brand awareness significantly among automotive enthusiasts," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of marketing & communications, KMA. "Its rakish design, premium amenities and powerful turbocharged engine set it apart from the competition. With the debut of the Forte sedan and 5-door earlier this year, and now the Koup in New York, the Forte lineup has been completely revamped from top to bottom."

The Kia Soul is one of the most popular models in the Kia lineup and for the 2014 model year Kia has completely redone the Soul. The 2014 Kia Soul is all-new, but keeps its recognizable "box" shape and even takes some styling cues from the Track'ster concept that was unveiled last year.

Kia has released a teaser photo of its new CUB concept that will debut this week at the 2013 Seoul Motor Show. The CUB concept is labeled as a compact four-door coupe that is less than four meters long.

Kia has announced the pricing for the all-new 2014 Kia Forte sedan, which starts at $15,900. The all-new Forte was unveiled last November at the LA Auto Show and is sportier and more upscale than the last model. The 2014 Forte will be offered in LX and EX variants, the Forte and can be powered by either a 1.8-liter 148-horsepower engine or a more powerful 2.0-liter 173-horsepower engine. Fuel economy for the 2.0-liter powerplant is 24 miles per gallon city/36 highway.

The Kia Optima Hybrid has only been on the market for two years, but Kia has already made some enhancements for the 2013 model year. The 2013 Optima Hybrid is now more powerful, fuel efficient and has more features than before.

Several photos of Kia's newest concept, the Provo concept have leaked online ahead of the its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Kia describes the small hatchback as a "racy new urban concept."

Kia has already given us a preview of its VW GTI fighter in the form of the three-door pro_cee'd GT. Kia plans to also offer it in a five-door version and a photo of it has surfaced online ahead of its debut next month in Geneva. The five-door version gets the same aggressive exterior styling as the three-door, which should make it a great alternative to the VW GTI. Under the hood it will be powered by a 201-hp 1.6-liter GDI turbocharged engine that is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Kia has teamed up with DC Entertainment and Super Street magazine to create this Optima Hybrid inspired by Superman's strength and unwavering care for planet Earth. Unveiled today at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, this Optima Hybrid signals the continuation of a 10-month, eight vehicle partnership between Kia and DC Entertainment based on the iconic characters that make up the Justice League - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg.

Kia has unveiled the all-new 2014 Forte 5-door in Chicago. Following the debut of the all-new Forte sedan in LA, the 5-door features the similar "European-inspired" design.

Kia has unveiled the Cross GT Concept in Chicago, which signals Kia's intentions to release a larger premium crossover than the current Kia Sorento. "The debut of the GT in 2011 heralded a new frontier for Kia, both from a design and a business perspective," noted Peter Schreyer, Kia Motors Corporation president and global chief of design. "It beautifully illustrated to the world that the brand was ready to explore the possibility of perhaps one day offering a full-size rear-drive luxury saloon. The Cross GT, with its raised stance and large cargo area, allows us to envision the GT in the form of a full-size luxury crossover."

Kia has released a teaser of its new Cross GT concept that is going to debut next week at the Chicago Auto Show. According to Kia, the new concept is "inspired by nature, driven by technology and hints at the future of Kia's design language." The crossover concept is also larger than the 2014 Sorento.

Kia is set to unveil the new Kia pro_cee'd GT and cee'd GT in Geneva, which according to Kia are "the brand's most performance-focused production cars ever." Designed in Europe under the direction of President and Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, the two debutants feature bold athletic styling, LED daytime running lights, dual-exhaust pipes, 18-inch alloy wheels and eye-catching red brake calipers.

It looks like Kia is also working on a new small crossover. Kia has previewed its new Urban Concept ahead of its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. "With the company's signature tiger-nose morphing into a mischievous yet friendly grille and headlight arrangement, coupled with strong styling lines that exude speed and energy from every angle, Kia's newest concept vehicle is guaranteed to attract attention."

Kia has unveiled the all-new 2014 Kia Cadenza, which it is calling "the most technologically-advanced vehicle Kia has ever introduced in North America." The Kia Cadenza continues Kia's current design languageWith its distinctive front fascia and swept C-pillars. It's also powered by Kia's most powerful V6 engine and inside, unparalleled premium appointments for five occupants strike the ideal balance between sport and luxury.

The Kia Sportage was one of Kia's first models that it offered in the US, when it entered our market in the mid-1990s. That first Sportage was a small body-on-frame SUV that would eventually compete with small crossovers like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Almost 20 years later the Sportage has evolved into a stylish crossover that has moved to a unibody platform, but is also now offered with a powerful turbocharged engine. After two weeks with the 2013 Kia Sportage SX Turbo, we came away mostly impressed with Kia's latest Sportage. Here's why...

Kia has announced that it is working with Google to provide content and search-based solutions enabled by Application Program Interfaces (APIs) for the second-generation of the automaker's UVO eServices telematics system. These new solutions will initially be introduced on the new 2014 Sorento. The immediate integration of Google solutions will utilize Google Maps and Google Places to acquire driving directions and locate Points of Interest (POIs).

Kia has unveiled the all-new third generation 2014 Kia Forte at the 2012 LA Auto Show. The new 2014 Forte adopts Kia's latest design language , which has created a more aggressive Forte that is now longer, wider and lower than the previous-generation. The all-new Forte rides on a chassis that is longer (by 1.2 inches), lower (0.6 inches) and wider (0.2 inches) than the previous Forte sedan. Its 106.3-inch wheelbase is also two inches longer than the outgoing model.

Hyundai and Kia have announced that, following discussions with the EPA, they are voluntarily adjusting the fuel economy ratings for approximately 900,000, or 35 percent of, 2011-13 model year vehicles sold through October 31, 2012. According to both automakers procedural errors at their joint testing operations in Korea led to incorrect fuel economy ratings for select vehicle lines. As part of Hyundai/Kia's corrective actions, the fuel economy ratings for vehicles currently in showrooms are being voluntarily relabeled. With these changes, the 2012 Hyundai/Kia fleet fuel economy level is reduced by an average of 3 percent - from 27 to 26 MPG.

Kia is expected to unveil the all-new 2014 Kia Soul early next year at either the Chicago or New York Auto Show. Autocar is reporting that the new Kia Soul will also be offered with an all-electric version, although no official details have been released.

Kia has just released a new batch of photos of the refreshed Kia Sorento, which will show up in the U.S. as a 2014 model. The refreshed Sorento gets new headlights with LED positioning lights, a new tailgate with LED lamps, new bumpers and new 19-inch alloy wheels. On the inside the new Sorento gets a new LCD instrument cluster, new center stack with 7-inch display screen and a new console.

Kia has given us a preview of the all-new 2013 Carens compact MPV that will be unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show later this month. The Kia Carens was sold here as the Rondo, up until that model was dropped from its US lineup in 2010.

Kia is set to debut the third member of its new cee'd family, the all-new 2013 pro_cee'd three-door hatchback, at the 2012 Paris Motor Show later this month. The pro-cee'd builds upon the five-door that was unveiled earlier this year, but adds more "Sport" being added to the equation.

Kia has announced the limited availability of the 2013 Rio 5-door SX with a 6-speed manual transmission. Previously buyers that chose the top Kia Rio SX trim could only get it with an automatic transmission, but now Kia is offering it in limited quantities with a manual transmission.

Kia's popular hamsters that have stared in three commercials for the Kia Soul are back for the fourth installment, "Bringing Down the House" for the 2013 Soul. This time the hamsters travel through time to introduce electronic music "In My Mind" (Axwell remix) to 18th century opera fans.

Here's your first look at the all-new 2014 Kia Forte that will arrive early next year. Kia says that the new Forte, which adopts Kia's latest design language, is longer, lower and wider than the current model.

The 2014 Kia Forte also gets LED front and rear lamps and a chrome finished beltline. Stay tuned for the official debut later this year.

Kia is reportedly going to release a new Kia Soul next year, according to a Kia executive who unveiled the plans during an earnings conference call. The Kia Soul is Kia's second best-selling model in the U.S. The exec did not release any other details about the next Soul.

Expect the next Soul to share its platform with the new Rio and to continue to offer a boxy exterior. The same 1.6L and 2.0L four-cylinder engines in the current Soul will also most likely carry over into the next 2014 Soul.

Kia has released two teaser photos of the all-new Carens/ Rondo compact MPB that is going to have its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in September.

The new Carens adopts Kia's latest design language and according to Kia, features a "completely fresh, sleek, cab-forward design, lower roofline, longer wheelbase, larger wheels (up to 18-inch) and chrome beltline accent." Kia also says that the new Carens was conceived around the theme dynamic space.

Kia has announced plans to unveil the next-generation 2014 Kia Forte aka Kia Cerato later this year. The current Kia Forte remains one of the few models left in Kia's lineup that hasn't received its newest design language. That will change early next year when the all-new Forte gets more "dynamic" styling that brings it in line with Kia's Optima and Rio.

The 2014 Kia Forte will debut in the first quarter of 2013, followed by the five-door hatchback and two-door coupe models. Kia has also announced that the Cerato name will be replaced with "K3" in Korea.

Kia's best-selling model in the U.S., the Kia Sorento SUV is getting a facelift for the 2014 model year. According to Kia, the Sorento's significant changes include a re-engineered bodyshell, enhanced powertrains for best-in-class fuel economy with lower emissions, improved ride, handling and refinement, additional convenience and safety features and a refreshed exterior.

On the outside the refreshed Sorento gets new headlights with LED positioning lights, a new tailgate with LED rear combination lamps, new bumpers with vertical-axis fog lights and new 19-inch alloy wheels. On the inside it gets a new LCD instrument cluster, new center stack with 7-inch display screen and a new console.

Kia recently handed us the keys to its 2012 Kia Optima midsize sedan for the weekend. We decided a trip from Manhattan down to the nation's capital, Washington D.C,. would be the perfect trip to see how well the sedan stacks up against competition like the Camry, Accord and Altima. We were already impressed with the 2012 Kia Rio 5-Door that we drove last month, but the Optima definitely wowed more than just a few of us.

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.