2001 Kia Sportage Base Convertible 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Kia rolls out updated Forte, Forte5 for 2017

Kia has updated the Forte sedan and Forte5 hatchback for the 2017 model year. Set to debut this week at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, the revisions revolve principally around updated exterior design and interior equipment. But there are a few mechanical updates as well. We saw most of the stylistic updates when Kia revealed the new K3 back in Korea a month ago. The new Forte (as we know it on this side of the world) is distinguished by a new front bumper design and what Kia calls the "tiger-nose" grille that blends into the new headlights, much like the new Optima. There are new taillights as well, and a revised interior centered around a seven-inch touchscreen display that will soon offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Under the hood, Kia has replaced the 1.8-liter four with a new 2.0, mated to either a six-speed manual or a new six-speed automatic transmission. There are new driver assistance systems as well, and the Korean automaker has added a new mid-level S trim in between the base LX and top EX models, with a sport-tuned suspension, 16-inch alloys, LED daytime running lights, a rear spoiler, and chrome exhaust tip. The revised Forte sedan will be the first new model produced at Kia's new plat in Monterey, Mexico. Pricing will be announced closer to launch in the next couple of months, as will a revised two-door Forte Koup, but Kia has also announced a revised Forte5 for 2017. The hatchback features similar cosmetic updates to the sedan. The 2.0-liter four carries over unchanged, as does the punchier 1.6-liter turbo, which can now be had with a new seven-speed DCT. That engine comes in the sporty SX model, which serves as the top of the three-trim line. Scope out the full details in the pair of press releases below. 2017 Forte overview - Compact Sedan Receives Updated Design, New Powertrain and Advanced Tech, Including Android Auto and Apple Car PlayTM - 2017 Forte adds 2.0-liter engine, plus updated six-speed automatic transmission - Advanced driver assistance features including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Front Collision Warning, and Dynamic Bending Lights3 are newly available - Sporty S trim pumps up Forte's sport factor with exclusive interior and features Irvine, Calif., Jan. 11, 2015 – The Motor City today got an up close look at the refreshed 2017 Forte when Kia Motors America pulled the silk off the updated compact sedan at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

2014 Kia Cee'd GT

Kia may be an automaker with a lot going for it these days, but it's not yet one that takes pains to appeal to performance enthusiasts. Aside from its Pirelli World Challenge team, it doesn't support any major racing programs to speak of. And despite having showcased such concepts as the GT4 Stinger and the Provo, it doesn't really offer much in the way of performance models.
That is, at least not in North America. But at the Geneva Motor Show last year, Kia got itself into the Euro hot hatch game with the launch of the Cee'd GT (and its three-door compatriot, the Pro_Cee'd GT). It's based on the Korean automaker's European-market Volkswagen Golf rival that's now in its second generation and which, in its previous base iteration, served as the Reasonably Priced Car that celebrity guests drove on Top Gear before it was replaced by a Vauxhall Astra. Now with a GT moniker attached, the Cee'd has warmed up to the point that it'd potentially be better suited towards a proper romp down twisting B-roads than serving as a celebrity punching bag.
Since Kia's first genuine performance model (like the model upon which it's based) isn't offered Stateside, we jumped at the opportunity to drive it while on a recent trip to the UK. Read on to see what we found.

Kia dealer: Soul EV nothing but a political statement

It looks like Kia of Vancouver didn't get the company memo. While the South Korean company is expanding the sales area for the Soul electric vehicle, management at a Kia dealer in British Columbia's biggest city isn't convinced of the EV's earth-saving and potentially dollar-saving attributes, according to Inside EVs. Managers spelled out their reasoning in a series of alleged e-mails to a prospective customer, and you have to admire their conviction. One of Kia of Vancouver's managers referred to the Soul EV as a "social/political statement," and spelled out his opinion that the model won't help the environment because of what he says is the extra carbon cost to produce an electric battery (a long-debated subject). A second manager from the dealership took a slightly more conciliatory tone but still questioned whether the extra new-vehicle cost would allow for the prospective driver to save money while calling gas-powered cars "more reliable," according to Inside EVs. The automaker isn't happy. "Kia Canada disagrees with the statements made and is in the process of addressing this matter," Kia Canada spokesman Jack Sulymka told AutoblogGreen. The Soul EV just won the first-ever Canadian Green Car of the Year Award, beating out the Honda Fit, Subaru Legacy and Toyota Camry Hybrid in the process. Related Videos: Featured Gallery 2015 Kia Soul EV: Quick Spin View 37 Photos News Source: Inside EVs via Green Car ReportsImage Credit: Drew Phillips Photography Green Kia Electric kia soul ev