2008 Kia Rio5 Lx Hatchback 4-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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Kia putting GT Concept into production, roadster concept due in Detroit

If you were enamored of the GT concept that Kia unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show two years ago, we've got good news for you. According to the latest reports, Kia is planning on putting it into production.
The big question at this point is how closely the production model will shadow the four-door coupe concept. The svelte shape will undoubtedly have to make some concessions toward roadworthiness and production feasibility, but just what platform Kia will use to underpin it remains unknown. It could base it off the large, rear-drive K9 or borrow the platform from sister-company Hyundai's Genesis Coupe. Either of those options would enable the production Kia GT to keep the concept's rear-drive orientation, but other routes would make it either front-drive or potentially all-wheel drive.
Word has it also that Kia is planning to reveal a small roadster concept in the mold of the Mazda MX-5 at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January. If public feedback is positive enough, that could see production before the end of next year as well.

2016 Kia Optima SX Limited Quick Spin

There are some questions that aren't easily answered. Is it possible to only eat one Pringle potato chip? Who decided the band Creed was a good idea? And why the heck isn't the Kia Optima more popular? That last one that floated through our heads as we tested the refreshed 2016 Optima. Kia sold just under 160,000 Optimas in 2015, while Ford sold 300,000 Fusions, Honda shipped 355,000 Accords, and Toyota moved 429,000 Camrys. The Optima's low numbers didn't make sense then, and they certainly won't make sense when sales figures for the refreshed 2016 model roll in. For the third-generation Optima, Kia applied its trademark exterior design to a segment-leading interior and one of the most comfortable driving experiences in the segment. The result is a damn fine family sedan that really ought to help Kia find its way into a lot more driveways. Driving Notes We can debate the value of top-trim family sedans until we're blue in the face, but in the case of the Optima, you want the SX Limited that we tested. It's one of the only ways to score Hyundai/Kia's stout 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine (the other is the $30,515 SX). At 245 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, it's down on output for model year 2016 – the 2015 model had an extra 27 hp and 9 lb-ft of torque – but gains two miles per gallon in the city and one on the highway, for a total of 22 and 32 mpg, respectively. Should we lament the loss of power? That's what we did when Kia first showed the 2016 Optima at the 2015 New York Auto Show. On the road, though, it's tough to pick out the drop in output. Nine pound-feet is negligible, and unless you're regularly playing in the high part of the rev range, you won't miss the extra power. The Optima pulls hard from a standstill, developing peak torque between 1,350 and 4,000 rpm. It'll get to 60 in what we guesstimate is the high six-second range. Yes, that is slower than both the six-cylinder Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, two sedans that are also lighter than the 3,600-pound Kia. Let's remember that these are family sedans, though, and the broad torque peak (and improved fuel economy) will be more important to your average consumer than the stopwatch figures. The Optima is more fuel efficient than the Japanese V6-powered competitors. Barely. And only in the city. That means the 2.0-liter's fuel economy has improved incrementally, not massively.

Kia Telluride Concept is a 400-hp hybrid based on Sorento SUV [w/video]

After teasing the exterior and the interior of the Kia Telluride, here we have the full monty in Dark Pyrite Green. Although Kia warned us that this is only a design exercise for a full-sized, three-row, seven-seat hauler, the brand notes that all of the primary bits are based on existing production Kia technology. It's built on the modified underpinnings of the mid-sized Sorento crossover, but the Telluride's wheelbase is 11.9 inches longer, and overall it's 9.5 inches longer, 4.7 inches wider, and 4.4 inches taller than the mid-sizer. Inside, Kia worked hardest on the well-being of second-row passengers. Four captains chairs comprise the first two rows, and the second-row thrones have footrests that can be folded nearly flat when not in use. Sensors in the forward four seats have sensors that read the "vital health information" of occupants and display it on door panels. Those in the second row will then benefit from Light Emitted Rejuvenation – a light show provided by an LED panel under the sunroof – to treat jet lag. Other notables inside include 3D printed components in front, and a swipe-controlled media panel behind the front seats. As for the design, the front fascia goes so bold that it reminds us of an American pickup truck. Behind what Kia calls the "tiger nose" grille is a 270-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 paired with a 130-hp electric motor, said to return more than 30 highway miles per gallon in all-wheel-drive guise. Kia has a less powerful hybrid crossover coming soon called the Niro. Kia wants you to recall that it has a history of turning concepts into production vehicles. But you should also remember that the firm's first and only other full-size entry, the body-on-frame Borrego that lasted all of a year in production, started off as the Mesa concept. Check out the press release below for more. KIA TELLURIDE CONCEPT MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW IN DETROIT Elegant and Sophisticated, the Kia Telluride Combines Breakthrough Technology, Rugged Beauty, and Functionality in a Full-Size Sport Utility Vehicle • Telluride takes Kia's design language in a bold new direction and suggests styling of a possible future premium large SUV in the brand's lineup • Telluride pushes the boundaries of technology with unique in-cabin health-and-wellness technology and luxury DETROIT, Jan.