2wd 4dr Ex Kia Sportage Ex Low Miles Suv Automatic Gasoline 2.4l Dohc 16-valve I on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Kia: The Perfect Getaway

Former 007 Pierce Brosnan took on a new role for the 2015 Super Bowl, featuring in a spot for the new Kia Sorento. The fifth man to take on James Bond, Brosnan is being pitched a new project, although he doesn't seem to be totally on the same page as the executive that's trying to sell him. Where the actor expects a sniper and a missile launcher, he's confronted by a owl and a moose, respectively. It's a pretty humorous spot, all together. As for the car, you can read all about our first-hand experiences in the new Sorento.

2018 Kia Niro PHEV First Drive Review | Embracing the new normal

CULVER CITY, Calif. — A cloak of invisibility envelops the 2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid everywhere it roams in Los Angeles. In Southern California's major cities, plug-ins and electric vehicles line the driveways and clog the freeways like nowhere else in the United States. And every time a new EV/FCV/HEV/PEV/PHEV/ZEV hits the streets (eco-minded drivers loves acronyms), it's ostensibly competing for attention. But the Niro PHEV, which is set to launch imminently in major markets across the United States, isn't looking for attention. It's the most recent, under-the-radar jab at the Toyota Prius family from the South Korean manufacturer interested in stealing market share. If Kia aimed for the Toyota Prius with the traditional Niro hybrid, it shot dead-on at the EV attributes of the Prius Prime plug-in when developing the Niro PHEV. Like the Prius Prime, the Niro PHEV has an all-electric range of 26 miles. Its 3.3-KWh onboard charger is exactly the same strength as the Toyota's. And both plug-ins take about three hours to fully charge on a Level 2 (240V) charger. (Plug it into a grounded household outlet for an overnight recharge.) Those are hardly class-leading numbers, but theoretically enough to satisfy the demands of around-town driving. The similarly priced Chevrolet Volt offers twice the electric range, as does the larger Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid. What you get with the Niro PHEV, in essence, is a Niro that's ideal if you have overnight access to EV charging. We won't rehash the details of how the Niro looks inside and out — for that, check out our First Drive here — since it's nearly identical to the cordless model. Beyond "hybrid blue" accents on the exterior, it's tough to distinguish the newest Niro from a distance. The interior is nearly identical, as well, and no trunk space was sacrificed by the large, 8.9-kWh battery that sits underneath the cargo hold. And the total system power of 139 horsepower, no different than the Niro, means that this is more of a dragstrip challenger for a Prius than, say, the much quicker Chevrolet Bolt. An unexpectedly altruistic feature is the ability for the charge port to automatically unlock once the Niro PHEV reaches a full charge, allowing other EV drivers to safely unplug the Kia and sip electricity for themselves. Those thirsty drivers will need to be well-read about the Niro PHEV, however, to know this capability exists; the car offers no explicit indicators.

2018 Nissan Kicks vs other tiny crossovers: How they compare on paper

Update: As we now have now driven the 2018 Nissan Kicks and have all the specs and figures available, we thought it was time to update this comparison post. The data chart has been updated with final Kicks information as well as changes to competitors made for 2019. Anyone else have "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People stuck in their heads? Well, you do now. I couldn't be the only one. Anyway, the 2018 Nissan Kicks is a thing. It replaces the Nissan Juke, which Mr. Stocksdale thought was a bad idea and Mr. Myself thought was a smart idea. Nevertheless, neither of us were especially pumped up by the Kicks. However, the majority of car buyers are all about SUVs, and this littlest segment of them has been multiplying like Tribbles in the past few years. The Juke was one of the first of these subcompact crossovers, but it was probably too oddball for a mainstream audience (not to mention inefficient) and never really caught on. Newer competitors certainly didn't help. Well, to see how the Kicks compares to those very competitors, lets fire up the Autoblog Comparo Generator 3000 (TM). Specifically, we'll be looking at those subcompact crossovers with similarly small dimensions, especially low prices and/or a disinclination to offering all-wheel drive. We're talking about the Nissan Kicks vs the Toyota C-HR, Hyundai Kona, Kia Soul, Honda HR-V and Jeep Renegade. Now, if you're interested in literally the exact opposite SUV segment, check out our recent Mercedes G-Class comparo. Otherwise, on to the spreadsheet: Dimensions and passenger space In terms of exterior dimensions, the new Kicks is right smack in the middle of the segment. It's virtually the same as the Honda HR-V, yet manages to eek out a few extra cubic feet of cargo space behind its raised back seat. The Honda and its "Magic Seat" still beats it in terms of maximum capacity, but it sure is close. The Kia Soul has the biggest maximum number, but that's largely the result of being a box. Its small behind-the-back-seat cargo number is likely a better indicator of how much you'll be dealing with on a day-to-day basis. And in that day-to-day way, the Kicks is excellent. Backseat legroom seems to be a Kicks downside, as all but the C-HR surpass it. (Seriously, it's almost impressive how large the C-HR is on the outside but cramped inside.) However, the Kicks' tall greenhouse not only allows for ample headroom, but seats that are mounted high off the ground.