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This Korean brand began selling cars in America in the early 90’s, and initially built very cheap and not well put together cars. Today, Kia has reinvented itself into a premium brand which sells very competitively priced cars. Models to watch: K9, Optima Hybrid
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Kia KV7 Concept Teased Again, Ahead of Detroit Auto Show Debut
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Having already released a profile image of its upcoming KV7 concept, Kia has now provided an additional teaser of the van-ish model ahead of its debut at the Detroit Auto Show next week. Taking inspiration from the Soul, it’s not clear from this image or from the one already released exactly how large the KV7…
Hyundai, Kia Forecast 10 Percent Growth in 2011
Hyundai and subsidiary brand Kia are poised for more solid growth in 2011 after a huge spike in 2010. According to the Korean automaker, it is forecasting total growth of 10 percent in 2011 targeting 6.33 million vehicles, up from 5.75 million in 2010. Of that number, Hyundai sold 3.6 million units for an increase…
Kia KV7 Concept Teased Ahead of Detroit Auto Show Reveal, Hinting at Brand’s Next Van
Kia has just released a lone image of a new concept vehicle it will debut at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January. Called the KV7, the small van looks to be sized between the Soul and a conventional minivan, perhaps suggesting it could be a replacement for the Rondo MPV. There’s a definite resemblance…
Ford and Honda Top J.D. Power’s 2010 Customer Retention Study
Automakers know how important customer loyalty is to the success of their companies. That’s why the good ones concentrate not only on making a safe and reliable vehicle, but one that’s fun to drive as well, and then back it up with great service. And J.D. Power is on top of which automakers are doing…
2011 Kia Sorento Recalled For Brake Defects
Kia is recalling 7,697 Sorentos due to a problem with the rear brake calipers, according to a release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Kia claims that no crashes have resulted from the problem, but is going ahead with the recall anyways. “Some of the rear brake calipers may not have been properly machined,”…
Kia Optima Technical Service Bulletin Issued for Sticky or Unresponsive Gas Pedal
Kia has issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) to dealers, instructing them of potentially unresponsive gas pedals on the new 2011 Optima. According to the TSB, the Optima sedans built between October 16 and November 24 could exhibit sticking or unresponsive accelerator pedals, but to a faulty spring that may not push the pedal back…
2007 Kia Optima Under Investigation for Transmission Issues, Recall Possible
Along with the 2006 Honda CR-V, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently announced an investigation into the 2007 Kia Optima. Both NHTSA probes have been sparked by just three complaints, with the Kia Optima being investigated for transmission shifting issues. A total of 41,000 Optimas are involved, with complaints that the automatic transmission…
Acura ZDX Is America’s Most Expensive Vehicle To Insure
A report by insurance comparison website InsWeb suggests that the priciest car to ensure in America isn’t a Nissan GT-R or some other foreign exotic favoured by the young and reckless, but the strange looking Acura ZDX crossover. According to the site, there is little data on the ZDX, as few people have bought one,…
Hyundai Overtakes Toyota in Europe as Top Asian Automaker
Thanks to a slight bump in sales and continued struggles by Toyota, Hyundai is now the number one Asian automaker in Europe by volume. So far this year Hyundai (including Kia) has seen a four percent rise in units moved, while Toyota (including luxury brand Lexus) has seen its sales drop drastically by 17 percent….
LA 2010: Kia Optima Hybrid Debuts With 40-MPG Claim
Poor Kia, always playing second fiddle to big brother Hyundai, including when it comes to Hybrids. Many months after the debut of the new Sonata Hybrid, the car’s twin, the new Kia Optima, now gets its own hybrid variant. Using the same 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor and lithium-polymer battery, the combined…
LA 2010: Kia Optima Hybrid Revealed
Kia took the wraps off their Optima Hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto Show today, and no surprise here, it’s exactly the same as it’s corporate sibling, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Fortunately for the Optima, this gives the car a huge leg-up. Our review of the Sonata Hybrid was quite positive, and we expect the…
Foreign Automakers Cashing in on ‘Made in America’ Trend
Are you more likely to by a car that’s been made in the good ol’ U.S. of A.? Chances are the answer is “yes,” according to a recent Harris Poll survey. It’s cool once again to show your sense of national pride, and advertisers are banking on it. When a product says it’s “Made in…
2011 Kia Sedona Updated With New Styling, Engine
Kia‘s Sedona minivan, an often ignored but solid bargain in the minivan segment, gets a new grille for 2011, along with an upgraded powertrain. The Sedona’s new V6 puts out 271 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque with power being put down through a 6 speed manual transmission. This gives the Sedona a 27 horsepower…
Generation Y Buying Toyota, Honda and Ford Cars
Generation Y has come of age and are now setting their sights on what new car to buy. And according to research firm AutoPacific, younger car buyers are choosing vehicles made by Toyota, Honda and Ford. Also among the top 5 brands are Chevrolet and Nissan. Making their way onto the 2010 Gen Y (people…
Kia Will Get a Sports Car Says Design Boss
While Kia‘s recent success has a lot to do with the new platforms and engines underneath its products, not to mention the improved quality and low purchase price, the automaker is putting the focus on its dramatic designs. The top man behind Kia’s “design revolution” is Peter Schreyer and so it only makes sense that…
SEMA 2010: Kia Reveals Dueling ‘Work’ and ‘Play’ Sportages at SEMA
To help show the versatility of the new 2011 Sportage, Kia has unveiled two “dueling” versions of the crossover at the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Sporting plenty of aftermarket accessories (this is SEMA after all), a matte-red “Play” Sportage looks to the more adventurous side of the crossover and its owners, while the…
SEMA 2010: Kia Forte Hybrid Concept Revealed in Las Vegas
At the SEMA Show it’s no surprise to see high horsepower street and race cars. It’s far less common to see a modified hybrid. And while there are a few tuned Priuses and CR-Zs, over at the Kia booth is the world’s first Forte Hybrid. This is not a conventional tuner car, but a one…
SEMA 2010: Kia Unveils Forte Koupe Type R Concept in Las Vegas
Reconfirming its commitment to its motorsports program and showing just how much their street cars can benefit from track competition, Kia unveiled the Forte Koup Type R Concept at the 2010 SEMA Show today. Painted in a menacing matte-black, the Type R Concept gets its inspiration from the Forte Koup race cars that competed in…
Kia Announces Six SEMA Show Cars; Teases Another Special Edition Soul
The Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Show is set to take place next week and everyone from Scion to Ford have announced big lineups of wild modified vehicles. Having made appearances in year’s past, it’s little surprise to see that Kia will also be in attendance. No specifics have been given, but a short press…
Honda, Toyota Top Latest Reliabilty Study; Domestics Improve, European Brands Faulter
Consumer Reports has released its latest reliability study and while little has changed in respect to the industry-leading Asian brands, domestic automakers are catching up. Toyota and Honda each recorded the highest scores in five vehicle segments in the 2010 Annual Auto Survey, while General Motors posted considerable improvements while Ford is ranked best among…
2012 Kia Rio: First Spy Pictures Reveal Optima-Inspired Look
Several spy photos of what appears to be the upcoming 2012 Kia Rio reveal that the Korean automaker’s subcompact sedan is posed to borrow heavily from the design of the all new Optima. A sister car to the Hyundai Accent, power is expected to come from the same engine choices: either a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder or…
Kia Considering RWD Convertible to Rival Mazda MX-5
Designers aren’t usually the most vocal members of an automaker, but when you’re Peter Schreyer and Kia is relying on your innovative designs to rebrand the company, well, you’ve got a lot of clout. And Schreyer isn’t shy about letting people know. In the past, Schreyer has indicated his interest in designing a low-cost rear-wheel…
BREAKING: Kia Optima Hybrid To Debut At Los Angeles Auto Show
While attending the launch of the 2011 Kia Optima, AutoGuide has just learned that Kia is planning to launch an Optima Hybrid, based on the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The new model will make its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, with sales beginning in early 2011. Kia Motors America CEO and group president Byung…
Kia to Launch Electric Crossover Next Year
A week after Hyundai announced its first electric car, sister company Kia Motors will continue the Korean automaker’s EV plans with a battery-powered crossover set to debut next year. “We plan to produce 2,000 electric vehicles based on Kia’s upcoming cross utility vehicles (CUVs), and 500 BlueOns by 2012,” said Hong John-hee, the head of…
