The 2011 Kia Optima doesn't go on sale until sometime this Fall, but the configurator is now live on Kia.com. The new Optima brings Kia design to a whole new level, with a sleek coupe-like profile that should be backed up by some pretty impressive performance when equipped with the new 2.0-liter direct-injected turbo.
Kia hasn't released official pricing yet for the new Optima, but in an odd move, it is listing estimated prices on the configurator. The base, 200-horsepower 2.4-liter LX model with a six-speed manual is listed at an affordable $18,495 (*sans destination charges, which are likely to add $695), while the least expensive model with the 274-hp 2.0T engine is the $23,895 EX. A maxed-out SX with the premium and technology packages comes in just shy of $30K, which actually strikes us as pretty reasonable based on what we've seen so far of the car. That means that the 2011 model is more expensive that the staid but surprisingly competent current model (which starts at $17,995), but we're thinking the better-looking sheetmetal is worth it alone, not to mention all of the other equipment and material upgrades. Appreciate the tip, Matt!
Kia Soul'ster concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
If you've been crossing your fingers for a production version of the Kia Soul'ster concept from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, prepare to be disappointed. According to a report from Ward's Auto, Kia says that expanding the Soul lineup beyond the current five-door hatch would prove to be more difficult than you might think. Earlier reports stated that Kia was keen to the idea of building an open-top Soul, but changing economic times seem to have crushed those plans.
The Soul has done extremely well for itself since going on sale in early 2009, but since this is a niche vehicle that would only appeal to a very narrow segment of the market, the business case for building new variants doesn't make sense at this time. Kia's director of product planning, Orth Hendrick, tells Ward's that the Soul'ster, specifically, would have to be developed as an all-new model, due to its vast structural differences from the standard Soul.
Come 2012, the Soul will undergo its mid-cycle refresh, and we're expected to see more upscale content, as well as slight changes to both the front and rear fascias. In the meantime, those of you who are super hot for a Soul'ster will just have to scan the local used car lot for a soft-top Isuzu Amigo, instead.
Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz on Top Gear - Click above to watch the video after the jump
Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz have been all over the world pushing their not-so-blockbuster movie Knight and Day, and while moviegoers haven't exactly filled local theaters, enthusiasts should most definitely witness the Hollywood A-listers on the latest episode of Top Gear. The two stars appeared on our favorite BBC show to compete against other celebrities in "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car," and their performance far outshines their recent box office receipts.
Hit the jump to watch as the two push hard around the Top Gear track in a KIA Cee'd. We won't ruin the results for you, but we will reveal that Diaz shows that she can swear like a trucker while looking good with a helmet on, and Cruise proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is a very competitive guy. Seriously, the man literally finishes the race on two wheels, nearly giving Clarkson a heart attack in the process. Who got the better part of their co-star? You'll have to watch to find out.
According to The Sun, Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz will take to the infamous Top Gear track in an attempt to topple the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car leader board. Evidently, Cruise contacted the show about a stint behind the wheel of the infamous Kia c'eed while in the UK. Both he and Diaz were in country for the debut of their new film "Knight and Day."
So far, we don't know how either of the two stars did on track, but we're betting Cruise managed to hold his own. It's no secret that the guy has a penchant for sports cars of just about every flavor. Besides, he starred in Days of Thunder.
The crew at Top Gear hasn't said exactly when we can expect to see the two go around the track, but we're betting it won't be too long before the segments air, possibly this Sunday.
2011 Kia Sportage - Click above for high-res image gallery
The 2011 Kia Sportage is one great-looking crossover, and with a starting price of $18,295 (*$18,990 with destination) it's rather affordable as well. Kia announced Tuesday that its longest running nameplate will start well below the $20,000 mark while sporting standard features like a six-speed manual transmission, air conditioning, power everything, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, MP3 inputs and Bluetooth connectivity.
At $20,295 ($20,990 with destination) the mid-level LX model adds outside mirrors with LED turn signal indicators, keyless entry and privacy glass. Another $3,000 ($23,990 with destination) adds 18-inch alloy wheels and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. Standard safety features include six airbags, four-wheel ABS and electronic stability control.
The Sportage appears to be a screaming deal - though it's starting price is $1,300 higher than the outgoing model, it's a much improved vehicle - and its 176-horsepower 2.4-liter will deliver an impressive 22 miles-per-gallon in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway. A far more powerful 270+ horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter Sportage variant will be available later in the model year. Hit the jump to read over Kia's press release.
Talk to most analysts in the auto world, and they'll say that the recent rise of South Korean automakers like Hyundai and Kia have been an absolute blessing to the industry as a whole. Consumers now have an array of quality, inexpensive products, extra jobs have landed in rural areas of the deep south thanks to American-based manufacturing facilities and the competition from low-priced models have forced domestic manufacturers to up their game.
But not everyone's thrilled about the balance of automotive trade between the two nations. According to The Detroit News, senators Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, recently wrote to the Obama administration in order to urge the President to take a hard line on the South Korean Free Trade Agreement.
The two senators aren't taking issue with Korean products here in the U.S., they simply think it's unfair that South Korea has made it economically difficult to import vehicles into the country. The senators want American companies to have the opportunity to do business on the peninsula - something that most automakers, with the exception of General Motors, have been pushing for since before the second President Bush was in office. GM, meanwhile, owns Korean automaker Daewoo, so it has no problem dealing with the current ban on auto imports.
For its part, Obama administration has said that it will once again open talks about the free trade agreement in hopes of making more American goods available in the global market.
Kia's UK Soul Echo, Picanto and Rio special editions - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Kia Soul has another set of special-edition duds to wear in the UK. This time it's called the Soul Echo, latest in the Soul Originals line, following such others as the Tempest, Burner, Samba and Shaker. The Echo is offered in Clear White or Quartz Black Metallic, with stripes and accents that make them mirror images; e.g., the white Echo gets black alloys, the black Echo gets white alloys. Interior kit has been upgraded to black leather throughout, along with a beefier audio system; Bluetooth and iPod compatibility; and reversing sensors, in addition to a few other electro-gizmo add-ons. It's priced at £13,995 on the road.
A little further down the food chain are Domino editions of the Kia Picanto and Rio. Both superminis are bathed in white or black domino paint jobs and add a few options such as air conditioning. The Picanto Domino goes for £7,995 OTR , the Rio Domino for £9,295 OTR. Follow the jump fo Kia's press release, and view the cars' metallic monochrome goodness in the high-res gallery below.
2011 Hyundai Sonata - Click above for high-res image gallery
It seems that Hyundai is having a very similar problem to Buick in its home market. Overseas customers can't get enough of its products, but buyers at home are rather ho-hum. Just as Buick is huge in China, Hyundai models are selling like gangbusters in North America and Europe. However, in South Korea, Hyundai sales have dropped for three months in a row. Interestingly, sister brand Kia is seeing robust sales for its just introduced K5 (Optima in the U.S.) and Sportage with total volumes up by 49 percent compared to 2009.
Lack of fresh product is blamed for the 1.2 percent decline at Hyundai, although the new Tucson and Sonata were launched just last Fall. Hyundai has several new products coming in August with the new Elantra and Accent as well as the new Veloster coupe (or whatever it ends up being called), and those new models may spur an increase in domestic sales.
The long wait is finally over and Top Gear is back for its 15th series of the modern era. We won't spoil all of the fun for those who haven't seen it, but we can say that the premiere was... highly educational. We got a look at the first flex-fuel Bentley and received further confirmation that James May was likely the cause of the Icelandic volcano eruption that shut down European air space for nearly two weeks.
We also saw the new reasonably priced car, a brown Kia Cee'd, get broken in by some British C-listers before the real celebrities start in on it next week.
By far, though, the highlight of the program was the physics lesson from Jeremy Clarkson that demonstrates why there aren't more three-wheeled vehicles in the world. Clarkson set out on a treacherous 14-mile journey in a Reliant Robin to learn whether it's worthwhile to save money on the vehicle registration tax with a three-wheeled conveyance. You'll have to watch for yourself to learn the answer to that question, and since you are undoubtedly a resourceful bunch, we're sure you know where to find the full episode if you don't happen to live in the UK. But if you don't, make the jump for the segment.
Would a Kia Forte by any other name smell as sweet, if the name were K3 and those judging the smell were American buyers? That's the question Kia executive are mulling as they decide whether to switch to alphanumeric model designations in the U.S. Some of the company's cars that go by names in other markets wear letter-number identifiers in South Korea, such as the Optima, known in South Korea as the K5. Others, such as the Soul and Sportage, retain their proper names in South Korea.
According to Automotive News, Kia's vice chairman, Chung Eui-sun, believes that alphanumeric names can strengthen a brand as long as buyers don't get confused, but he also notes that Americans may prefer proper names. Kia would probably do well to study Acura's long road from "Legend" and "Integra" to its current system, and Infiniti's period of trial-and-error with its alphanumeric concoctions.
From where we sit, we think that Kia should think long and hard about the equity continuing to build in solid offerings like its Soul and new Sorento, and if they're going to go alphanumeric, they ought to do it sooner rather than later to avoid adding to the confusion. If it were us, we'd leave well enough alone - the automotive landscape is rapidly devolving into an alphanumeric soup and we're not in favor of another automaker reaching into the Scrabble tilebag. How about you? Have your say in 'Comments.'
Get your torrents warmed up! The new season of Top Gear finally airs tomorrow night in the UK (don't even get us started on why BBC America is still running something like season 7 right now), and the boys are unveiling an all-new reasonably-priced car.
The old Chevrolet Lacetti has been sent of off to the scrap heap and it looks like Richard Hammond gets the honor of pulling the sheet of the new car. Someone snapped a pic during rehearsals this week, and we've got some clues as to what the new star car might be.
The best guess appears to be the compact KiaCee'd, a decent-looking little hatch that's not available in North America. The general shape and the lights seem to be a pretty good match, as are the wheels. We still don't know who this week's celebrity hotshoe will be, but we'll be checking it as soon as we can. A tip of the hat to Rudy!
We saw the KiaForte five-door at the 2010 New York International Auto Show back in April, and now we know when to look for it in dealerships. The handsome hatchback will be available this fall, according to the Upcoming Vehicles section of Kia's website. Handsomely penned, like the rest of the Forte line, the 2010 Forte five-door will be the most versatile variant.
Pricing is expected to follow the four-door's paradigm closely, which means significant value. Bluetooth is standard, and so is auxiliary/MP3 capability. The EX trim-level Forte five-door will have a 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for 156 horsepower and both automatic and manual transmissions are six-speed units. The SX models get a 2.4-liter 173 hp four-cylinder and 17-inch wheels. With the arrival of this sharp little wagon, Kia's Forte covers all the common form-factors. Prospective buyers can sign up at Kia's website to be notified when the car officially goes on sale, as well as get other updates from Kia. Thanks for the tip, Jeremy!
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This week's podcast team is Sam Abuelsamid, Alex Nunez and Dan Roth. We dive right in after a quick garage overview and take on the 2011 Honda Odyssey, JD Power's Initial Quality Study results, action suggested by the new United Auto Workers president, and a whole bunch of first drives. The 2011 Grand Cherokee, Honda CR-Z and Cadillac CTS Coupe were all sampled by our wheelmen, and we discuss. We work in your feedback and wrap up with a question at the 80-minute mark. See you next week!
Autoblog Podcast #183 - Odyssey, IQS, UAW, CR-Z, CTS Coupe and Grand Cherokee
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Edmunds' Top 10 'Dark-Horse' cars - Click above for high-res image gallery
We all know the typical sales winners of the automotive universe. Come hell or high water, Honda Civics and Toyota Camrys will still float off of the lot. Granted, that's good news for most automakers, but at the same time, there's a wealth of under-appreciated models languishing under the beady eyes of inflatable gorillas across the country. The good people of Edmunds have taken it upon themselves to wrangle up a top 10 list of those long forgotten winners and filed them under the collective banner of "Dark-Horse" candidates. Sexy.
We're absolutely down with cars like the 2010 Buick Lacrosse, 2010 Suzuki Kizashi and the 2010 Hyundai Genesis, but the 2010 Nissan Versa has us scratching our heads. While the car is a perfectly decent little compact, the market is awash with other excellent options. Need proof? Look no further than another Edmunds Dark-Horse selection, the 2011 Ford Fiesta. We suppose that with all the hype surrounding the new Blue Oval hatchback that it can't as easily be considered a forgotten option, at least at this point. Hop the jump for the full press blast and check the gallery below for the top picks.
There are an endless amount of interesting tidbits to be found when browsing satellite images in Google maps and Google Earth. Unfortunately, we have to keep in mind that the images are not in real-time, or even close too it. Most are 2-3 years old or more. That means whatever you see today is likely long gone by the time you're looking at it.
Such is the case for the imagery of a sad little industrial park in Green Cove Springs, Florida, just south of Jacksonville. The Reynolds Industrial Park was once an airport where the U.S. stored mothballed aircraft. Recently, some people with overactive imaginations when it comes to the topic of the United Nations stumbled across this image and came to the erroneous conclusion that the thousands of white vehicles parked on the airport's abandoned runways were UN trucks, possibly being readied for an invasion of Disney World (our guess, not theirs).
In fact, the truth is nothing quite so insidious. The two airstrips full of cars were a surplus of unsold Kias that had been shipped in from Korea and were being stored. Their white color is simply the shrink-wrap that's applied to almost all new cars during shipping to protect their finish. Prior to becoming a Kia storage lot, the same facility was used by Kelsey-Hayes/TRW Automotive as a test track for anti-lock brake systems for some 20 years (this writer formerly worked as an engineer for TRW and spent time at this facility). The white ceramic tile pad formerly used for simulated ice testing is still visible on the upper part of the runway as are the circle tracks.
The airstrips weren't the only automotive use of Reynolds Industrial Park. One of the buildings to the right of the strip was home to Vector Motors for a time in the mid-1990s before it went belly up. Rusting frames of the M12 supercar could be seen stacked outside for several years after.
IIHS rollover tests for midsized SUVs - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has completed a round of rollover testing on 12 mid-sized SUVs (though most are technically CUVs, but whatevs), and the results show that some carmakers are exceeding federal rollover standards. Six of the haulers scored a Good rating, led by the 2010 Jeep Liberty, one scored Acceptable, and the remaining five were Marginal. The Good rating means a tested car has a roof that is twice as strong as the current government safety standard.
Five of the top six - the Chevrolet Equinox, 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota Highlander and Venza, and Kia Sorento - also scored Good marks for front-, side- and rear-occupant protection, and so earn the coveted classification of being an IIHS Top Safety Pick. If your CUV isn't listed, fear not, as the IIHS is testing them in groups.
Follow the jump for the full release, and you can have a look at the entire batch of tested vehicles in the high-res gallery below.
Kia Soul This or That advertising spot - Click above to watch the video after the break
You could get with this, or you could get with that. 'This,' in case you were wondering, would be the 2010 Kia Soul, and 'that' would be, um, anything else. Especially a toaster, washing machine or cardboard box... and we'll leave those vehicular associations up to you to decipher.
Before you actually watch the video pasted after the break, please know that our collective heads heads have officially exploded due to the sheer awesomeness of this effort from Kia and its marketing firm. First of all, the clip features the oddly popular Hamsters from Kia's initial marketing launch for the Soul, the first commercial of which managed to win Nielsen's Automotive Ad of the Year.
More importantly, as far as we're concerned at least, is the use of Black Sheep's The Choice is Yours as the musical accompaniment to the Alien Green Soul and its urban backdrop. Also note that the character's so-called Hamstar clothing will soon be available for purchase by fans at hamstarclothing.com. Seriously.
Expect to see this advertisement all over your television set and in movie theaters starting on Friday, May 28. That said, we highly suggest that you get the jump on everyone else and watch the video now. Seriously, what are you waiting for? Hit the jump.
The Hyundai Elantra is currently produced in Ulsan, South Korea, with about 100,000 of those vehicles earmarked for the U.S. each year. But while the Elantra is currently Hyundai's most successful export product, word on the street is that production of the affordable compact could come to the Korean automaker's Montgomery, Alabama plant in April, 2011, with volumes reaching 150,000 units per year.
Wards Automotive reports that Hyundai is considering the move, though Hyundai was quick to tell the auto-focused publication that no decision has been made. To make room for the Elantra, Hyundai could consider moving Santa Fe production to Kia's West Pointe, GA plant. But while Hyundai has the available production capacity here in the U.S., the Elantra's 2.0-liter engine would still likely need to be made in China and exported to the States.
If Hyundai does indeed bring Elantra production to the U.S., it would likely mean more high paying manufacturing jobs at a time when high-paying jobs are very tough to find, and that certainly wouldn't suck.
2010 Kia Ghost Soul - Click above for high-res image gallery
Kia just announced a new special-edition Soul. The Ghost Soul will join the likes of the Shadow Dragon Soul, Denim Soul and Ignition Soul as the last of four unique takes on the Korean automaker's quirky people mover. The changes to the base car are fairly subtle and include a new fender vent and rear spoiler, along with a smattering of chrome accents and snappy-looking 18-inch wheels. Inside, buyers can look forward to a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, along with heated, leather-trimmed seats that replace the stock buckets.
The Ghost Soul is based on the Soul+, but throws in an Audio Upgrade Package for good measure, meaning that the additional center speaker and subwoofer come standard. Final pricing sits at $20,185, not including destination, and the company says that the Ghost Soul is available at dealers right now. Hit the jump for the press release.
Ever since the all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata went on sale in February, it's been selling faster than ever. Over 18,000 units were moved in both March and April and the new turbo and hybrid models are still to come later this year. In order to continue meeting the demand for the new sedan, moving Santa Fe SUV production out of Hyundai's Montgomery, Alabama factory (where the Sonata is also built) is now under consideration. Montgomery's been running overtime for weeks.
But if the Santa Fe is ousted to open up additional Sonata capacity, where would it go? Sister brand Kia recently opened factory in West Point, Georgia that builds the Sorento. Relocating Santa Fe production there could work, since it the and Sorento share many components already. If Hyundai does pull the trigger on a production shift for the Santa Fe, it could happen before the two new Sonata models are added in the fall.
Get your torrents warmed up! The new season of Top Gear finally airs tomorrow night in the UK (don't even get us started on why BBC America is still running something like season 7 right now), and the boys are unveiling an all-new reasonably-priced car. 
