Kia plans to unveil the 2012 Rio 4-door sedan at the forth-coming New York Auto Show...

Autoblog editors are attending this year’s Kia’s media event in Phoenix, Arizona, where the automaker will reveal some of its near-future plans. Earlier this day, the Autoblog editors obtained some official information about the 2012 Rio sedan.

According to a brief report from the event, Kia Motors America is going to introduce the all-new Rio sedan at the upcoming 2011 New York Auto Show. The four-door Kia Rio sedan will complement the hatchback bodystyle that made its official premiere at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year and will go on sale in the US market during the second half of the year.

Reportedly, the 2012 Kia Rio 4-door sedan will be available with four different powertrain options globally. Kia has yet to announce which of the four powerplants will be available in the US-market Rio, however latest rumors suggest that the automaker’s all-new sub-compact car will be available with 1.4L and 1.6L GDI gasoline engines generating 109 and 138 horsepower, respectively. Both, six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions will be available.

According to Jeremy Korzeniewski, Autoblog’s editor, Kia also revealed some information about the next-generation Sedona MPV. He was told that the KV-7 concept vehicle, which was unveiled at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, previews what’s in store for the next-generation Sedona minivan… [Source: Autoblog]

Kia Naimo KND-6 electric concept car makes its official worldwide premiere at the 2011 Seoul Auto Show.

The Naimo concept vehicle, codenamed KND-6, is a small crossover utility vehicle which was designed by Kia’s international design team working at the automaker’s R&D headquarters in Seoul. The zero-emission concept vehicle sports an eye-catching exterior layout with simple lines and solid, muscular stance.

Highlights of the Naimo’s attractive exterior design include a wrap-around windscreen, asymmetric sunroof, front and rear dot-style LED head- and positioning-lamps, three-way opening rear hatch and reverse-opening rear doors that maximise easy access to the cabin. Inside, the Naimo features a hand-crafted Korean oak, used to trim the interior door panels and the entire interior floor. The vehicle also sports modern features such as a transparent organic light emitting diode display instrument panel.

Inspired by the Kia Pop concept, which was exhibited at the 2010 Paris Auto Show, the Naimo electric car measures 3.890 mm in length, which means it is slightly smaller than the Soul crossover and about the same size as the Kia Rio 2012. The zero-emission concept car sits on a platform with generous wheelbase of 2.647mm.

Kia Naimo, named literally for the Korean word “ne-mo” which means “square shape”, is powered by a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor producing 109 horsepower and 280 Nm of torque. A twin-pack 27 kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery, located under the boot floor, gives the vehicle a driving range of 200 km (124 miles) on a single charge. According to Kia, the vehicle can be recharged to 80 percent of its capacity in no more than 25 minutes (under a quick recharging cycle), while a normal cycle, a full charge can be obtained in 5 and a half hours.

Kia Naimo concept car gallery:

Kia Motors surpasses 10 millionth car export mark today with a Snow White Pearl Optima sedan that was earmarked for shipping to the US-market.

To commemorate this significant milestone event, the automaker held a celebration ceremony at Pyeongtaek Port which was attended by some 400 invitees including Kia Motors Vice Chairman & CEO Hyoung-Keun Lee and local government officials.

Kia’s significant success story began with a small shipment of 10 pick-up trucks to Qatar in 1975. Since then, the company has made a rapid, increasingly significant imprint of the global automotive industry, particularly in recent years with the introduction of a new generation of models including Sorento, Sportage, Optima and Rio.

According to Kia, it took 30 years for Kia Motors to reach the 5 million unit export mark, but only six years since 2005 to reach 10 million. The number of overseas destinations for Kia Motors vehicles has gradually expanded from only 10 the 1980s to 156 countries today, according to the company.

Since its first export in 1975, cumulative exports units have grown to 4.27 million in North America, 2.45 million in Europe and 0.88 million in the Asia & Pacific. Kia Motors has made the biggest strides in the North American market where global makers are engaged in heated competition.

(more…)

Kia will expand its green car portfolio in the European market by introducing an all electric Venga mini-mpv and hybrid version of the up-coming Kia Optima mid-size sedan.

Do not expect to see the Venga EV at your local Kia showrooms already this year, as the model is currently undergoing final development testing at Kia’s research & development center located in Namyang, Korea. According to the sources close to Kia, the automaker operates around 250 prototypes of Venga EV, which are undergoing evaluation.

Production is scheduled to begin next year and will be limited to 2,000 units in the first year. This will lead to full production by 2013 and entry into the European Kia showrooms.

The 2013 Kia Venga electric car will feature similar powertrain as shown in the Venga EV concept car, unveiled at Geneva Auto Show in 2010. The car will feature a 60kw (80 horsepower) electric motor and a driving range of 140kms – around 90 miles – on a single charge. It will take around 6 hours to charge Venga’s highly advanced battery pack when using a 220V household power supply or less than half an hour with a 380V industrial-strength power supply.

In addition to Venga EV, Kia is also testing the Optima hybrid car developed exclusively for European and Korean markets. Unlike the North American market Optima hybrid, which features a 2.4L petrol engine and 30kw electric motor, the Euro-specs Optima hybrid will mate a 2.0L engine and electric motor.

By using a smaller four-cylinder engine in the Optima hybrid destined for Europe will help Kia engineers to further improve the car’s fuel efficiency and make it the most economical gasoline-powered vehicle in the crowded D-segment.

Kia Motors posts almost 20 percent global sales rise in February 2011. New models expected to contribute to further success for the brand in 2011.

Latest global sales figures, released by Kia Motors a few days ago, reveal the South Korean second-largest automaker continues to grow significantly worldwide. Kia said its global sales rose 18,5 percent in February 2011 from a year ago, for a total of 169.727 units. Cumulatively, through the first two months of the year, the carmaker’s sales have increased by 18,9 percent year-on-year to reach 349.136 units.

Kia Forte continues to perform well, not only in the States, but also elsewhere around the world. The all-new Forte was Kia’s best-selling nameplate in February 2011, with more than 30.860 units sold worldwide. It was followed by new Sportage crossover and Rio sub-compact car taking second and third spots with 22.275 and 15.851 units sold, respectively.  The US-built Sorento CUV came in fourth with 14.460 units sold, while Soul crossover (12.722 units sold) rounded out the top five selling Kia vehicles last month. (more…)

New Kia Optima mid-size sedan and Sportage crossover receive highly coveted Red Dot design awards!

Accolades like “If product” and “Red Dot” design awards represent an ideal way of building product recognition on the market, especially in the automotive field where there’s at least a dozen of vehicles in each segment competing to gain consumer’s recognition.

Kia’s latest designs have gained plenty of attention after the carmaker hired former Audi designer Peter Schreyer and built a team of talented designers helping him to bring attractive exterior layouts to reality. There are many experts, and even more satisfied Kia owners, who acknowledge that Kia now makes the best-looking cars among non-premium car brands.

Confirming our latest statement is a Red Dot design award given to the all-new Kia Optima sedan and 2011 Sportage crossover. The Optima has also won the 2011 Red Dot “best of the best” title, which represents the competition’s highest distinction, for which only the best products in each category are eligible.

These latest wins bring the number of Kia vehicles to receive a highly coveted Red Dot design award to four, with Kia Soul winning the award in 2009 and Kia Soul crossover in 2010. Kia Motors is the very-first and only Korean automaker to gain the prestigious German prize.

(more…)

Kia is considering to build a 2012 Rio Turbo “hot hatch” and bring it to production by the end of 2012…

What is the best way to improve the brand’s image besides building reliable and good-looking cars? Making appealing high-performance sports cars, of course. Kia has none in its current line-up at this moment, so it should seriously consider adding one the range.

Latest rumors suggest that the automaker is indeed considering to expand its range with addition of a “hot hatch”. No official details have been released so far, but Kia’s marketing and product planning chief Benny Oeyen revealed that the automaker is considering to release such car to the market.

Since the new Kia Rio has just been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, and considering the popularity of small hatches in Europe, a hot Rio seems to be the most likely option to become the very-first hot hatch from Kia. If built, the new Rio turbo would be aimed at European market, but would undoubtedly also make an appearance in the North America.

(more…)

Kia is recalling select Optima sedans over an improperly assembled shift cable problem that could cause the vehicle to roll away when parked.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Kia Motors is recalling 70.115 units of its Optima mid-size sedan (2006, 2007, 2008 Model Year) over potential problems with the gear selector for the automatic transmission.

The recall affects 2006 through 2008 model year Optima sedans, specifically those produced between September 29, 2005 and June 13, 2007. During the assembly cycle, Kia discovered the problem and changed the manufacturing process in order to try to prevent this issue.

The NHTSA launched an investigation in November when they received three complaints of owners being unable to change the transmission gears because this shift cable has failed, with one of those complaints resulting in the vehicle rolling away.

Reportedly, this problem has not caused any accidents or injuries but with over 70,000 vehicles possibly falling victim to this issue, it could pose a serious risk. The recall is expected to begin this month and the Kia Optima owners will be asked to visit their local Kia dealerships, where technicians will inspect the cable and replace it if necessary – free of charge, ofcourse.

2011 Kia Optima Earns Five-Star Crash Safety Rating From U.S. NHTSA’s new, stricter guidelines.

It was quite a fascinating achievement for the all-new 2011 Kia Optima; as it has backed an overall five-star crash safety rating. This happened at the most recent crash tests carried out by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s NHTSA, where it emerged with five stars in each of all the classes of overall ratings.

The new 2011 Kia Optima had already been awarded the “Top safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) , as it provides customers with equipments and technologies designed with the highest order of safety.

According to the group president and CEO of Kia Motors Manufacturing, Georgia, and Kia Motors America, Byung Mo Ahn, the 2011 Optima incorporates some of  the carmaker’s most advanced safety technologies with head-turning style, performance and comfort to provide consumers with high value and peace-of-mind. As the first Korean-built vehicle to be awarded a five-star crash safety rating under NHTSA’s new, stricter guidelines, Optima creates a new benchmark in the segment and underscores Kia’s commitment to offering consumers the highest levels of quality and safety in all of our vehicles.”

This year’s crash test was tougher, and it provided consumers with one overall safety score for each of the 24 passenger cars; two vans, nine 2011 brand pickups, and 20 sport utility vehicles that participated. The brand new testing  series also provided teeming consumers with useful information on forward collision warning systems, and lane departure. Both of which are geared toward crash avoidance, and are new and advanced technologies.

(more…)

New Kia Sportage SX Turbo sales scheduled to commence before the end of March. Pricing start at $25,795.

Kia Motors America today introduced the all-new Sportage SX, which brings a turbocharged engine and sport-tuned suspension to the Sportage range. In addition to the powertrain upgrades, the 2011 Kia Sportage SX also brings some minor exterior styling enhancements, as well as some unique interior options.

The all-new Kia Sportage Turbo joins the 2011 Optima Turbo as the second Kia vehicle in the U.S. market to feature a very-potent  turbocharged four-cylinder Theta II engine. The 2.0L Turbo GDI engine packs 256 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of peak torque, which is slightly less than the same engine applied to the 2011 Optima Turbo. Still, the turbocharged unit generates enough power to offer the driver a sporty ride around town and on the highway.

(more…)

The all-new Kia Rio made its official public premiere a few days ago. We have already seen some great photos of the new memeber in the Kia family, so it’s about time to present the hot-looking sub-compact car also when on the move. Take a minute and watch this great video of the 2012 Kia Rio.

2012 Kia Rio video:

It was nothing short of the word “terrific” when; amidst over 18.000 basketball fans standing at Staples Centre, coupled with songs from a gospel choir singing at midcourt, Blake Griffin soared over a car to make a dunk that saw him win the Sprite Slam Dunk of Saturday 2011.

It was a skill no NBA player was yet to display, and it came along after Blake’s teammate, Baron Davis, tossed him a pass through the sunroof of the new brand Kia Optima -the NBA official vehicle. At that moment, Blake flung over the midsized six-foot wide Sedan to make a fascinating two-handed dunk which gave him the Sprite Slam Dunk title.

(more…)

Kia Motors America announces record February 2011 sales as new Kia Optima sales take off…

Not only Kia Optima, but also Soul, Sorento and Forte helped the South Korean carmaker to achieve its best-ever February sales in the USA. Compared to the same month a year ago, Kia Motors America increased its sales by as much as 36 percent for a total of 36.806 units. The February sales record marks Kia’s 6th consecutive month of record sales!

Best performing vehicle in February was the 2011 Sorento crossover with sales once again crossing the 8.000 units sales mark. The popular seven-seat CUV was followed by Kia Soul with 6.684 units sold. Taking third and fourth spot were Kia Forte / Forte Koup and Kia Optima mid-size sedan with 5.304 and 4.844units sold respectively. Rounding out the top 5 best-selling Kia cars is the 2011 Kia Sportage with 3.965 units sold.

(more…)

2012 Kia Rio makes its official public debut today. Continue your read to find all the details on Kia Rio engines, specifications, dimensions, colors, warranty and much more. Also, find attached some high-quality 2012 Kia Rio images, which provide a detailed view on the car’s outstanding exterior and interior design lay-out!

Kia’s all-new fourth-generation Rio, revealed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, boasts a bold and distinctive personality, bringing the latest model into line with the rest of Kia’s striking design-led product range.

Tasked with the difficult job of improving upon the international sales success of the previous generation model, Kia’s engineers and designers have created a new Rio which appeals to consumers’ aesthetic tastes. However, new Rio will also drive sales through its low running costs and class-leading CO₂ emissions – with target figures for the model range starting at just 85 g/km.

Since its launch in 2005, global sales of the third-generation Rio have totalled more than 860,000 units. It was the company’s third best-selling vehicle in overseas markets during 2010 with sales of more than 219,000 units, sales in the UK total 52,626 units.

The new Rio model is longer by 20 mm, wider by 25 mm, and lower by -15 mm and features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm to 2,570 mm – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity.

Manufactured for the first time with a choice of 5-door and 3-door bodystyles, the new Rio is set to completely redefine its position and Kia is confident of capturing a larger share of the growing B-market segment.

To lower fuel consumption and help achieve Rio’s class-leading emissions, Kia engineers have carried out an extensive programme to shed weight across a broad range of components. As a result, although new Rio is a significantly larger car than the third-generation model with extra equipment, its weight-gain has been kept to a minimum.

The 5-door version of new Rio will go on sale in the UK from September with the all-new 3-door model on sale from early 2012. Both versions will be manufactured exclusively at Kia’s Sohari plant in Korea.

2012 Kia Rio image gallery:

(more…)