This is another official Kia document that reveals us the pricing for the upcoming Kia Soul crossover. It was issued by Kia Motors America soon after a successful Soul debut at the 2008 Los Angeles auto show and sent to all dealers across the USA.

Due to hit US dealerships in March next year, the Soul will have a really attractive entry level price of $13,995, while the top of the range Kia Soul Sport will be priced at $17,900.

2010 Kia VG sedan

Here are some new Kia spy shots that were published at AVING network and show us a heavily disguised near luxury Kia VG prototype, which was caught by AVING spy shots.

This is yet another series of spy pics of the upcoming Kia VG sedan, which is about to hit the Korean market in the Autumn next year.

Although we have seen plenty of VG spy shots in the past year, we haven’t gathered many information on this upcoming Kia model. It is still not known how this vehicle will be positioned in the Kia range. Is it going to replace the Amanti/Opirus or it will be a stand alone model?

We know that Kia VG is coming to the USA in the 2010, but is it going to be built in USA? What engines will it have? Is it possible that this is going to be the first Kia vehicle to feature direct-injection gasoline engine, which Kia said it has in the pipeline?

Well, there are many questions on the 2010 Kia VG sedan at the moment, so let’s hope the 2009 will bring us all the answers and solves the mystery on this exciting Kia model!

Planet 4×4, UK’s leading magazine dedicated to the four wheel drive and off-road enthusiasts, has recognized Kia Sportage as Britain’s best value for money in it’s annual awards. After it won the title in 2006 and 2007, the Sportage has been chosen as the “Value for Money Champion” for the third time, making it the only vehicle to repeat the success for three consecutive years in a row.

The 2009 Kia Sportage SUV has seen a number of improvements since it won last year’s Planet 4×4 award. In 2008, Sportage production has been moved from South Korea to Kia’s groundbreaking Slovakian plant where it is being built alongside the cee’d family.

At the same time, the vehicle also received a mid-cycle exterior and interior updates to make it feel more “European” and some technical improvemnts including upgraded suspension and beefier braking system.

The new Kia Sportage has also one feature which is better than any other 4×4 in Europe – it is the only one to come with a seven year warranty. This underlines the quality of Sportage – built alongside the cee’d family at the Zilina factory in Slovakia.

Click image to enlarge!

(more…)

2010 Kia Soul base price - 13,995

US buyers of the Kia Soul are in for a pleasant surprise. In spite of having outstanding levels of roominess, quality and safety, and a dynamics that can take on and beat the finest Y-generation cars from Japan, the diminutive Kia Soul still manages to have a price tag of at least $1,500 lesser compared to it’s rivals from Scion and Nissan.

Set to go on sale in March 2009, the Soul will be available with four different equipment levels (Soul, Soul+, Soul! and Soul Sport).

In spite of low starting price tag, entry level Kia Soul comes equipped with 1,6L gasoline engine, 5-speed manual transmission, air conditioning, power windows and door locks, auxiliary audio input jacks, solar glas, 15-inch steel wheels with cowers. Standard safety features include 6-airbags, ABS system, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and electronic stability Control (ESC).

The next trim level, the Soul + ads goodies such as Bluetooth hands-free kit, electric powered outside mirrors, 16-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, disc brakes on all “corners”, keyless entry and cruise control, while the top of the trim levels, the Soul! and Soul Sport bring 18-inch allys, fog lights, leather wrapped steering wheel and audio upgrade and metal finish interior trim.

Soul! trims have also some nice additional features such as sand-black interior trim with cloth seats and sunroof, while Soul Sport benefits from sport-tuned suspenssion, sport pedals, sport seats and exterior styling kit that includes side sills, rear spoiler and sportier grille.

The 142 hp, 2,0L gasoline engine equipped Soul! costs $17,645, while the top of the range Soul Sport model, with all the bells and whistles goes for well bellow 20 Grands. The top of the range Soul will be yours for $18,595. All prices include a $695 destination charge!

Once on sale in US, Kia Soul will also have a wide range of different accessories that were developed especially for the Soul crossover! SPeaking of accessories, the Soul will be available with the most comprehensive list of accessories ever developed for any Kia vehicle. Those include performance intake, sport springs, short throw shifter, axle back exhaust, front strut tower brace, alloy fuel door, front air dam, different vinyls and others.

So, do you agree that Kia has priced the Soul very competitively? Starting price for the 2010 Kia Soul is very low, I’d say and it’s a really hard to beat one. I guess Scion and Nissan will have some trouble selling their “4-wheeled boxes” in 2009! [Source: TheKiaSoul]

(more…)

Kia Sorento -XM

The 2010 Kia Sorento is one of the most eagerly awaited crossovers that will appear on the automobile market in next year. As first spy shots revealed, the 2010 Sorento will get a complete exterior makeover and will undergo some major technical changes. It will also be the first Kia vehicle to house a brand new six-speed automatic transmission. [2010 Kia Sorento]

Kia “cee’d plus” -YN

The all-new Kia mini-MPV is rumoured to join the Kia range in 2009. Rumoured to debut as a concept vehicle at the 2009 Geneva Motors Show in March, the production ready model is expected to be displayed at the Frankfurt’s Auto Show in September.

Codenamed YN, the mini-MPV is about the same size as Soul crossover and also shares major technical components with it. It will be built by Hyundai in it’s new European factory based in Czech Republic and will later get a twin model from Hyundai. Latest reports suggest that YN will be will be “Europe only” Kia model.[2010 cee’d plus]

Kia sedan -VG

The lack of information makes the VG as one of the most interesting upcoming Kia vehicles. Details are very slim and at the moment, we only know that the VG sedan will go on sale in Korean market in September 2009 and will be powered by 2,4L  4-cylinder Theta and 3,3 V6 engines.

It shares it’s platform with next generation Hyundai Azera and is expected to replace the slow selling Amanti on US market. [2010 Kia VG]

Kia Spectra coupe -XK

Sometime during the summer, the US market will be getting a two-door variant of the Forte (Spectra) sedan. Codenamed XK, the two-door model is expected to share technical components with Spectra sedan, but feature a different exterior design.

We have not seen any prototypes caught so far, but those working on the XK project revealed to us that the two-door XK coupe is expected to retain the exterior shape of the Koup concept, which made it’s official debut at the auto show in New York earlier this year. [Kia spy shots]

Kia Soul -AM

Worldwide Soul sales is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2009. It will first go on sale in Europe in February and USA in April. More than 60 different accessories that Kia will offer for the Soul will allow the customers to personalize their vehicles to match their personal style.

Kia also plans to debut an exciting Soul concept at the upcoming North American Auto Show in January. [Kia Soul]

Kia Forte -TD

Forte will succeed the current Spectra sedan. It will go on sale in US in the first quarter of the 2009 with the choice of three four-cylinder engines. [Kia Forte /Spectra]

Click image to enlarge!

Completely redesigned Kia Sorento is expected to make it’s worldwide debut very soon. Kia has confirmed it will put it on display for the first time at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show, which opens it’s doors on March 2009.

The future Sorento has been codenamed XM and is known to receive some major technical upgrades over the current model. One of them, hidden from our eyes, will be the all-new six-speed automatic transmission, which had been developed jointly by Hyundai and Kia Motors.

Just yesterday, Hyundai announced the development of this highly advanced automatic transmission has been completed. In it’s official press release, Hyundai pointed out that it has joined the elite class of auto manufacturers who have designed their very own proprietary 6–speed automatics. After Ford-GM joint venture and Toyota, Hyundai became the 3rd company in the world to develop it’s own 6–speed automatic transaxle.

Until now, only Hyundai Genesis sedan and Kia Borrego have been using the six-speed automatics, but those transmissions were developed by Aisin and Germany’s ZF company.

Kia and Hyundai have already announced a wide range of their next generation vehicles will get this brand new 6-speed automatics. And first Kia vehicle to benefit from this newey developed tranny will be the next generation Kia Sorento!

(more…)

I would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! I hope Santa gets you everything you wished for and that your Christmas holidays will be safe and happy one! Best wishes to all of you!!

Cheers,
himi

2010 Kia YN - “cee’d plus” spy shots

These are the latest spy shots of the 2010 Kia “cee’d plus” that surfaced to the web yesterday. They show a heavily camouflaged prototype vehicle of the upcoming mini MPV from Kia, which is set to bow as a concept vehicle in March of 2009 at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

The “cee’d plus” is expected to go on sale in late 2009, as a 2010 model, and will be built exclusively for European market where it will take on cars like Opel Meriva, Renault Modus, Honda Jazz and Ford’s upcoming Fiesta based mini MPV model.

As we have already reported, the 2010 Kia YN will be produced in Hyundai’s new manufacturing plant in Czech Republic. On the same production line, Hyundai will also manufacture it’s own version of Kia “cee’d plus”, which is scheduled to hit the market by the end of the 2010.

Cee’d plus mini-MPV shares platform with Soul crossover, which means it will feature similar engines and transmissions. Aside from 1,6L petrol and diesel engines, the model will also be offered with 1,4L diesel and petrol units, both making premiere in B-segment Hyundai i20 hatchback. [Source: Carscoop ]

Click image to enlarge!

(more…)

Shown in over 40 countries worldwide, Auto Mundial has spent the last year testing and reporting on a wide range of machinery from across the globe.  Despite the gargantuan range of new cars on offer, from sports cars to 4×4s and city cars to people movers, the Auto Mundial team put the pro_cee’d up against them all but chose the Kia as their number one.

Auto Mundial producer, Guy Hicks, said; “Making our choice on that basis put it up against very stiff opposition because we haven’t confined it to a small group of newcomers but made a choice based on anything that’s crossed our path during the last 52 weeks.

“That means the Kia, which stood out not just for its looks and driving entertainment but also for technical innovations, was matched against cars as diverse as the Porsche 911 and the BMW M3, beating all of them to the top of the podium on a range of criteria which had to include price and purpose.”

Click image to enlarge!

(more…)

2010 Kia Sorento XM

Camo-covered 2010 Kia Sorento has been spotted again and fellows at BilNorge have just published some new spy photos of it at their BilNorge website.

The multitude of spy shots indicate that Kia is in the full process of testing the next generation Sorento and the number of Sorento spy photos that have popped up to the web lately, clearly tell us that the Korean automaker is getting closer to a final product.

Earlier this year we mentioned that new Sorento will make it’s official debut in Geneva Motor Show in 2009 and latest news coming from Kia Motors Europe are confirming the official Spring release.

Sorentos for the North American market will be built in Kia’s first US assembly plant, which is scheduled to start operating by the end of next year and will be capable of producing nearly 300,000 vehicles annually, when running at full capacity.

The exterior of the 2010 Kia Sorento will be completely redesigned and it will adopt many styling elements from KND-4 and KUE concepts. It will also get the brand-new Kia signature grille in the shape of a “tiger nose” grille recognized as a Kia signature.

It’s still not known what gasoline engines the future Sorento will have under the hood, but we were confirmed that there will be a powerful 2,2L diesel with 200hp available. Latest roumours also indicate that Sorento could get a diesel unit of lower displacement. The first engine that comes to my mind is the 2,0L unit packing a respectable 184 horsepower.

Both diesel engines were developed jointly by Hyundai and Kia and are believed to be the most powerful diesel engines among all similar ones currently available on the market. In the near future, both diesel units will find their way to many mid-sized (D-segment) and C-segment Kia and Hyundai vehicles. [Source: BilNorge]

Click image to enlarge!

(more…)

Kia Motors America announced it will unveil a new take on the Soul at the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January next year.

The all-new concept based on the recently revealed and eagerly anticipated Soul urban crossover passenger car is more than just a re-packaging treatment, as it will demonstrate the flexibility of the original Soul design first shown at the 2006 NAIAS.

The Kia Motors press conference for the 2009 NAIAS is scheduled to take place on Sunday, January 11, 2009 from 2:20-2:45 pm.

There are no details and no more Soul concept pics at the moment, but I’ll see if I can find out more about it at my colleagues at KMA! Do you think this could be the three-door Soul or perhaps a small Soul based pick-up truck? How about a four-wheel drive Soul?

Higher resolution image:

Would you like to receive latest Kia news to your e-mail? Subscribe to KIA-WORLD news!

Hola!

Just wanted to say hello to everyone, and report we have safetly arrived to Spain yesterday late at night! I have only slept for like four hours, woke up at eight in the morning and went downstairs for the breakfast. The weather here is so nice, it’s sunny with 15 degrees C, so quite a change of climate for us. It was very cold when we left Slovenia and here it’s like spring weather.

Well, you must be interested in the Soul, right!? I have just came back from my first test-drive and I can tell you this car ROCKS and it’s so f****** beautiful!!

The Soul is much, much nicer than in real life than on the pics. Several people who have seen it before have already told us that you have to see it in-person to actualle see it’s real beauty and I can confirm that 100%. It’s boxy design is very attractive and so different from cars you can see on the roads these days!

The one I drove was equipped with 1,6L diesel unit, generating 126hp, tomato red color and 18-inch alloy-wheels. It also had the camera at rear and a display in the mirror inside (very useful option btw!). Front seats were very comfortable and also featured the Soul signatures, you know, those that glow in the dark.

Took some good shots of the Soul, some are published below, but more will come on Saturday or Sunday, when I come back home. Depends on how much engery I will still have left.

For today, we have another test drive planned. Later in the day there will be a press conference, where some news about future Kia plans are believed to be announced. A coleague of mine also told me, we will most probably get some news about the cee’d ISG and the future YN mini-MPV, but most of the conference time will be, of course, dedicated to the Soul.

Well, those are just a few first impressions of the Soul and the happening here in Valencia. Everthing’s going as planned and I can’t wait for events (pres conference, another test drive,..) to come later in the day!

Have a nice time and enjoy!

     (more…)

If I haven’t mentioned yet, I have been invited to the official European launching event for the Soul crossover, which will be held in Valencia, Spain. Kia Motors has given me an opportunity to take part at the event and I’m glad to announce that I will be attending it.

This is the event for the European automotive press and media with more than 300 journalists from all-over the Europe participating. I’m joining the group of five journalists and two Kia representatives from Slovenia. We are leaving for Spain today at 1:00 PM and coming back on Saturday!

I’m really excited about this!! Not only because I’ll finally get behind the wheel of the Kia Soul but also because of the opportunity to meet many interesting people from Kia Motors.

I plan to bring you all the news and images from Spain, so stay tuned! That’s it for now, I’ll be here again tomorrow, after we arrive to Valencia. Best regards!himi

For the 2009, Kia Sportage received a mid-cycle exterior update resulting in a fresh, new exterior look. Improved exterior design, contemporary technological features on the interior and improved fuel economy have helped Sportage increasing it’s sales worldwide last month. Kia’s global sales report for the month of November 2008 reveals it’s compact SUV Sportage has been the top selling Kia vehicle globally.

A few days ago Kia released official Sportage information. Here you can see some nice images and if you follow the link below, you can also read the full official Sportage press release and vehicle specifications.

Click image to enlarge!

(more…)

Kia has announced that it’s cumulative global vehicle sales -export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants- through November 2008 recorded 1,272,689 units, representing a 10.1% year-on-year increase. In November, Kia sold 99,731 vehicles globally, which represents a decrease of 13.9% compared to November of 2007.

So far this year, Kia’s best selling model in overseas markets has been Spectra with 178,198 units sold. The B-segment Rio takes second place with 143,392 units sold.

The C-segment cee’d and Kia’s Sportage compact SUV compete closely for third place with 139,489 and 134,238 units sold, respectively. Rounding out the top five, the A-segment Picanto continues to perform well with 86,658 units sold.

Through the first 11 months of this year, Kia has experienced the largest gains in China market where 134,176 Kia vehicles were sold and general markets with 239,785 units sold. Sales on both markets experienced year-on-year gains of 33.9%, and 32.2%, respectively.

(more…)