2004 Kia Rio Sedan 4-door on 2040-cars

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Hyundai and Kia adding Google Maps API to nav systems

Hyundai's Blue Link and Kia's UVO infotainment systems will be adding three Google features: Send2Car, Point of Interest Search and Local Search by Voice. Send2Car lets travelers send destinations to their vehicle's navigation system from a computer or via a mobile phone app, and the POI and local searches are continuously updated in Google Places' database. The new data service integrations mean that drivers will have more access to more destinations and be able to find them more quickly.
Hyundai hasn't said when the new features will debut nor on what model. Kia buyers will find them introduced on the 2014 Kia Sorento expected to roll into dealerships shortly, with the Forte sedan following. You'll find a press release on the updates below.

Kia sold 123 North American Soul EVs in October

How happy were those Kia hamsters last month? We're guessing they were pretty pleased, because reports are out that the South Korean automaker sold 123 Kia Soul electric vehicles in North America during the model's first month of sales on the continent. Now crank up that funky music. Kia sold 109 Soul EVs in the US and another 14 in Canada, Kia-World reports (the site is unaffiliated with the automaker). Kia's expected to move about 5,000 Soul EVs in North America by the end of next year. Kia spokesman James Hope, in an e-mail to AutoblogGreen, said the automaker doesn't specifically disclose the number of gas and electric Soul models it sells in North America. Those volume numbers are on par with lower-volume electric variants of conventional models that are generally positioned as "compliance" vehicles (i.e., vehicles sold specifically to comply with California's zero-emissions vehicle mandate). For instance, the Ford Focus Electric sold 186 units in the US last month, while the Smart ForTwo ED electric moved 150 vehicles. Honda sold 23 Fit EVs in October. The Kia Soul EV has base price of $33,700 and a single-charge range of 93 miles. You can read our Quick Spin impressions of the new EV here.

2015 Kia Soul EV production model glimpsed before Chicago

A few days before its on-stage reveal at the Chicago Auto Show, the production version of the 2015 Kia Soul EV has been spotted, tagged and bagged in this series of spy shots. On the EV captured by our photographer's lens, we can see unusual baby blue accents on top, on the mirrors and up front, as well as a closed-off "Tiger Nose" that is both taller and larger than the grille on the standard Soul. The special "Eco Electric" badge on the sides is useful for identifying the car in the picture, but we can't imagine it'll make the transition to showroom floor (at least, we hope). The Soul EV's rear side is different, too, with the bottom lights moved lower and the design of the main taillights tweaked a bit (compare our spy shots gallery to the standard model here). The wheels get a fresh five-spoke design as well. What lies under the new exterior? Some things we already know. The Soul is supposed to have a "class-leading" range of over 120 miles on a charge thanks to a 27-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion polymer battery pack. The electric motor offers 109 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque to create a 0-62 mile per hour time of under 12 seconds and a top speed of around 90 mph. What we can't see in these shots is a window sticker, but from what we've heard before, the Soul EV, "won't be priced to stimulate demand." Early predictions put the price at $35,000-$40,000 US – before government incentives – when the car launches in the US in the second half of this year. The gas-powered Soul starts at $14,400. We should learn more in Chicago later this week.