Tag: kia

Spy Shots: Next Kia Sedona minivan spied

Filed under: Spy Photos, Minivan/Van, Kia, Design/Style

After skipping the 2013 model year and returning for 2014, the Kia Sedona is getting a full redesign for 2015, which we see for the first time in these new spy shots. The new Sedona isn’t going to look as much like the 2011 KV7 Concept as we had hoped, but we definitely see some key styling cues from the Kia concept minivan.

Even though it’s covered in heavy camouflage, we can see that some of the KV7’s cues on the 2015 Sedona include the vertical front marker lights, the horizontal taillights and the pinched beltline starting at the C-pillar. Kia’s trademark Tiger Nose grille is present and accounted for, as is the telltale dip in the windshield.

All in all, the next-gen Sedona already looks to be a significant improvement over the current, generally boring model, which dates back to 2006 and has a striking resemblance to the Ford Freestar. There is no word yet as to what will power the 2015 Sedona, but our spy shooter said that this prototype was most likely powered by a 2.2-liter diesel.

Next Kia Sedona minivan spied originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Jul 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Kia Sorento is the official ride of the Justice League

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Kia, Design/Style

2014 Kia Sorento Justice League

Toyota showed us a Spongebob Squarepants-themed Toyota Highlander last week. Kia has now revealed a Justice League themed Sorento. Can we just have normal, competent crossovers without all the animation frosting, please?

To be fair, this Sorento is for a good cause. It will be part of a charity auction on eBay, benefitting DC Entertainment’s We Can Be Heroes campaign, which raises money for the famine-ridden Horn of Africa, a region that’s facing its worst food crisis in six decades. DCE’s President, Diane Nelson, claims DC has managed to raise over $285,000 through crowd-funding campaigns and unique opportunities for its fans. The Justice League Sorento is just the latest such fund-raising opportunity, with the automaker having already commissioned a number of similar themed vehicles for individual members of the Justice League.

The seven-passenger Sorento was designed by Jim Lee and created by West Coast Customs. It sports graphics that, relative to the Spongebob Highlander, are downright subtle. Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman are depicted on the driver’s side, while Superman, the Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg are on the passenger side. The Justice League logo is emblazoned on the Sorento’s hood.

Inside, the Kia’s leather seats have been customized to represent each member of the Justice League, with Superman naturally in the driver’s seat. Poor Green Lantern is stuck riding in the middle of the second row.

Starting today, DC will be auctioning of the Sorento, along with a bunch of other cool, unique artwork from DC artists on eBay. Bidding on the Sorento starts at $35,000. We Can Be Heroes will distribute the proceeds of the auction towards International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corp and Save the Children.

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Kia Sorento is the official ride of the Justice League originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Kia builds one millionth vehicle in the US

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Kia

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. (KMMG), the plant that produces the Kia Sorento crossover and Optima sedan, celebrated today as a Snow White Pearl 2014 Sorento SXL rolled off the assembly line at the 2,259-acre site, marking the one-millionth Kia to be produced on US soil.

Located in West Point, Georgia, KMMG was Kia Motors America’s first manufacturing plant in the US and represented an initial investment of $1 billion. The plant started producing the 2011 Sorento on November 16, 2009 and is responsible for the creation of 11,000 jobs in West Point and the surrounding region. Production of the Optima sedan, Kia’s best-selling car in the US for the past 18 months, started at the factory in 2011, and, in 2012, the completion of a $100 million expansion upped annual vehicle production capacity to 360,000.

“Building one million vehicles in less than four years is a tremendous achievement and one that each one of our more than 3,000 team members can take great pride in,” said Byung Mo Ahn, Group President and CEO for Kia Motors America and KMMG.

The one-millionth vehicle to roll out of KMMG, the white 2014 Sorento pictured above, will be sold in one of Kia’s 765-plus US dealerships. Check out the press release below.

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Kia builds one millionth vehicle in the US originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 14 Jul 2013 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Kia prices 2011 Soul Hamstar special edition at $20,295*

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Kia

2011 kia soul hamstar special edition

2011 Kia Soul Hamstar special edition – Click above for high-res image

You can get with this… for $20,295. Kia has officially announced that you’ll need that much dough (*plus $695 for delivery) if you want to purchase a 2011 Soul Hamstar special edition. An ode to the award-winning hip-hop hamsters seen in Kia commercials, the four-speed auto-equipped Hamstar becomes the sixth special edition Soul that Kia has offered up for sale.

The limited-production box on wheels wears Molten Red pain, which is offset with a pair of black stripes across the front doors and black trim. Black is also the color of choice for the 18-inch wheels, fender vents and fuel-filler cap. A Hamstar logo sits on the hood, and can also be seen throughout the interior.

That interior space can be filled with music thanks to the Audio Upgrade Package. A 315-watt amp pumps sound out through the speakers, but it’s kicked up a notch thanks to the center speaker and subwoofer.

The full press release on the Soul Hamstar is posted after the jump. You can check out the concept version shown off at the 2010 SEMA show, by clicking through the gallery below.

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Kia prices 2011 Soul Hamstar special edition at $20,295* originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment

Filed under: Budget, Technology, Crossover, Kia

2011 Kia Sorento SX

2011 Kia Sorento SX – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 Kia Sorento will be available with the company’s hands-free UVO infotainment system, and its brand-spanking-new GDI direct-injection four-cylinder engine. With those new features, the big Kia crossover can really dance with the big guns from the likes of Ford.

Other available options include Kia’s YES Essential seat treatment, which makes the seats resistant to stains and static electricity and includes an anti-bacterial chemical. That, along with an entertainment system to be reckoned with, should keep the young family demographic very happy.

The Sorento’s new engine uses the same GDI setup as the upcoming 2012 Rio, but this time, it sees duty atop a 2.4-liter version of the brand’s Theta II architecture. Thanks to GDI, the 2012 Sorento should close in on 200 ponies, as opposed to the old engine’s 175.

For those who aren’t looking to upgrade to the Sorento just yet, the new options are also available on the 2012 Sportage. Click past the break to see Kia’s full press release.

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2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Kia Optima Hybrid priced from $26,500*

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Kia

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

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.

Like its Sonata kin, the Optima Hybrid uses the automaker’s 2.4-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine, mated to an electric motor and paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. This combination expected to return fuel economy ratings of 35/40 miles per gallon city/highway, same as the Sonata Hybrid.

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid priced from $26,500* originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 May 2011 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia Soul Hamstar edition rolling onto dealer lots this spring

Filed under: Car Buying, Kia

Kia Soul Hamstar

SEMA 2010: Kia Soul Hamstar Edition Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Kia Soul and special editions go together like hip-hop and hamsters. That is to say, some people love them and other folks might have heard enough of this, and heard enough of that. Regardless, the Soul is getting another special edition, and this time around it’s the Hamstars that are getting the attention.

We saw the concept version of the Kia Soul Hamstar Edition at the 2010 SEMA show. Now, we’ve received confirmation from Kia that this stars and stripes-wearing Soul is coming to dealer lots in time for the 2011 spring season. Stripes run up the doors and on to the fenders while a star Hamstar logo sits on the hood and rear hatch. The Soul Hamstar will get a unique wheel package, and the inside will feature more Hamstar logos throughout. No word yet on pricing… but it’s safe to assume it will cost you a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. Sorry.

Kia Soul Hamstar edition rolling onto dealer lots this spring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 May 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blake Griffin to auction dunked-over Kia Optima on AutoTrader.com [w/video]

Filed under: Sedan, Auctions, Videos, Kia, Celebrities

blake griffin goes airborne over a 2011 kia optima

Blake Griffin goes airborne over a 2011 Kia Optima – Click above to watch video after the jump

Mixed opinions arise when discussing Blake Griffin’s over-car dunk at the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Regardless, it got people talking and the 2011 Kia Optima played a major role in the jam. Kia turned Griffin’s hop into a commercial, and now Griffin is again using that same Optima for another good move; one that will benefit cancer research organization Stand Up to Cancer.

With the help of AutoTrader.com, Blake Griffin will auction off the car that helped him win the 2011 Dunk Contest title. Signed by the recently named Rookie of the Year, this Optima has been seen by millions of people courtesy of YouTube (and you can join that group by clicking past the jump and watching the dunk for yourself).

All proceeds will go to Stand Up for Cancer, which is a charity close to Griffin’s heart. His friend, and former high school basketball teammate, Wilson Holloway recently lost a three-year battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. AutoTrader.com, which typically does not auction vehicles, has stated that it’s eager to help raise as much money as possible for such a worthy charity. The auction will run through May 15th, and can be viewed at a special Blake Griffin-specific page on AutoTrader.com.

Click past the jump to get a refresher on Griffin’s sedan-soaring slam, then be sure to read through the press release for more information. It’s also worth mentioning that donations can be made to Stand Up to Cancer here.

Continue reading Blake Griffin to auction dunked-over Kia Optima on AutoTrader.com [w/video]

Blake Griffin to auction dunked-over Kia Optima on AutoTrader.com [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 May 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia K9 headed to Frankfurt Motor Show

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Spy Photos, Sedan, Kia, Rumormill, Luxury, South Korea

Kia K9 Spy Photo

The Age is reporting that Kia may bring its new V8-powered sedan to this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Code-named the K9, the vehicle is said to slot right into the market void between the Hyundai Genesis Sedan and Equus with styling penned by none other than Peter Schreyer of Volkswagen and Audi fame. While speaking with The Age, Schreyer said that a rear-wheel-drive layout is the most exciting for designers, but that he couldn’t speak about products that are “probably” in development. When it lands, the K9 is expected to draw inspiration from the BMW 5 Series, though that’s not exactly what we’ve seen from spy shots so far.

From the few photos that we’ve seen of the big four-door, the K9 looks to lift more generously from the design playbooks of Maserati and Jaguar. With side ports on its fenders, a set of aggressively-wrapped headlights and a vertical grille, the vehicle seems to be a potluck of luxury looks, but we’ll wait to cast our final answer until we see the big Korean under the auto show lights. Thanks for the tip, Ed!

Gallery: Kia K9 out and about

Kia K9 front disguisedKia K9 read disguisedKia K9 mirrorKia K9 wheelKia K9 headlight

Kia K9 headed to Frankfurt Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia earnings up 91% to $890 million in Q1

Filed under: Kia, Earnings/Financials

Kia logo

Automaker earnings have been mostly impressive so far, and Kia is no different. Reuters reports that the Korean automaker has posted earnings of $890 million for the first quarter of 2011, up 91 percent compared to the $466 million profit from Q1 2010. Overall revenue for the quarter was $10 billion, up 37 percent year over year. Kia’s healthy earnings come as sales rose 30 percent to 619,089 units. The automaker fared especially well in South Korea, China and the United States, where new models like the Optima and Sportage have really taken off.

Kia’s profit surge comes one day after Hyundai announced earnings of $1.7 billion. Hyundai shares are up 44 percent on the year, while Kia shares are up 16 percent.

[Source: Reuters | Image: Drew Phillips/AOL]

Kia earnings up 91% to $890 million in Q1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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