2021 Kia K5 Lxs on 2040-cars

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2021 Kia K5 starts at $25,455, just $100 more than outgoing Optima

The 2021 Kia K5 continues this year's trend of carmakers placing minimal premium on a brand new or heavily revised model. Cars Direct got a look at an early order guide showing that Kia's new midsize sedan will start at $23,490 before a $965 destination charge, for a total of $24,455. The destination fee doesn't change, and the MSRP is but $100 more than the outgoing entry-level 2020 Optima LX. That also puts the Kia $120 under the 2020 Hyundai Sonata SE, $520 under the Honda Accord LX, and $925 below a Toyota Camry SE. The K5 is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque shifted through an eight-speed transmission, giving it a little less horsepower than the competing trio — the 23 hp given up to the Toyota is the largest difference — but more torque than the other three.   The K5's trim steps have been rearranged compared to the Optima, so instead of LX, S, Special Edition, EX, EX Premium and SX, there will be the K5 LX, LXS, GT-Line, EX and performance-minded GT. The LXS will start at $27,555, the GT-Line at $30,055. Those will be the only two trims offering AWD, and the four-wheel system has late availability as well. Cars Direct didn't mention a price for the EX.   The GT and its exclusive 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder with 290 hp and 311 lb-ft tied to an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox will be late availability. The order guide showed that trim costing $31,455 after destination. That's $1,700 less expensive than the less powerful, top-of-the-line Optima SX. Among rivals, only the V6-powered Camrys come close to the K5's output, with 301 hp and 267 lb-ft from a 3.5-liter V6. The Camry TRD stands at $670 more than the K5, butt the only big-ticket extras available for the Camry TRD are two-tone paint jobs costing from $500 to $925. One of the K5 options will be a GT1 Package that adds LED headlights, better driver assistance features such as forward collision avoidance and park assist, adaptive cruise control, semi-self driving on the highway, 12-speaker Bose audio, ventilated front seats with memory, and more. Upgrading to GT1 spec will cost $4,000, taking the price to $35,455. The Toyota Camry TRD V6 doesn't offer some of the GT1's finer tech. The Toyota Camry XLE V6 needs to be optioned up to match a K5 GT1, the Toyota coming out to $38,325. Cars Direct also saw a bulletin to Kia dealers outlining some lease and purchase offers that will run through August 3.

Kia unveils refreshed 2019 Sportage small crossover

Kia has released official images of its refreshed 2019 Sportage and offered new details on interior updates and its 48-volt diesel mild hybrid system. Though the diesel version isn't likely to come to the States, the Sportage's new EcoDynamic+ diesel mild hybrid powertrain represents the first step in Kia's global electrification strategy, which will see the automaker launch 16 electrified or fuel-cell powertrain vehicles by 2025. For 2019, Kia will offer a 2.0-liter 'R' diesel engine paired with a 48-volt battery and an engine-off generator unit. Kia is also swapping an efficient new 1.6-liter 'U3' common-rail direct-injection diesel engine for the existing 1.7-liter diesel. The system is expected to eventually come to gas-engine models, so the technology could come stateside, too. We brought you spy shots of the 2019 Sportage undergoing testing last week, which showed the small crossover's updated front and rear bumpers and lamps. Kia says the exterior changes are rounded out with new 16-, 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels. The GT-Line models also get a gloss black radiator grille, gloss black and silver skid plate and dark chrome inserts on the side sills and rear tailgate. Inside the cabin, the 2019 Sportage gets a new steering wheel, revised instrument cluster and new black-and-grey two-tone upholstery. It gets Kia's Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, an Around View Monitor to help with parking and Driver Attention Warning, which sends an alert when it senses the driver getting drowsy. European customers will get a choice of new infotainment systems — a 7-inch touchscreen or new "frameless" 8-inch system. Kia sold more than 131,000 units of the Sportage in Europe in 2017, while the model's U.S. sales dropped 10 percent to 72,824. The 2019 Kia Sportage goes on sale in Europe during the third quarter. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2019 Kia Sportage Image Credit: Kia Kia Crossover Diesel Vehicles Hybrid diesel hybrid mild hybrid kia sportage

Feds investigating Kia Sorento over shattered sunroofs

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into 64,000 Kia Sorento crossovers due to complaints from owners that the sunroof can shatter unexpectedly. This probe affects Sorento models from the 2011, 2012 and 2013 model years.
According to The Detroit News, NHTSA has received 15 complaints from Sorento owners citing sunroofs that shattered, 13 of which reportedly happened while the vehicle was in motion. No crashes have been reported from this problem, but one complaint did cite minor injuries - cuts from the shattered glass.
The automaker told The Detroit News that it "has been evaluating the performance of its panoramic sunroof as part of ongoing vehicle monitoring activities conducted as a standard practice on all Kia models." Kia's corporate cousin, Hyundai, recently had similar sunroof problems with its Veloster hatchback.