2021 Kia K5 Lxs on 2040-cars

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2017 Kia Sportage hits LA in US spec

Kia gave us our first look at the all-new Sportage back in August ahead of its global debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. But with the LA Auto Show opening this week, the Korean automaker has now released the full details on its new compact crossover. The 2017 Kia Sportage represents a ground-up redesign of the model, adopting a more rounded look compared to the crossover it replaces. The tiger-nose grille makes it instantly recognizable as a Kia. And though it clearly takes a different design approach, its upright quirkiness (to our eyes) makes it a more suitable bridge between (and distinct stablemate to) the unconventional Soul and the larger Sorento. Now entering its fourth iteration, the new Sportage stretches 1.6 inches longer than its predecessor and rides on a 1.2-inch longer wheelbase, but maintains the same width. That means a more spacious cabin for both occupants and cargo, done up with more upscale materials and with the latest technologies buyers have come to expect. The increased use of high-strength steel helps optimize rigidity and weight in the latest iteration of Kia's longest-running nameplate, helping it launch a more concerted assault on the increasingly competitive compact crossover market. Buyers will be able to choose between three trim levels, labeled LX, EX, and SX Turbo. The first two derive their power from a 2.4-liter four good for 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, while the latter steps up to a 2.0-liter turbo kicking out a more prodigious 241 hp and 260 lb-ft. Both promise improved efficiency, and can be had in front- or all-wheel drive, but either way they transmit their power to the road through a six-speed automatic transmission. Pricing for each model is set to be announced closer to their arrival in showrooms sometime in the new year.

2015 Kia Soul EV

You'd be forgiven if you weren't fully aware of this vehicle's existence. While the Soul EV is a big deal for Kia, as it marks the Korean brand's first foray into the world of pure electric vehicles here in the US, it simply has not a been able to garner much regard from the average car fan or, really, the automotive press.
As a green car, it has to be tough to compete with Elon Musk's remarkable ability to consistently hold our attention with nearly everything he touches at Tesla. Add that to the fact that the Soul EV doesn't offer a ton in the way of aesthetics to differentiate itself from its gasoline-powered sibling - save a few tweaks here and there - and its limited initial availability (CA only for now), and you end up with a vehicle that just isn't on a lot of people's radar. And that's too bad.
You see, none of the above is meant to imply that this is a bad car. In fact, as you read through our driving notes, you'll see that the reality is actually the opposite: Kia has a genuinely solid product on its hands.

Hyundai, Kia and U of M studying 'highway hypnosis'

Next up on the hot-button list of things that can kill you behind the wheel: "highway hypnosis." That's the zombie-like, autopilot phase you get into on a long highway drive when there isn't much to distract you, like curves or traffic. Digging further into what it is and how to combat it, Hyundai-Kia engineers and the University of Michigan are commencing a study that will measure brainwave activity in order to track the body's slide into highway hypnosis.
We're not sure how much overlap this has with Mercedes-Benz's Attention Assist, which tracks more than 70 in-car parameters to determine when you're not focused on the road anymore. That system is billed as an alarm against fatigue, in our experience it does more than that - if you use your phone while driving, for instance, it will chirp.
They don't know what form a warning system will take yet, but Hyundai-Kia plans to develop a method for warning drivers when they being to zone out. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than three thousand deaths and nearly 400,000 injuries due to distracted driving in 2011.