2003 Kia Sorento Ex Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l Low Miles No Reserve Auction on 2040-cars

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2017 Kia Model Year Preview and Updates

Kia continues its growing market momentum on the strength of three all-new intros and/or updates, along with its selection as a top pick by Consumer Reports. Kia's Niro - pictured above - is an all-new hybrid, combining a fairly conventional crossover profile with front-wheel drive and up to 50 miles-per-gallon. Also of note: Later in the '17 calendar year most dealers will receive the all-new STINGER GT, first introduced at the '17 Detroit Auto Show. KIA CADENZA: Kia's upsized, upscale Cadenza presents a near-luxury ownership experience without the penalty of a near-luxury price point. Its new platform is stronger, lighter and more rigid, while the interior is dramatically upscale. Finally, the Cadenza boasts Kia's first application of an eight-speed automatic in a front-wheel drive powertrain. FORTE: Kia's sedan and hatchback enjoy freshened styling and a new, 2.0-liter base powertrain. There is also the optional availability of a whole suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including autonomous emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert, forward collision warning and Dynamic Bending Light, which allows your lights to follow the direction of your steering wheel. K900: Kia's large, rear-wheel-drive sedan is unchanged for 2017. NIRO: Kia's all-new hybrid crossover is an outlier in the hybrid segment, with the high hip point and generous greenhouse of a crossover and a projected EPA estimate of 50 miles per gallon (combined) efficiency. It is powered by a normally-aspirated 1.6-liter four and electric motor, delivering a total system horsepower of 139, and 195 pound-feet of torque. OPTIMA: Following a redesign in 2016, Kia's midsize entry enjoys package refinements, standard 18-inch wheels on SX trim, a new value package on the 1.6T and new colors. More significant is the addition of both an Optima Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid. The Hybrid promises to be 10-percent more efficient, while the plug-in will offer an estimated electric-only range of 27 miles. RIO: New colors and a discontinued four door SX highlight the changes. SOUL: Kia's two-box box adds new alloy wheel designs, Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross Traffic Alert on Plus and Excalibur trims. And news of two new colors pales when compared to the Soul Exclaim's new turbo powerplant, connected to a seven-speed DCT transmission. SOUL EV: UVO eco is now on EV and EV+, while all trims receive an upgraded fast charge and a second-generation Pedestrian Warning System.

Kia Trail'ster Concept brings traction for the Soul in Chicago

Kia teased its hybrid all-wheel drive Trail'ster concept prior to the 2015 Chicago Auto Show debut, but the company kept some of this off-road Soul's biggest features a secret. Designed both to go off the beaten path and drive efficiently in the city, the company's designers in California added 2.5-inches of extra ground clearance and aluminum skid plates to give the hatchback a more rugged appearance. Drivers can also let the weather into the cabin thanks to a retractable canvas roof. However, the Trail'ster's most intriguing feature is its drivetrain. With a platform still based on the production Soul, up front there's a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with stop/start churning out 185 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed automatic gearbox. The gas engine exclusively runs the front axle; at the rear there's an electric motor with 35 hp and 100 lb-ft with a 1.2-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery under the cargo floor providing assistance. The whole system produces a total output of 220 hp and 285 lb-ft of twist, and the Kia claims, the concept could even run two or three miles purely on electric power. There's no physical connection between the internal combustion engine at the front and electric in the rear. Under low-throttle situations, the electric motor runs exclusively, but under most driving conditions, the all-wheel drive system provides extra traction and a bit more acceleration. Kia claims that if it put this layout into production it would offer 25-30 percent better city fuel economy and a 5-10 percent improvement on the highway compared to the current 2.0-liter powertrain in the Soul. That works about to about 30 miles per gallon city and 34 mpg highway, based on the maximum figures. The automaker isn't saying anything official yet, but it's at least hinting that a system like this could end up in the Soul one day. "The Trail'ster concept is a near-future look at how the production Kia Soul would logically evolve into an AWD-capable version that's built to escape the city streets and roam into the mountain wilderness," Tom Kearns, chief designer at the Kia Design Center of America, said in the model's announcement.

2015 Sedona shows Kia hasn't given up on minivans

Is it weird that one of the most exciting vehicles to arrive at the 2014 New York Auto Show is a minivan? Well, yeah, it's pretty odd. Still, with the design direction from Peter Schreyer, not to mention Kia's traditionally aggressive pricing, excellent warranty and solid list of high-end equipment, the new, 2015 Sedona could end up being a big winner for the Korean brand.
The design, which shares a lot of the styling that's been instigated by Schreyer since he joined Kia, looks just as good when shaped like a minivan. The grille and headlights clearly tie the Sedona to the likes of the Cadenza and K900, while features like its higher beltline and simple-but-stylish back end should do well with minivan buyers.
At first glance we aren't too enthused by the interior on the largest Kia, however. The dash looks rather plasticky, although the color scheme at work is pretty attractive. Of course, we'll need to get the big van out from under the auto show lights to render a final judgment on the cabin materials. On the space and versatility fronts, though, the Sedona looks like a winner. It will be available in either seven- or eight-passenger configurations, while the Captain's chairs on the seven-seat layout offer an ottoman that should make it even easier for the kids to fall asleep on family road trips.