2014 Kia Soul + on 2040-cars

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Motorcyclist lucky to escape with life after 100-mph crash

A motorcyclist tried to run from the California Highway Patrol in San Diego in the wee hours of February 9, but things didn't quite work out as he planned. In fact, the fleeing rider is lucky to be alive after colliding with a Kia at over 100 miles per hour during, ending, rather abruptly, the pursuit. The video on The San Diego Union-Tribune below shows the collision, but you might need to watch it a few times to see what happens. The bike shoots by in a flash, and then there are suddenly sparks when the cycle hits the rear of the car. Watch the left side of shot to see the rider standing by the median after the crash. Police quickly arrive to the scene to apprehend him. The guy is wearing a helmet but understandably appears to be in pain after the high-speed accident. The crash ripped the front end off the rider's Suzuki, but the Kia's driver wasn't harmed – though clearly shaken. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, police took the motorcycle rider to the hospital to treat undisclosed injuries. What's Now: A motorcyclist going at least 100 mph slammed into the back of a car on I-805 early this morning. Remarkably, he was left standing on his own two feet before being arrested. Story: sdut.us/1TaOjDM Posted by The San Diego Union-Tribune on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Related Video:

Kia Soul getting turbo power, possible AWD

It's been a long time coming, but it appears we might finally see a turbocharged Kia Soul next year. Kia officials reportedly confirmed the hotter Soul to Motor Trend recently, and also stated that the company is (still) investigating the use of all-wheel drive for the next generation of its boxy hatchback.
The turbo Soul will arrive with the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder found in the Forte, rated at 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. According to Motor Trend, Kia wanted to launch the hotter Soul this year, but didn't have the retuned steering or suspension calibration, as well as the larger brakes, ready in time. Transmission pairings weren't discussed, but Kia does mate both its six-speed manual and automatic units to the 1.6T.
As for all-wheel drive, this isn't the first time we've heard reports on this front, and it seems like a pretty natural fit, to us. Adding AWD would allow the Soul to better compete with vehicles like the Nissan Juke and the upcoming Chevy Trax and Jeep Renegade. But as of right now, a four-wheels-driven Soul hasn't been given an official go-ahead.

65k Kia Sorento models face NHTSA probe for shattering sunroof

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration isn't ready to give up its investigation into spontaneously shattering sunroofs in the 2011-2013 Kia Sorento yet. In fact, it has actually broadened it into a full engineering analysis affecting as many as 65,347 vehicles.
The investigation started in 2013 when NHTSA received 15 complaints about breaking sunroofs in the crossover. Since then, the regulator requested data from Kia and found that there have been 95 complaints of the roof abruptly braking. In many of those cases, the vehicle was moving at the time. People have been injured when this happens; NHTSA found 14 incidents where at least one person in the vehicle suffered from cuts or scrapes.
According to the investigation document, Kia also conducted its own internal review but couldn't find any defects. The company claims that the only way for the roof to break is for an object to strike it. Although, it does admit that the large surface of the sunroof on the Sorento could be the cause of the high frequency of damage. NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation isn't convinced and calls it "concerning." It's pressing forward to find more details in the engineering analysis.