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Kia adding Optima production line to Georgia plant

Filed under: Sedan, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Kia

2011 kia optima ex

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

The Kia Optima has been a resounding success from the minute the midsize sedan’s redesigned 2011 model hit dealer showrooms. Optima sales have nearly doubled since its November introduction, which has helped the automaker claim a 36 percent sales increase on the year.

The Korean automaker seems to think the good times will continue into the future, announcing a third hiring wave at the Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia plant. The additional employees will help increase Optima output when the 2012 model arrives in the third quarter. This is good news for the red-hot Kia brand, and those looking for work in Georgia are likely excited as well. Kia says in the post-jump press release that its hiring spree will increase the workforce at the facility to 3,000 workers. Hit the jump to read over the official release.

Gallery: 2011 Kia Optima EX: Review

2011 Kia Optima EX

[Source: Kia]

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Kia adding Optima production line to Georgia plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia Hampsters win Nielsen’s Top Auto Ad Award for second year in a row

Filed under: Budget, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Kia

Kia Soul Hamsters in

Kia Soul Hamsters in “This or That” – Click above to watch video after the jump

Kia has taken home the top honors in the Nielsen Automotive Ad of the Year awards for the second year in a row. The company’s troupe of dancing hamsters managed to make the biggest impression on viewers in the “A New Way To Roll” spot in 2009 and the rodents managed to pull off a similar stunt in 2010 with the automaker’s “This or That” ad.

Nielsen hands out the awards based on response information collected from 2.5 million viewers across 24 networks, and according to Kia, the hamster spots have helped increase Soul sales in a big way. The boxy compact saw its sales figures increase by 50.8 percent last month compared to March 2010.

The Soul wasn’t the only winner, though. Ford took home two awards in different categories, with the Fiesta netting honors for the best green ad and the company earning best sales event spot with its “Swap Your Ride” commercials. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz grabbed the best luxury campaign trophy with its “Triumphant” spot for the SLS AMG and Toyota walked away with the Spanish Advertiser of the Year title.

Follow the jump for the press release, as well as a replay of the winning “This or That” ad.

Gallery: Kia Soul This or That music video stills

[Sources: Neilsen, Kia]

Continue reading Kia Hampsters win Nielsen’s Top Auto Ad Award for second year in a row

Kia Hampsters win Nielsen’s Top Auto Ad Award for second year in a row originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia unveils K2 sedan in Shanghai

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, China, Hatchback, Kia, Shanghai Motor Show

2012 Kia K2

2012 Kia K2 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Kia has launched a new small-car assault on the Chinese market with the introduction of the 2012 K2 at this year’s Shanghai Motor Show. Based on the company’s Rio, the K2 will be offered in both four-door and five-door configurations and should compete with other premium small-car offerings in the market. Kia says the vehicle is the latest in the company’s efforts to better match products with local market tastes, and that the K2 was specifically designed inside and out for Chinese buyers. That means that the vehicle wears a new set of headlights and a slightly-altered grille among a few other minor aesthetic adjustments outside.

Under the hood, the Chinese take on the Rio rocks a variety of drivetrain options, including a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 107 horsepower or a 1.6-liter four-pot with 123 ponies. Both a manual and an automatic transmission option are available for both lumps, though Kia hasn’t said how many gears are on hand.

Kia says that the company will begin producing the four-door K2 this July at a new facility in Jiangsu province. Five-door production will get under way the following month. Hit the jump for the press release, and stay tuned for the official launch of the U.S.-market Rio that’s coming in very short order.

Gallery: 2012 Kia K2

[Source: Kia]

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Kia unveils K2 sedan in Shanghai originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Refreshed 2012 Kia Soul to bow at New York Auto Show

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Hatchback, Kia

Kia Soul spy shots

2012 Kia Soul spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to a newsletter sent out by the New York Auto Show organizers, Kia will debut its refreshed 2012 Soul hatchback as part of next week’s festivities. In addition to a slightly revised front fascia complete with LED running lamps, the funky hatch will receive a number of powertrain enhancements for the 2012 model year.

Most significantly, the Soul will benefit from the addition of new six-speed transmissions, likely in both manual and automatic forms. According to Kia, this means the 2012 Soul will achieve nearly 35 miles per gallon on the highway – a healthy boost over the current car’s fuel economy rating of 24/30 mpg city/highway when equipped with the 2.0-liter engine and five-speed manual shifter.

As we reported earlier, Kia will also debut the 2012 Rio in New York, boasting new direct-injection technology and fuel economy ratings of over 40 mpg. Stay tuned for the full details next week.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Next-generation Kia Soul

Spy Shots: Next-generation Kia Soul

[Source: New York Auto Show | Images: CarPix]

Refreshed 2012 Kia Soul to bow at New York Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Kia Optima EX

Filed under: Sedan, Kia, Reviews

The New Benchmark, For Now

2011 Kia Optima EX

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

Nobody remembers the 2010 Kia Optima, but just like that, the 2011 model may be the mainstream sedan to beat. While some consumers – the uninformed and brand-bigoted – might remain skeptical, the 2011 Kia Optima is the new benchmark. How could the Optima go from warmed-over also-ran to the segment’s latest front-runner?

Continue reading Review: 2011 Kia Optima EX…

Gallery: 2011 Kia Optima EX: Review

2011 Kia Optima EX

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Review: 2011 Kia Optima EX originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Kia design head “caves” to Korean influence with Naimo concept

Filed under: Concept Cars, Kia, Misc. Auto Shows, Electric

naimo concept

Kia Naimo EV concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Korean-made cars of the 1990s and early 2000s looked very… Korean. Not exactly a bad thing, mind you, but it’s tough to sell vehicles around the globe that cater to a specific region of the world. That’s likely one of the reasons why Kia hired former Audi designer Peter Schreyer to inject some much needed style into its lineup.

Schreyer tells Automotive News that there is no “Koreaness” about the Kia lineup, adding “to be honest, we don’t want the cars to look Korean.” A quick look at the 2011 Optima and you can see Schreyer is succeeding, but what about the Naimo EV concept? AN tells us that the jade color is reminiscent of Celadon-style pottery. The interior is covered in Korean oak. Schreyer tells AN that, at least in this case, the Korean factor is strong, adding it has design cues inspired by art specific to that country.

While the Naimo concept is a definite change of pace versus the rest of the Kia lineup, we’re thinking the little concept doesn’t mean to reveal a new styling direction. The show car was, after all, designed with the Seoul Motor Show in mind. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with playing to the home crowd.

Gallery: Kia Naimo Concept

Kia Naimo Concept

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Followup: Kia design head “caves” to Korean influence with Naimo concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Kia Rio sedan confirmed for New York Auto Show

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Sedan, Kia

2012 Kia Rio

2012 Kia Rio – Click above for high-res image gallery

Our man Jeremy Korzeniewski is attending a Kia event in Phoenix, Arizona this week, and during a press briefing this morning, JK learned that the Korean automaker will be unveiling its 2012 Rio sedan at the 2011 New York Auto Show. The four-door Rio will complement the hatchback bodystyle that bowed at the Geneva Motor Show in early March.

Four powertrains will be available on the Rio overseas – two gas and two diesel – and while mum’s the word on which engine(s) will be available here in the United States, we’re putting our money on the 1.4-liter gasoline four. This mill produces 108 horsepower and 100 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a six-speed manual or four-speed(!) automatic transmission.

In other news, Kia also let slip that the KV7 concept from this year’s Detroit Auto Show previews what’s in store for the next-generation Sedona minivan. We hinted at this after a conversation with Michael Sprague, Kia’s vice president of marketing, though it’s still unclear exactly what elements from the KV7 will be incorporated into the next-gen Sedona. The concept focused on a more traditional conversion van setup rather than the family-centric Sedona that currently graces our streets.

Gallery: 2012 Kia Rio

2012 Kia Rio

2012 Kia Rio sedan confirmed for New York Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Kia Optima Hybrid delayed due to Hyundai Sonata Hybrid pushback

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Hyundai, Kia

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid

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

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid was supposed to go on sale in December, but at the eleventh hour, the company decided on a last-minute engineering change to enhance safety. When the automaker learned that President Obama planned to sign a bill that would ban a switch that can disable a noisemaker designed to warn blind pedestrians, the Korean automaker decided it was best to remove the switch. The move delayed mass availability of the Sonata Hybrid from December to late April.

But what about its twin, the Kia Optima Hybrid? Ward’s Automotive reports that the mid-size hybrid has been delayed until late in the second quarter, or about five months after its scheduled January launch.

Will the substantial delay of the Optima and Sonata Hybrids hurt sales and satisfaction? We’re sure there are probably some impatient buyers out there who don’t understand why they have to wait, but in the long run, we’re likely looking at a mere bump in the road.

Gallery: 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid

[Source: Ward’s Automotive – sub. req.]

Report: Kia Optima Hybrid delayed due to Hyundai Sonata Hybrid pushback originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Kia planning Mazda MX-5 fighter, all-wheel-drive Soul

Filed under: Convertible, Crossover, Kia, Rumormill

Kia is seriously considering adding a two-seat droptop along the lines of Mazda’s MX-5 to its portfolio. European CEO Paul Philpott has stated that the automaker will expand and enhance its volume offerings during 2011 and 2012, but that a roadster could be in the cards shortly thereafter.

Philpott is not alone in his desires for a Kia sports car. Paul Schreyer, Kia’s Chief Designer, believes that the Korean automaker needs a truly sporty vehicle in the lineup (sorry, Forte Koup).

UK-based magazine Auto Express has put together a rendering of such a vehicle, and it clearly draws heavily from the Pontiac Solstice. However, it should be noted that the idea of a sports car in the lineup is not a totally foreign concept. From 1995 through 1999, Kia held licensing rights to the Lotus Elan and produced the Kia Elan for the Korean Market.

Kia is also reportedly working on a small, all-wheel-drive vehicle to slot below the Sportage. The Soul is due for a revamp within the next two years, so it makes sense that the funky hatchback could get all-wheel drive as part of its overhaul.

[Source: Auto Express]

Rumormill: Kia planning Mazda MX-5 fighter, all-wheel-drive Soul originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Kia Rio to spawn hot hatch?

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Hatchback, Kia, UK, Rumormill

2012 Kia Rio

2012 Kia Rio – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Autocar, the minds at Kia may be mulling the creation of a hot hatch based on the all-new Rio. The news has sprouted from comments made by Benny Oeyen, Kia marketing and product planning boss in Europe. Oeyen said that the brand’s perception in the old country still lags behind the quality and design that the automaker currently has to offer, and that one way to rectify that problem is with a new vehicle that can help sway public opinion. Exactly what type of vehicle are we talking about here? Oeyen pointed to a hot hatch, cabriolet or coupe as viable options.

Autocar says that a hot hatch version of the Rio is the most likely of those options, thanks largely to the fact that the segment is booming in the UK. Kia just recently unveiled a Rio show car at the Geneva Motor Show that came with a few sportier touches, including a set of large alloy wheels.

Even if Kia does pull the trigger on a hot hatch version of the Rio, chances are that the vehicle would be a Euro-only offering. If you live in the land of the free, you’ll have to turn to the Hyundai Veloster for your Korean hot hatch fix.

Gallery: 2012 Kia Rio: Geneva 2011

[Source: Autocar]

New Kia Rio to spawn hot hatch? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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