2014 Kia Cadenza Premium on 2040-cars

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Kia recalls over 50k new Soul compacts over steering issue

Kia is recalling certain 2014 models of its adorable Soul due to a bad adhesive used in the steering system. According to the bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the "thread-locking adhesive" that attaches the plug between the pinion gear and steering gear assembly could come loose.
Should that happen, the condition could lead to a "loss of steering," which, of course increases the likelihood of a crash. The 51,641 affected cars were built between July 21, 2013 and January 17, 2014. There have been no reported accidents, let alone injuries or deaths due to this issue.
Kia is in the process of notifying owners of the affected vehicles as well as dealers in possession of the faulty Souls.

America was the unexpected theme at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show thanks to Trump

President-elect Donald Trump was not in attendance at this year's Detroit Auto Show, but it sure seemed like he was the target audience for many of the press conferences and announcements surrounding the event. Several manufacturers chose to play up existing and future commitments to the US in general and American jobs specifically in their presentations to the press, and we're pretty sure that has everything to do with Trump's recent targeting of automakers on Twitter. To us, it seemed automakers were going on the offensive to try and preempt any future tweet-shaming for investing in auto manufacturing anywhere but the US. The pro-America sentiment started the week prior to the auto show, with Ford announcing that it would build several future electrified vehicles at its Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan and also cancel a $1.6 billion factory planned for Mexico. Ford announced the two items on the same day, but the reality is that they likely have no relation to each other; the Mexican plant is being skipped because the company doesn't need the extra capacity to build the Ford Focus right now. Trump was still happy to share the news on Twitter. Then, on Sunday, FCA announced it would invest $1 billion in manufacturing plants in Ohio and Michigan to produce the new Jeep Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer, and Wrangler-based pickup. It's not as though those potential new jobs were on their way out of the US, necessarily, but FCA took the opportunity to mention that plant upgrades at the Warren Truck Plant would allow the company to build Ram heavy duty trucks, which are currently assembled in Mexico, there. CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that Trump and his proposed tariffs had nothing to do with the decision. We certainly believe that, but we also have to believe that the timing of the release, positive outcome for America, and zero gain for Mexico were all orchestrated. Again, Trump sent out a victory tweet as if this had been his doing. Ford then used its press conference at the show on Monday to reiterate the plans for Flat Rock and also confirm that the Ford Bronco and Ranger nameplates will be returning to the US market, and that both will be built at a plant in Michigan. Announcements of manufacturing locations are usually aimed at the UAW, which certainly has a stake in these things, but again this one was broadcast to the auto show crowd in general.

Kia Soul EV priced at $33,700*, leases start at $249/month

Kia must have thought VW was aiming a little high when the German automaker priced its upcoming electric vehicle for the US market. Kia has just announced that the price for its new Soul EV will be $33,700 (before any tax incentives) when it comes to the US later this year. That's well above the base model Nissan Leaf, which starts at $28,980, but a few thousand dollars below the Volkswagen e-Golf, which starts at $35,445. The upper end Plus model starts at $35,700. The Soul EV will come in two trim levels, with the upper end Plus model starting at $35,700. The extra $2,000 will get you leather-trimmed heated and ventilated seats, fog lamps and power folding mirrors. As any EV driver in a cold climate will tell you, heated seats can do a lot for your body comfort when electrons count. Every Soul EV will have an onboard 6.6-kW charger, a nav system, a rear camera and Kia's UVO EV Services connection (with app) – as well as Kia's $800 destination charge. There are a few more details in the press release below. The Soul also has something that its competitors don't: an official range of 93 miles thanks to a 27-kWh lithium ion battery pack. The Leaf sits pretty at 84 miles while the e-Golf has not yet been officially rated. For those more interested in leasing than buying, the cost will be $249 per month with $1,999 down for the base model. Kia will announce more lease details closer to launch this fall. By the way, the Soul EV will be "initially available in certain California markets only with limited availability," so only some of you will have the option to get one from the start. Kia has said that the Soul EV will be available in other states –Oregon, New York, New Jersey and Maryland – as well, so expect announcements on that front at some point. 2015 KIA SOUL EV PRICING ANNOUNCED Starting MSRP of $33,700(1)(not including federal tax rebate of $7,500) with an expected introductory lease price(2) of $249 per month makes all-new Soul EV a compelling offer for eco-conscious buyers The 2015 Soul EV is Kia's first mass-market, all-electric, zero-emissions car and the centerpiece of the brand's Clean Mobility program Fully electrified variant retains Soul's funky design while delivering best-in-class(3) EPA-estimated driving range of 93 miles(4) IRVINE, Calif., September 11, 2014 – Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced pricing for the all-electric version of its hugely popular urban passenger vehicle, the Kia Soul.