Kia

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2017 Kia Forte5: Unheralded hatchback shines tough segment

The 2017 Kia Forte5 is the hatchback trim of its more well-known sedan sibling. It’s reminiscent of the short-lived, defunct Volkswagen station wagon squareback that debuted in the late 1960s and ceased production six years later. The VW squareback was underpowered and quirky, but more than 350,000 were manufactured before its demise in 1974. Loyal followers liked the sizable cargo area, drivability, and versatility. The VW’s motto was, “Is it a small sedan that’s a station wagon or a station wagon that’s a sedan?” Key Takeaways Test car: the Forte5 SX, the sport-oriented trim, with a turbocharged engine, 18-inch wheels, dual exhaust tips and larger front brakes. $26,125 MSRP and $27,020 as tested. 201 horsepower and 0-60 mph in 5.9

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Kia retains top perch in J.D. Power annual quality study

Kia, the unheralded South Korean manufacturer still often scoffed at by mainstream car buyers, has achieved the top spot in the just-released J.D. Power annual report card on vehicle quality for a second consecutive year. With 72 problems reported per 100 vehicles, Kia retained its No. 1 position despite a shake-up in the 2017 U.S. Initial Quality Study rankings that included significant shifts with the German and Japanese brands. Most notably, Toyota and Lexus fell behind many U.S. and Korean brands. “This is without question the best quality the world has ever seen,” Dave Sargent, vice president, global automotive at J.D. Power, said when releasing the results at an Automotive Press Association meeting in Detroit. “The industry is picking up steam

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2017 Kia Forte worthy compact option beyond Honda, Toyota

The 2017 Kia Forte is the 10th year of the South Korean compact. It’s among the best of several cars in different segments trying to find a market against some of the country’s long-standing, best-selling vehicles. Matched against the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus, Volkswagen Jetta, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda3 and others, the Forte remains unheralded. It’s in the sixth year of its second generation, but for 2017 has a restyled exterior, including more modern crafted headlights and taillights. Key Takeaways Test car: the Forte EX, a compact sedan with a 2.0-liter, 164-horsepower engine and a six-speed automatic. $21,200 MSRP and $26,540 as tested. 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds. 25 mpg city, 32 highway and 28 combined on the figures

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2017 Kia Niro Review: New compact SUV redefines hybrid

The 2017 Kia Niro is new in the South Korean manufacturer’s lineup. It’s a sub-compact hybrid utility vehicle that looks more like a handsome, streamlined wagon. And it performs well enough to earn the loose translation of its name, strength. Unveiled at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show, the Kia Niro uses a 1.6-liter hybrid-electric powertrain with 139 horsepower. It’s built with lightweight metals which help most trims achieve the SUV‘s superior gas mileage estimates: 46 miles per gallon in city driving, 40 miles per gallon on the freeway. Accessories lights are all operated via the hybrid engine. There’s no traditional battery. Key Takeaways Powertrain: a 1.6-liter hybrid-electric system with 139 horsepower and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. $30,545 as tested for

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Potential engine failure prompts Hyundai, Kia recall

Hyundai and Kia, the related and increasingly popular South Korean carmakers, have stalled for the second time in two years with the recall of 1.4 million cars and SUVs in the United States and Canada because of potential engine failure. The issue, according to documents released by the U.S. National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, is caused by debris left in the manufacturing process that can restrict oil flow to connecting rod bearings. The restriction can increase temperatures can result increased wear and fail and engine stalling. Owners of vehicles with the issue will hear a knocking sound from the engine and may see a dashboard warning light. The recall including 2013 and 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUV and

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Super Bowl: Melissa McCarthy saves the planet in a Kia

Kia takes chances with its Super Bowl commercials. Who would have thought a pack of talking hamsters would be successful promoting the Kia Soul? But it’s been a hit for years. The Kia commercial last year featuring Christopher Walken, the “Walken Closet,” and beige and colorful sock puppets is arguably on the top-10 all-time Super Bowl commercials list. It brilliantly promoted the Kia Optima. And now comes along Melissa McCarthy, the comedic actress who while driving a 2017 Kia Niro has the task of saving the planet. She tries to save whales, trees, the polar ice cap and the rhinoceros kingdom. While promoting the 2017 Kia Niro, McCarthy meets catastrophe in each of her attempts to be an eco-warrior. The

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2017 Kia Soul Review: Wacky debut SUV finds maturity

When it joined the car-in-a-box lineup in 2010, the Kia Soul was a novelty. Its unique styling garnered a lot of attention, not all of it good. But the 2017 Kia Soul is now a mature sport utility vehicle, a less expensive option against top-selling new rivals from Ford and Mazda. Its former new breed counterparts, the Honda Element, Nissan Cube and Scion Xb, are defunct. Key Takeaways Test vehicle: the ! (Exclaim) trim, with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 201 horsepower and a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. Trims: base, + (plus) and ! (Exclaim); the other two have six-speed manual transmissions with a six-speed automatic as an option. 26 city / 31 highway / 28 combined mpg on regular

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2017 Kia Sorento Review: Underdog SUV warrants bigger market

While vying for a market share against the well-touted Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Highlander, the unheralded 2017 Kia Sorento counters with equally high overall marks. It has an extraordinary list of standard features and industry-best safety ratings. The Sorento was redesigned in 2016, so this year’s model is largely a continuation of the new generation except for a few technology tweaks. The midsize SUV is available in L, LX, EX, SX and SX Limited (SXL) trims. The SX and SXL include the other trims’ features and several upgrades: The SX features heated seats and steering wheel, push-button start and a power liftgate. My weekly driver was the top-line SXL trim with all-wheel drive and a third row of seats.

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2017 Kia Sportage: New SUV design stuns, shines

After years of acceptance as an unheralded compact sport utility vehicle against the monoliths in the segment, the 2017 Kia Sportage has emerged as a worthy competitor. It’s been boldly redesigned inside and outside for the debut of its fourth generation. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In addition to a new exterior design Kia says was inspired by modern fighter jets (Doesn’t Saab say the same thing?), the 2017 Kia Sportage is offered in new trims. My test vehicle was SX Turbo model with front-wheel drive. Like the base model LX and EX models, the SX model has a long list of standard features: Bluetooth hands-free phone and streaming audio, while the EX model brings leather upholstery, Apple CarPlay and

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2016 Honda Pilot Review: New inside, out for top-level SUV

Now in its 14th year, the Honda Pilot has finally come of age. It’s always been Honda’s largest sport utility vehicle, with the word utility translating into big, boxy and boring. With Toyota, Hyundai and others offering increasingly strong competition, the 2016 Honda Pilot is in the first year of its third generation. It’s sleeker, lighter, more attractive inside and outside and has an array of new standard and optional features. Key Takeaways Elite trim tested: 3.5-liter V6 with 280 horsepower, a nine-speed automatic and optional all-wheel drive. $46,420 base price and $47,300 as tested. 19 mpg city and 26 highway by EPA estimate; 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds. Seating: The Elite is the only trim with seven-passenger capacity, thanks

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Five Cheap and Pricey 2016 Cars Worth Buying Now

Not too many decades ago, all new cars were released to the public in late summer or early fall. That’s no longer how it works. More domestic and international manufacturers are offering more higher-quality cars amid ever-increasing competition. Carmakers look for opportune times throughout the year for lineup introductions at auto shows around the world, and maybe to catch the competition off-guard. As such, many manufacturers, Honda to Volkswagen and Hyundai to Subaru, introduced 2016 models months ago and have already begun to promote 2017 and even 2018 models. Other carmakers haven’t introduced certain models of their 2016 lineups. Not All 2016 Car Models Released One month into new year plenty of worthy 2016 model year cars have emerged. Here

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Christopher Walken Sells Kia in Super Bowl with socks

Leave it to actor Christopher Walken to use socks as hand puppets, his unique timing and his equally unique voice characteristics, and a clever take on his last name to sell Kia automobiles during Super Bowl 50. The 60-second advertisement “Walken Closet” will debut during the fourth quarter. It features the Academy Award winner employing a colorfully, stylish sock and a dull pair of beige socks. Walken demonstrates how the next generation Optima stands out as a midsize sedan among others that look and drive the same, like beige socks. Kia’s multi-platform campaign will spotlights the 2016 Kia Optima is a series of commercials and other marketing campaigns. It’s an alternative “for those searching for more in a vehicle segment

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Christopher Walken lends pipes, pitches Kia in Super Bowl 50

Christopher Walken may or may not drive a Kia. But like Blake Griffin, his predecessor as a celebrity spokesman for the South Korean manufacturer, Walken is anything but basic and boring. He doesn’t blend in. That’s the catch in the carmaker’s in three new commercials touting 2016 Kia Optima. Walken, the Academy Award-winning actor, narrates but does not appear in the already airing spots titled “Middle C.” He also does the narration only in the yet-to-be broadcast “Cookie Cutter” commercial. But fans be ready. Walken will appear in a another new Kia commercial set for broadcast during Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016. Kia is promoting the new Optima as a “vibrant alternative for those determined not to blend

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2016 Kia Optima Review: Further challenges Accord, Camry

Since its debut in 2000, the Kia Optima has made steady, small progress to loosen the dominance of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in the midsize sedan market. With the debut of the fifth generation 2016 Kia Optima, the South Korean upstart can no longer be considered a fringe offering for the budget-minded car buyer. While sharing the platform of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata, the 2016 Kia Optima features a host of new exterior and interior design offerings, including a new trim, the 1.6T or turbocharged inline four-cylinder. The new model is also slightly longer, wider and taller than its predecessor. And there’s more interior legroom and headroom and more cargo space. It’s a family sedan with a hint

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LeBron James, Kia team up for three new K900 ads

LeBron James has continued his relationship with Kia with three new advertisements. The 11-time NBA All-Star and the South Korean carmaker hope the campaign showcase the brand’s top-of-the-line K900 is “Fit For A King.” The three spots with James as the ambassador for Kia’s luxury sedan are titled ”Ten Mil,” “1000%” and “Spaceship.” In the campaign, James assembles a team of experts in his garage command post to help prove he drives a Kia K900 by responding to the following real tweets: * “I’ll bet anyone $10,000,000 that LeBron doesn’t roll up to the games in a Kia.” * “There’s a thousand percent chance that there’s a zero percent chance that LeBron drives a Kia.” * “LeBron drives a Kia

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PREVIEW: 2017 Kia Cadenza gets sporty

The Kia Cadenza, the most luxurious and expensive are in the Korean carmaker’s lineup, will have a new look for 2017 with hopes of improving slumping sales. Launched in 2013, the Cadenza has attracted a niche audience among car buyer seeking an alternative to costly sporty sedans an with a great warranty. Called the K7 in South Korea, the 2017 Kia Cadenza will have a more angular and sportier design. The new edition will a more prominent in the dip in Kia’s “tiger nose” grille as well as substantially new appearance in front and rear end designs. “The next-generation Cadenza maintains the progressive, contemporary image of the current model, and the sharper more defined lines and wider, lower stance give

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