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Refreshed Kia Optima Hybrid continues to blend good looks and efficiency

With all the excitement at the Kia stand surrounding the new Soul EV, it's easy to forget that there were other cars on display at the Korean marque's Chicago Auto Show display. The Niro Concept from the Frankfurt Motor Show made an appearance, but the other production model on display was the refreshed Optima Hybrid (which was tucked away in a corner).
Like the standard Optima, which was refreshed at the 2013 New York Auto Show last year, the hybridized sedan gets a slightly restyled face and rear end. As we told you in our official post on the car yesterday, the gas-electric powertrain of the 2014 Optima Hybrid still deploys 199 total system horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. Buyers of the base LX car will net 36 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway, while the upmarket EX loses a mile per gallon in both environments.
Have a look at our live gallery of the new Optima Hybrid, from the floor of the Chicago Auto Show.

Kia rolls out updated Cee'd hatches in Europe

Kia makes some models specifically for the North American market, and keeps some models back at home in South Korea that we never see. But it also makes some for other markets, like the Cee'd. And now it's rolling out a revised version for the European market. Top Gear jokes aside, the Cee'd has been a popular model for Kia in Europe, selling over a million units since its introduction there nine years ago to take on the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. The updated model benefits from revised styling inside and out, improved NHV refinement (particularly for diesel models), new tech, and several new engine options – all of which are now Euro 6 compliant. The biggest news, which we already knew, is the addition of a new 1.0-liter turbo three-cylinder engine. It's available in two states of tune, producing 99 horsepower or 118, but produces the same 127 pound-feet of torque either way. The 1.6-liter diesel option now packs a stronger punch at 134 hp (up from 126) and 210 lb-ft (instead of 195), and offers a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission option. The remaining four-cylinder engines carry over essentially unchanged. The flagship Cee'd GT and Pro_Cee'd GT performance models benefit from some new trim inside and out, as well. The 1.6-liter turbo four carries over with the same 201 hp and 195 lb-ft, but a new turbocharger improves low-end response to cut a fraction of a second off the 0-62 time. There's also a sound synthesizer that replicates the engine note inside the cabin, and larger brakes available. European buyers will once again be able to choose between three body-styles: five-door hatch, extended Sportswagon and three-door Pro_Cee'd. There's also a new GT Line that offers the looks of the performance models without the mechanical upgrades (and commensurate hike in purchase and fuel costs). Dealers across the pond will begin taking delivery next month. Major upgrade for Kia cee'd with new look, new engines and improved dynamics 26-Jun-2015 Kia has today announced details of a comprehensive upgrade to its increasingly popular Kia cee'd, a model that has provided the foundation for Kia's continuing success in Europe over recent years. Kia's European designers have evolved the interior and exterior styling of the current cee'd into an exciting new look, with the powertrain team developing a wider range of engines and transmissions.

2015 Kia Sedona

Minivan sales have stagnated in recent years, and Kia tells me that no fewer than 15 models have been completely eliminated from the market since crossovers rose to prominence. So why in the world is the company not only sticking by the Sedona, but also actively investing in it, giving it a complete overhaul for the 2015 model year?
The Korean automaker isn't convinced that the minivan's "family box" reputation is truly warranted, and it sees an opportunity to snare younger, more active buyers by designing, engineering and marketing the Sedona as something versatile, edgy and comfortable. While that logic may seem both a bit familiar and somewhat far-fetched, Kia says forty-five percent of minivan buyers don't actually have kids and are instead simply looking for space, so the approach should be based at least in part on sound reasoning.
I spent an afternoon in Northern California behind the wheel of Kia's new non-minivan with a healthy does of skepticism about its new strategy, but an open mind, as well. Does the Sedona's execution live up to Kia's lofty criteria and expectations of what a nontraditional minivan should be? Will buyers ditch their CUVs for something with a little more junk in the trunk? Read on to find out.