2014 Kia Sedona Lx on 2040-cars

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Kia unveils Horki sub-brand in China, kicks off with concept car

While we were busy ogling new vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz GLA Concept, Maserati Ghibli and Hongqi L9 at the Shanghai Motor Show, Kia was busy unveiling an entire brand. Through its Chinese joint venture, Dongfeng Yueda Kia (or DYK), the South Korean automaker has introduced its new Horki sub-brand and a concept car, simply called the Horki Concept.
The name Horki comes from the combination of two Chinese characters "Hor" and "Ki," which translates to "China driving." As this suggests, the brand will only be offered in China, and this concept sedan shares its platform with the 2014 Kia Forte. We didn't happen to catch the car live at the auto show, and apparently neither did Kia, since it only provided us with some drawings rather than live (or even studio) shots of the actual concept car. Thankfully, our friends at Newspress managed to ferret it out, so we have a couple of live pics to share after all.

Goes Both Ways: Free-trade pact sees South Korean brands losing share at home

France has been vocal, but not alone, in noting the rise of the South Korean automakers in Europe. The signing of a free-trade pact in 2011 between South Korea and the EU, along with the especially value-conscious buyers in a crisis-stricken Europe, has seen market share increases measuring in the double digits for Hyundai and Kia - analysts expect 14-percent growth for the two in 2012.
A report in Bloomberg has found that there's pain at the other end, too: The pact more than halved import tariffs on European cars headed to South Korea to 3.2 percent, and prices are now close enough to domestic offerings for more South Koreans to pay the premium for foreign luxury nameplates and the cachet they confer. Products sold by the five domestic automakers hogged 92 percent of the market last year, and sales have dropped 5.2 percent this year whereas import sales have risen by 24 percent. This will mark the first year that imports claimed ten percent of the market; compare that to 2002, when domestic market share in the world's 11th largest auto market was 99 percent.
The Germans are at the head of the arrow, counting for 65 percent of imported car sales, but every foreign maker has seen double-digit gains. Analysts think foreign makes could ultimately grab 15 percent of the market.

2017 Kia Sportage gets bigger and gains bulbous new duds

Anyone who's been keeping an eye on our monthly By The Numbers series of posts knows that crossovers are the kings of the automobile world in 2015. That's not likely to change any time soon, at least so long as gasoline remains relatively cheap and lenders remain willing to offer ever-longer loans with reasonable interest rates. Kia looks perfectly positioned to capitalize on the booming crossover trend with its latest Sportage. The 2017 Kia Sportage is a bit more bubbly on the outside than before, and it's got more interior room thanks to a chassis that's been stretched 1.2 inches longer than the previous model. Two powertrains will be available: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, and a 2.0-liter turbo with impressive figures of 241 hp and 260 lb-ft. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard across the board. All-wheel drive will, of course, be optional, and Kia claims the new Sportage will be more fuel efficient than before. Kia's latest infotainment system will make its debut inside the 2017 Sportage, and it will bring both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on a seven- or eight-inch screen, though LX models will have a lesser five-inch display. We don't yet know how much the 2017 Kia Sportage will cost, but we'd bet dollars to donuts that it will be competitive with the rest of the compact crossover segment. There's a lot more information to be gleaned from the press release below. First, though, we suggest you watch the video up above to see Kia's latest cute 'ute for yourself as it struts its stuff at the LA Auto Show. Then, Sportage fans are welcome to geek out to our high-res image gallery. All-new 2017 Kia Sportage makes North American Debut at Los Angeles Auto Show Fourth-Generation Sportage Compact CUV Boasts Sophisticated Design, a Refined Premium Interior and Significant Ride and Handling Improvements - Stiffer structure, new suspension, advanced driver assistance systems, and premium materials take Sportage to the head of the class - Cutting-edge design, engaging driving dynamics and intelligent packaging stand out in a staid compact CUV segment - First Kia to offer UVO3, featuring 14 telematics services, 8 GB of music storage, access to onscreen apps and Wi-Fi tethering capability, all free of charge Los Angeles, November 18, 2015 – Kia Motors America (KMA) today unveiled the all-new 2017 Sportage at the Los Angeles Auto Show.