2014 Kia Rio Lx on 2040-cars

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Kia Telluride Concept is a 400-hp hybrid based on Sorento SUV [w/video]

After teasing the exterior and the interior of the Kia Telluride, here we have the full monty in Dark Pyrite Green. Although Kia warned us that this is only a design exercise for a full-sized, three-row, seven-seat hauler, the brand notes that all of the primary bits are based on existing production Kia technology. It's built on the modified underpinnings of the mid-sized Sorento crossover, but the Telluride's wheelbase is 11.9 inches longer, and overall it's 9.5 inches longer, 4.7 inches wider, and 4.4 inches taller than the mid-sizer. Inside, Kia worked hardest on the well-being of second-row passengers. Four captains chairs comprise the first two rows, and the second-row thrones have footrests that can be folded nearly flat when not in use. Sensors in the forward four seats have sensors that read the "vital health information" of occupants and display it on door panels. Those in the second row will then benefit from Light Emitted Rejuvenation – a light show provided by an LED panel under the sunroof – to treat jet lag. Other notables inside include 3D printed components in front, and a swipe-controlled media panel behind the front seats. As for the design, the front fascia goes so bold that it reminds us of an American pickup truck. Behind what Kia calls the "tiger nose" grille is a 270-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 paired with a 130-hp electric motor, said to return more than 30 highway miles per gallon in all-wheel-drive guise. Kia has a less powerful hybrid crossover coming soon called the Niro. Kia wants you to recall that it has a history of turning concepts into production vehicles. But you should also remember that the firm's first and only other full-size entry, the body-on-frame Borrego that lasted all of a year in production, started off as the Mesa concept. Check out the press release below for more. KIA TELLURIDE CONCEPT MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW IN DETROIT Elegant and Sophisticated, the Kia Telluride Combines Breakthrough Technology, Rugged Beauty, and Functionality in a Full-Size Sport Utility Vehicle • Telluride takes Kia's design language in a bold new direction and suggests styling of a possible future premium large SUV in the brand's lineup • Telluride pushes the boundaries of technology with unique in-cabin health-and-wellness technology and luxury DETROIT, Jan.

Kia Cub Concept wanders over from Seoul

The little machine you see above is the Kia Cub. The Cub first debuted at the Seoul Motor Show, but this is the first time we've been able to see it ourselves in person, so we pointed our camera lenses its way and got to snapping.
According to our men on the show floor, the Kia Cub Concept is "quite good looking," with a squat and funky shape that looks mostly ready for production. With a five-door hatchback shape featuring reverse-opening doors (we'll resist calling them suicide doors... whoops...), this machine doesn't seem to share much design DNA with current Kia products. And that's fine. As much as we like Kia's swoopy line of cars and 'utes, a little shakeup every now and then never hurts.
We're sure the diminutive hatchback would be a fun car to pilot, with 204 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque coming from its turbocharged and direct injected 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. Kia quotes a 0-62 time of 7.7 seconds and a top speed of 143 miles per hour. Sounds to us like it could be a worthy competitor to such successful sporting hatchbacks as the Mini Cooper S and Fiat 500 Abarth.

Hyundai, Kia want to improve fuel economy by 25 percent

Hyundai and sister company Kia are giving themselves a little bit of time to make up a lot of ground in the fight for better fuel economy. We wonder if a recent multi-million fine might have something to do with this public target. The connected South Korean companies are vowing to increase their fleetwide fuel economy by 25 percent by 2020, Reuters reports. This will be done by further advancing their powertrains, looking at other ways to reduce weight, upgrading diesel engines and improving transmissions. That will all take money, but Kia and Hyundai will have $300 million less to invest thanks to a recent fine of more than $300 million from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for incorrect fuel economy numbers on around 1.2 million vehicles from the 2011-2013 model years. The civil penalties – $100 million of the total – are the largest in EPA history. In late 2012, Hyundai and Kia admitted to overstating the fuel economy of a number of models and said they'd change the official MPG figures and compensate owners. Hyundai spokesman Chris Hosford confirmed to AutoblogGreen that the company set the dramatic fuel-economy improvement targets. In the US, where Hyundai and Kia are operated as separate entities, Hyundai "remains committed to meeting the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements that have been set out by the US government," Hosford said The EPA recently released a report on fuel-economy and put Hyundai fourth in overall fleetwide fuel economy in the US among vehicle makers for the 2014 model year. The top three were Mazda, Honda and Subaru.