2012 Kia Soul on 2040-cars

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Dancer who portrays Kia hamster guilty of disability fraud

Tisk, tisk, dancing hamster. Kia's trio of anthropomorphic rodents may be down a member as the actor that portrays one of the dancing hamsters has been arrested on charges of disability fraud.
According to The Huffington Post, 27-year-old LeRoy Barnes accepted over $51,000 in disability payments following a workplace injury in 2010. While accepting the money, he's accused of performing under aliases, in addition to his costumed work for Kia.
"Fraudulently collecting disability benefits is not only illegal, it disrespects legitimately injured Californians who are unable to work," Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said in a release obtained by HuffPo.

Kia Optima Sportwagon spied before Geneva

Kia showed off the Sportspace concept at the Geneva Motor Show this year, and we knew at the time that it previewed design elements that would migrate to the Optima sedan. On top of that, it's keeping its hump to transition into the Optima Sportwagon for what we presume will be audiences outside the US. When we asked Kia about the chance of it coming here, a company spokesman responded: "Right now we don't have plans to bring the Optima Sportwagon to the US but we are continuously studying the market and looking for new opportunities. The all-new 2016 Optima midsize sedan is one of our best selling vehicles and at this time we are focused on its launch in the U.S." Now in prototype form, spy photographers caught engineers testing the Sportwagon out on German roads. The roofline declines as it makes its way to the back, a nod to the concept and a sporty profile. Otherwise design matters appear quite toned down compared to the concept, which shouldn't be a surprise. And in spite of commenters who promised Kia their money if the South Korean automaker would produce the Sportspace with all-wheel drive and something like 400 horsepower, what buyers will really be faced with is front-wheel drive and a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with around 250 horsepower. A plug-in hybrid is said to be on the cards, too. Spy shooters said they saw Volkswagen Passat and Ford Mondeo wagons at the Kia test facility, so you know the benchmarks and have more proof that it's not for us. It's expected to make its production appearance at next year's Geneva Motor Show.

Kia reveals Sportspace concept ahead of Geneva

If you were wondering why Kia kept the back end of its upcoming new European concept hidden from view in the previous teaser, one look at these latest images should tell you why: Though the show car is tipped to preview the replacement for the Optima, this one's packing a wagon body-style. Dubbed the Sportspace concept, this D-segment/midsize estate was penned at Kia's European design studio in Frankfurt and is set to bow at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The Korean automaker isn't telling us much about it, except to emphasize that it was designed as a grand tourer "without sacrificing the performance, sustainability and economy that Kia is known for." We wouldn't be surprised, then, to see some sort of high-output hybrid system in place under the hood. The design bears all the hallmarks of a modern Kia, with the tiger-nose grille up front and clean lines throughout, but tapering back to a wagon's tail that reminds us of the Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon – which is no idle praise. Whether that means the next-gen Optima will be offered in wagon form in Europe (where they're in particularly high demand) or anywhere else, however, remains to be seen. Kia SPORTSPACE concept to be unveiled at Geneva (SEOUL) February 17, 2015 – Kia Motors Europe will unveil an innovative new concept, the Kia SPORTSPACE, at the 85th Salon International de l'Automobile in Geneva on 3 March 2015. Created for long distance driving, the SPORTSPACE has been designed for fast and efficient travel with maximum comfort and minimal stress, in the best grand touring tradition of the weekend getaway. Designed at Kia's Frankfurt design studio, under the direction of Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Europe, the SPORTSPACE features a unique and captivating body shape. The car is born out of a commitment to provide stylish and exciting transportation for four which is also spacious and functional, without sacrificing the performance, sustainability and economy that Kia is known for. Recognisably a Kia due to its signature 'tiger nose' grille, finely judged proportions and simple, clean surfaces, SPORTSPACE has a bold, dynamic shape with real road presence. At the same time, it offers a high level of interior comfort and substantial practical load space.