korean cars
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…
Michelle Wie Stars in New Kia Soul Ad
Kia appears to be changing gears in its marketing approach for the Kia Soul, switching from comedy to sex appeal. After its popular Rapping Hamsters ad, the Korean automaker has just launched a new commercial featuring the 6-foot 1-inch 20-year-old pro golfer Michelle Wie. Kia’s soul is already thought to be somewhat of a chick-car…
Hyundai BlueOn Electric Car Revealed With Sales to Start in 2012
Hyundai has just revealed its first ever electric car, the BlueOn, based on the small i10 hatchback. Able to travel up to 87 miles on a single charge it’s capable of a top speed of 80 mph. The initial plan is to roll out several units to government agencies later this year before offering the…
Kia Vice-Chairman Resigns Over Recalls
Jeong Sung Eun, Kia‘s Vice Chairman, took the rare step of resigning his post on September 3rd, as he accepted responsibility for a large recall of Kia vehicles. Roughly 86,000 vehicles were recalled due to an electrical wiring issue that posed a potential fire hazard. About 35,000 Sorentos and Souls from the the 2010 and…
Kia To Upgrade Shock Absorbers On The 2011 Sorento
Kia‘s top of the line Sorento SX comes with special Dual Flow Dampers, which apparently offers a great blend of performance and comfort, while giving the Sorento a slightly lower ride height. However, the lesser Sorentos apparently offered a harsh ride of broken-up pavement, and Kia has taken notice. The DFD dampers will now be…
Hyundai Veloster to Debut at Detroit Auto Show?
Recently a report circulated online claiming that the Hyundai Veloster would debut at the LA Auto Show. The folks in Hyundai’s PR department denied the claims and went so far as to say another “very important” model would be the focal point of their LA Show press conference. (That vehicle is believed to be the…
Kia Soul, Sorento Recalled Over Fire Concerns
Kia is recalling both the 2011 Sorento and the 2010 Soul after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation confirmed the interior lighting wiring harnesses could be faulty. The harnesses could develop an electrical short, which could then lead to a fire. The recall affects 35,185 vehicles built between September 7, 2009 and July…
Mahindra Acquires Bankrupt Automaker Ssangyong
India’s Mahindra has nearly completed a purchase of Korean carmaker circus freakshow Ssangyong, maker of the world’s ugliest vehicles. “We give the takeover candidate (Mahindra and Mahindra) an exclusive right for negotiation, and won’t be involved in any takeover-related activities with a third party,” Ssangyong said in a statement. Financial terms were not announced but…
Hyundai Veloster NOT Set to Debut at LA Auto Show; But Another “Very Important” Model Is
Contrary to several reports, Hyundai has confirmed that the Veloster compact sports coupe/hatchback will not debut at the LA Auto Show later this year. Speaking about the rumor, Hyundai rep Dan Bedore commented that, “there is no truth to this.” And while the Veloster will not debut in LA, Bedore did confirm that “We will…
Kia Rondo Getting Axed Due to Sliding Sales
Kia appears to have quietly killed-off its Rondo MPV in response to a continued slide in sales. Visitors to the Rondo page on Kia’s U.S. website are greeted with the news, “Thank you for inquiring about the Rondo. As the saying goes, ‘all good things must come to an end’ But with endings, come new…
Kia POP City Car Concept to Debut at Paris Auto Show
Looking like what Hello Kitty might drive if she lived in the Tron universe, this new city car concept by Kia is called “POP” and is set to officially debut at the Paris Auto Show this fall. Taking design cues from the Kia Ray electric coupe concept, the POP is roughly 10 feet long and…
2011 Hyundai Elantra Interior: First Look
Several weeks ago Hyundai gave us a look at the all-new 2011 Elantra when it unveiled the new car in South Korea badges as the Avante sedan. But when it debuted at the Busan Motor Show, we only got a look at the car’s exterior. Now, for the first time, we have a single snap-shot…
Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec is Korean Automaker’s Most Hard-Core Model Yet
At last year’s SEMA Show, Hyundai unveiled a tuner-special version of the Genesis Coupe 2.0T, known as the R-Spec. Now Hyundai has decided to expand its R-Spec lineup to include the 3.8-liter model. What this means is that you’ll be able to get the 306-hp version of the G Coupe with all the Track pack…
Hyundai Planning Volkswagen CC Rival Based on iFlow Concept
Hyundai will expand its product offering in Europe with a new four-door coupe model that will rival the Volkswagen CC. According to a recent report, the vehicle will be based on the same architecture as the new 2011 Sonata (known as the i40 in Europe), but will take design inspiration from the iFlow concept that…
Kia Unveils Limited Edition Soul Echo Model for the UK
In a clever black and white themed campaign, Kia UK is now offering a new special edition version of the Soul, as well as a special edition version of both the Picanto and Rio small cars. We can’t help but to relate it to Scion’s RS-series releases, where unique paint colors and accessories adorn the…
Hyundai Kia Boss Named Asia’s Best Automotive CEO
Back in 2000 Hyundai Kia CEO Chung Mong-koo refused a request by the company’s chairman, and his own father, to step down from the top post of the Korean automaker. Today, Mong-koo is getting the respect he rightly deserves, after being named Asia’s top automotive business leader by Automotive News. The industry publication sited Hyundai’s…
Hyundai Preparing to Hike Prices in Response to Rising Quality, Demand
When we first drove the all new 2011 Sonata, we commented that the time to buy the car is now, before Hyundai gets smart and jacks up the price. That price-hike may come sooner than later, with company CEO Steve S. Yang recently commenting that it is one of the automaker’s “main goals.” “When our…
Hyundai Suffering Sales Slump In Its Home Market
It seems every time you read a story about Hyundai these days, it includes something about the brand’s tremendous growth. Unfortunately for Hyundai, positive sales figures aren’t a reality everywhere – like in its home-market of South Korea. While worldwide sales in the month of June rose 4.6 percent to 312,388 vehicles, in Korea the…
Hyundai Planning to Take Veloster-Based Coupe Racing
Hyundai‘s upcoming compact coupe, based on the Veloster concept, is expected to be unveiled soon in the Korean automaker’s home market before a likely international debut at either the Paris or Detroit auto shows. According to a report by Motor Trend, Hyundai is expected to announce at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show that it will…
2011 Hyundai Elantra to Debut at LA Auto Show, Accent Likely to Get 1.4-Liter Engine
Along with a the Equus luxury flagship, as well as the Sonata Turbo and Hybrid models, Hyundai is set to refresh its lineup with several small cars in the near future. We’ve already heard plenty about the upcoming CRX-styled Veloster, which is set to get a direct-injection 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that makes roughly 140-hp while getting…
Kia Looking to Scrap Model Names for Alphanumeric Badges
Kia is looking to add a little extra panache to its image by dropping the current list of model names in favor of alphanumeric designations. According Chung Eui-sun, to Vice Chairman to Hyundai Motor Co., which owns Kia, the Korean automaker is looking to make the switch in North America. Currently, Kia uses short alphanumeric…
Rhys Millen Hyundai Fizzles at Pikes Peak; Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima Retains Record
With plenty of lead up to its introduction at the 88th annual Pikes Peak Hillclimb, the Rhys Millen Racing Hyundai Genesis PM580 didn’t deliver on any of its promises and instead was overshadowed by the Suzuki of Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima. Rhys Millen had set out to break the 10 minute barrier on the treacherous mountain…
Kia Donates Borrego SUVs for Firefighter Training
These vehicles will be used in a variety of scenarios that simulate real fire and emergency situations, plus as late-model vehicles they allow both students and instructors to learn about the latest in modern technology.
Hyundai Equus, Genesis Sedan to Get New 5.0L V8 With 429-HP
Hyundai has just announced that after the market launch of its new flagship Equus luxury sedan, it will offer an engine option above the planned 4.6L Tau V8. The optional engine will be a new 5.0L Tau V8, making 429-hp. That same engine will then also find its way into the Genesis luxury sedan. With…
