AutoShortNews » Kia

Kia Coupe,wagon versions of GT

Admin — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 12:25:31 +0000

According to a report from Inside Line, Kia is considering creating a number of variants of its GT Concept, including both a coupe and a wagon. If true, that could mean Kia is aiming to create a family of vehicles capable of competing with German luxury automakers like BMW and Audi.

The Korean manufacturer has made it clear that a production version of the four-door will likely make its way to market in 2013 as an affordable alternative to hardware like the Audi A7, and Kia has made waves about wanting a budget sports car in its stable in the past.

Variants of the incredibly attractive GT would seem perfect for slotting into all of the above spots. With a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 good for 390 horsepower, the GT should be capable of keeping up with brawny hardware from its European competition.

Source: Inside Line

Revealed Kia RWD sport sedan concept for Frankfurt

Admin — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:31:26 +0000

Recently, Kia officials let it slip that the Korean automaker would be debuting some sort of “coupe-like” rear-wheel-drive concept at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, and just a few days later, we now have our first glimpse at that very car. The unnamed concept stands true to everything we were told earlier: it has rear-wheel drive, is a swoopy four-door “coupe,” and looks like it will slot in between the Hyundai Genesis and Equus in terms of size.

Source: Kia

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid priced from $26,500*

Admin — Wed, 11 May 2011 15:26:03 +0000

We’re capturing our first driving impressions of the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid this week, but we’ve already learned that the midsize fuel-sipper will be priced at $26,500 when it goes on sale in the coming months, excluding $750 for destination and handling.

Curiously, the $26,500 price tag represents an increase of $705 versus the Optima’s platform mate, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Kia tells us that the price increase is because the Optima comes with more standard equipment than the Sonata, including things like a rear backup camera, rear spoiler, auto-down front windows for the driver and passenger, a cooling glovebox, compass, and Uvo, Kia’s brand new infotainment system.

2012 Kia Rio debuts at New York 2011

Admin — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:32:48 +0000

The 2012 Kia Rio debuts at the 2011 New York Auto Show today, sporting brand new bodywork, Kia’s new direct-injected four-cylinder and the company’s Idle Stop and Go, or stop-start technology. Kia claims the combination of direct fuel injection and stop-start means the 2012 Rio will pull down 30 miles per gallon around town and 40 mpg on the highway.

The 2012 Kia Rio will be available in three trim packages, starting with the LX, which gets 15-inch steel wheels, body-color door handles and side mirrors. Above that, the EX model rides on the same wheels as the LX, but gets power mirrors and locks and keyless entry. The top-level trim will be the SX, which sports 17-inch wheels, fog lamps, LED daytime running lights, a dual-tip exhaust and heated mirrors sporting turn signal repeaters. The five-door Rio5 SX, meanwhile, will be upgraded to projector headlights.

[Source: Kia]

2011 Kia Optima EX Review

Admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 19:14:09 +0000

The 2011 Kia Optima is at once classy and striking. There’s just enough detailing to keep it interesting without looking gaudy. Kia sent us an Optima EX with standard 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome accents on the door handles, body color mirrors and chrome exhaust tips added to the crisp bodywork. The windshield header’s echo of the “tabbed” grille is the designer’s way of saying “Hey, we thought about this.” Clean and inoffensive, there’s virtually nothing to criticize about the 2011 Optima’s styling.

Source: AutoBlog

2012 Kia Rio sedan confirmed for New York Auto Show

Admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:15:43 +0000

Our man Jeremy Korzeniewski is attending a Kia event in Phoenix, Arizona this week, and during a press briefing this morning, JK learned that the Korean automaker will be unveiling its 2012 Rio sedan at the 2011 New York Auto Show. The four-door Rio will complement the hatchback bodystyle that bowed at the Geneva Motor Show in early March.

Source: AutoBlog

2011 Kia Optima receives five-star NHTSA crash rating

Admin — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:08:46 +0000

The Kia Optima set the mark as the first Korean-built car to be officially five-star certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The all-new Optima recieved five-star ratings in the frontal, side-impact and rollover tests.

[Source: Kia]

Kia Sportage with turbo engine debuts in Canada

Admin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:58:10 +0000

The 2011 International Truck of the Year has an all new available engine under the hood. Canadian Kia fans can soon head over to dealers and pick up the 2011 Kia Sportage SX, which features a direct-injected 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. We expect the U.S. to follow suit in very short order.
Paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, the turbo mill has a relatively flat torque curve with peak power occurring between 1,800 and 3,000 rpm. When bolted into the 2011 Sonata, the 2.0T is rated at 274 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. We expect the Sportage SX to produce similar numbers, including the 30+ miles per gallon highway fuel economy figures.

[Source: Kia Canada via Auto North | Image: Montreal Motor Show]

Kia Picanto TA 2012 reveled interior image

Admin — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 08:37:39 +0000

After a countless number of Picanto spy shots, teaser images and even official shots revealing the stylish exterior design of the upcoming 2012 Kia Picanto, we are now getting a chance to see the car’s modern interior layout for the first time. As evident from the image, Picanto’s interior has been built from ground up and now seems to be more functional and eye-pleasing.

Source: Kia World

2011 Kia Picanto comes into light

Admin — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:34:33 +0000

Kia has just released details on the next-generation Picanto for UK buyers. The pint-sized city car has grown a bit, gaining a bit in both the wheelbase and width departments, and buyers will find an all-new, more aggressively styled exterior, too. Traditionally, the Picanto has only been served up as a five-door hatch, though Kia says that for the first time, UK buyers will be able to take advantage of a new three-door variant as well. The rest of the model’s markets will have to make do with just the five-door design.

[Source: Kia]