Kia

Kia was founded in Korea in 1944 primarily as a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts. The name Kia has roots in Chinese meaning to arise or come up out of Asia. By the early 1950’s, the company had produced Korea’s first bicycle and by the end of the decade, they had branched out to motor scooters. In the 1960’s, Kia expanded to motorcycles and 3 wheeled cargo vehicles. The next logical step was automobiles which the company began manufacturing by the 1970’s. By the mid to late 80’s, Kia had an expansive lineup of models which it sold domestically. In 1987, Ford brought one such model, the Kia Pride to the US market and rebadged it the Ford Festiva. Kia’sAvella was also imported and rebadged the Ford Aspire. Kia began selling into the US market under its own name by the 1990’s however, financial pressures by the late 90’s constricted the brand from expanding and introducing new models. Hyundai acquired the company in 1998 and helped to assist Kia in introducing several new models. Kia now has something to offer virtually every budget-minded buyer in the U.S. market. Kia has been on an upswing since its purchase by Hyundai, with improvements in build quality and overall refinement. Reliability had previously been a weak point, but improvements in that area and the initiation of a substantial warranty program in 2001, similar to that of Hyundai, have bolstered the company’s reputation with consumers.

Autoblog

2011 Kia Optima configurator goes live with estimated pricing starting at $18,495* Wednesday, 28 July 2010, 6:01 pm

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Kia

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!

Gallery: 2011 Kia Optima

[Source: Kia]

2011 Kia Optima configurator goes live with estimated pricing starting at $18,495* originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog | Sam Abuelsamid

Report: Economy kills Kia Soul’ster Tuesday, 27 July 2010, 11:27 pm

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Kia

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.

Gallery: Kia Soul’ster Concept

[Source: Ward's Auto]

Report: Economy kills Kia Soul’ster originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog | Steven J. Ewing

Video: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz channel their inner Stig on Top Gear Monday, 26 July 2010, 5:30 pm

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Kia, UK, Celebrities

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.

[Source: Top Gear via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz channel their inner Stig on Top Gear

Video: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz channel their inner Stig on Top Gear originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog | Chris Shunk

Report: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz to be the stars in Top Gear’s Reasonably Price Car Thursday, 22 July 2010, 5:59 pm

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Etc., Kia, UK, Celebrities

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.

[Source: The Sun]

Report: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz to be the stars in Top Gear’s Reasonably Price Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog | Zach Bowman

2011 Kia Sportage to start at $18,295* Wednesday, 21 July 2010, 6:30 pm

Filed under: Crossover, Kia

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.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Kia Sportage

[Source: Kia]

Continue reading 2011 Kia Sportage to start at $18,295*

2011 Kia Sportage to start at $18,295* originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog | Chris Shunk

Michigan and Ohio senators demand Obama gets tough on South Korean auto importing Tuesday, 20 July 2010, 7:28 pm

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hyundai, Kia, South Korea

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.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images]

Michigan and Ohio senators demand Obama gets tough on South Korean auto importing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog | Zach Bowman

Kia Soul gets yet another UK special edition Saturday, 10 July 2010, 11:05 pm

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Kia, UK

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.

Gallery: Kia goes Black and White for 2010