2015 Kia Soul on 2040-cars

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2015 Kia K900 proves Korea's other brand has arrived

Kia entered the US market in 1993 with the Sephia, a compact economy car you probably don't (want to) remember, and two decades later it has stepped on stage at the LA Auto Show to unveil a rear-wheel-drive, fullsize luxury sedan called the K900. The achievement here isn't the car itself, its handsome styling or the incredible value it might be (pricing has yet to be announced), but rather that no one thinks it's strange for this company that once sold us the Sephia to compete head-to-head with the best luxury brands in the world. It's a testament to what 20 years of hard work can do.
No one thinks it's strange for this company that once sold us the Sephia to compete head-to-head with the best luxury brands in the world.
As for the car itself, it does indeed have handsome styling. Kia's design language wears nicely on the K900's larger frame. The large, 19-inch, multi-spoke wheels keep that big body from looking disproportionate, and the all-LED headlights give the front end a suitably high-tech appearance that's required in this class of overachievers.

Kia is bringing a fullsize SUV concept to Detroit

Hey, remember the Borrego? Kia took a stab at the fullsize SUV market in 2009 with a body-on-frame SUV, and after only one year of production, the Borrego was discontinued. Bummer. But Kia's apparently interested in rejoining the fullsize SUV segment, and will show the big concept you see here at the Detroit Auto Show next week. That's really all we know right now. Kia only offers a super short statement (that you can read below) confirming its SUV concept was designed in California and features "an abundance of advanced technology," including "state-of-the-art health-and-wellness technology" – whatever that means. It's simply meant to "[suggest] styling of a possible future premium large SUV in the brand's lineup." From this one image, the most noticeable design elements are a rear end that looks surprisingly similar to the Volvo XC90 in profile, and front and rear door handles that flank the B pillar, sort of like a minivan. Should this SUV come to production, we doubt it'll use body-on-frame architecture, since Kia doesn't have anything like that in its current portfolio. Maybe it'll ride on a version of the rear-wheel-drive platform that underpins the fullsize K900 sedan (or the upcoming Genesis G90). At this point, your guess is as good as ours. We'll know more next week. Detroit Concept Teaser #1 Kia Motors America will reveal a new concept car January 11 at the 2016 North American International Auto Show. Conceived at the automaker's California design studio, the concept offers an abundance of advanced technology – including state-of-the-art health-and-wellness technology – and takes Kia's design language in a bold new direction, suggesting styling of a possible future premium large SUV in the brand's lineup.

Kia may produce all-electric version of the Niro crossover

Kia is considering producing an all-electric version of the Niro, the crossover vehicle that was the first from the South Korean company to be designed as a dedicated hybrid vehicle. Kia Motors operating chief Tae-Hyun Oh told the UK's Car Dealer magazine that the Niro's size, utility, and hybrid pedigree, along with stricter worldwide emissions mandates, may push the automaker to make a Niro EV. Kia, whose sister company Hyundai sells the hydrogen fuel-cell Tucson crossover in limited numbers, is also considering making a fuel-cell car in order to boost its green-vehicle pedigree further. Kia has sold more than 1,000 Niro hybrid vehicles since that model debuted in August. An all-electric Niro would be based on the same platform as the Kia Ioniq. That model has hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric variants, reflecting what Kia said earlier this year was a three-pronged attack to broaden the Ioniq's exposure. The all-electric version of the Ioniq, which debuted in South Korea earlier this year and is slated to start sales in the US by the end of 2016, has a 28-kilowatt-hour battery pack that provides a single-charge range of about 110 miles. Currently, Kia sells an all-electric version of the Soul crossover. That model can go 93 miles on a full charge, though reports surfaced in September that the Kia Soul will get a refresh in 2018 that will boost its single-charge range in order to better compete with longer-range models such as the Chevrolet Bolt and Tesla Model 3. The Niro was first shown off as a concept model at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, while a production version was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show this February. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Kia Niro View 18 Photos News Source: Car Dealer via Hybrid Cars Green Kia Crossover Electric kia niro