2011 Kia Forte Ex Hatchback 4-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Kia launches 1.0-liter engine in Europe

As emissions regulations get tighter around the world, the automotive industry is seeing a proliferation of small, turbocharged engines to keep up. Kia is hopping into this field, at least in Europe, with its newly announced 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, and the mill debuts at the upcoming 2015 Geneva Motor Show in the Cee'd GT Line (pictured right). Kia's turbocharged three-cylinder makes 118 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque in the Cee'd and goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2014 across the pond. The Korean brand says that the engine will be offered in more of its products there, but won't announce them until later. The engine is still subject to emissions and fuel economy certification in Europe, but Kia's goal is for it to have 10-15 percent better economy than the current 1.6-liter, direct-injected four-cylinder. To make those goals a reality, the company packs the three-cylinder with technology. Laser-drilled fuel-injection holes provide a more even mixture, and the heads and block have separate thermostats to let them be cooled independently, a decision that allows engineers to tune the temperature of the two parts separately to maximize efficiency. Also, the exhaust manifold is integrated into the design to further lower temperatures. On the Cee'd GT Line, the powertrain gets stop/start, as well. While the Ford Fiesta shows that small engines can work in the US by offering the 1.0-liter EcoBoost with 123 hp and 148 lb-ft of twist, don't expect Kia to try it here anytime soon. Company spokesperson James Hope told Autoblog, "We're always studying the market, but there are no plans at the moment" to bring the mill here. WORLD PRODUCTION PREMIERE FOR KIA'S NEW 1.0-LITRE TURBOCHARGED THREE-CYLINDER 'KAPPA' ENGINE World premiere for Kia's new downsized 1.0-litre T-GDi engine Developed in-house at Kia's Namyang R&D centre Newly-developed laser-drilled injectors enable more efficient combustion Single-scroll turbocharger with electric scavenging system Innovation dual-thermostat cooling for cylinder heads and engine block Kia's all-new 1.0-litre T-GDi (turbo gasoline direct injection) 'Kappa' engine will make its world production debut at the 85th Salon International de l'Automobile in Geneva on 3 March 2015. Kia's new T-GDi Kappa engine embraces the industry trend towards smaller capacity, higher efficiency units which consume less fuel and emit fewer emissions – while still delivering responsive performance.

2014 Kia Sedona rises from the dead, same as it ever was

Don't throw away your car seats just yet, Korean minivan enthusiasts - the Kia Sedona is back on the market. If you recall, Kia killed its minivan offering at the end of 2012 (there was never a 2013 model). But here's what's making us scratch our heads: Despite the fact that Kia did confirm that the Sedona would eventually be back, we were under the impression that it would return with a proper replacement for the aging van. (Earlier reports suggested something along the lines of that cool KV7 concept.) Instead, the reincarnated Korean minivan you see here is, well, the same as it ever was. Consider our buzz killed.
That's not to say there haven't been a couple of delightfully refreshed bits thrown into the new package. For starters, the Sedona wears a slightly updated schnoz with a redesigned grille, LED positioning lamps and standard foglamps inside the reworked lower fascia. (If we're honest, the Kia looks a bit Ford Windstar-ish from the front three-quarter angle.) There's a new 17-inch wheel design for the 2014 model year, and aside from a couple enhancements to the interior in terms of storage, that short list rounds out the full extent of the new updates.
All Sedonas are powered by the same 3.5-liter V6 that debuted in the 2011 model, producing 269 horsepower and 246 pound-feet of torque, mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy ratings fall in at a rather mediocre 17/24 miles per gallon (city/highway).

Kia wants 11 green cars by 2020

Kia will invest $10.2 billion in an effort to become a more environmentally friendly automaker over the next five years, and the recently teased Niro hybrid crossover will be just the tip of the iceberg. The Korean automaker wants to more than double its green car lineup by 2020 to 11 models from the current four with plans for new hybrids, PHEVS, EVs, and even a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. This green rollout will start with an Optima PHEV (the 2014 hybrid variant is shown above) with a lithium-polymer battery and will continue with the Niro CUV. Spy shots also suggest both Hyundai and Kia have other dedicated hybrids under development, and rumors hint at their arrival in showrooms in 2017. "Global market demand is shifting to electric vehicles, with oil prices predicted to rise in future," Ki-Sang Lee, the senior vice president at Kia's Eco Friendly Vehicle R&D Center, said in the investment's announcement. Kia is already familiar with fuel-cell tech thanks to public testing in 2009, but the automaker really wants to push development with a mass-produced model in 2020. The new FCEV would use a 15- percent lighter and five-percent more efficient stack versus current units, and the setup would offer an estimated range of over 497 miles. The company hopes to build 1,000 of these vehicles annually at first. The automaker's green plan will also aim to boost the brand's average fuel economy by 25 percent from 2014 levels. To make that happen, Kia will replace seven of its 10 engine families and will cut the weight of future vehicles by five percent. The next-gen models will use more efficient transmissions too. KIA MAPS OUT FIVE-YEAR AMBITION FOR GREEN CAR LEADERSHIP Green car line-up expected to grow from four to 11 models by 2020 Kia targeting hydrogen fuel cell vehicle production within five years Kia aiming to improve average fuel efficiency by 25% over 2014 levels Roadmap for low emission cars includes clean combustion, hybrid- and pure- electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cells 70% of current engine range set to be replaced by more efficient units Kia Motors today announced its mid- to long-term plans for the development of a greatly increased range of environmentally friendly vehicles. The brand's 'green car roadmap' sets out Kia's ambition to become a leader in the low emissions car market by 2020.