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Kia Proceed wagon teased, could be sign of things to come for other Kias

One of our favorite cars from the Frankfurt Motor Show last year was the Kia Proceed concept (shown below). It was a rakish, sleek wagon that looked a bit like a smaller, more practically-minded Kia Stinger GT. One of the key questions, though, was whether a production version could look as good, as well as when that production version would arrive. To partially answer those questions, Kia has released a teaser image of the final product. The teaser shows us the rear of the car, and it does hint that this wagon will have a low roofline and an almost fastback rear hatch. This is evident by the small glass opening relative to the rest of the car. There are of course compromises for production. It doesn't look like the rearward side glass wraps around to the hatch glass, and the spoiler is reshaped. The taillights aren't just a single wide bar, either. Now they take a shape closer to that of the Kia Sportage or Stinger. We do like the looks of the wide haunches at the base of the glass, though. Between that and the low roof, this should be a very stylish hatch. The subtle high-mount brake light is a slick touch, too. Kia also announced that the car will be revealed in September and also be shown at the Paris Motor Show in October. We're excited to see the final product. We're less excited about the fact we probably won't get the car in the U.S. The Ceed line of cars has historically been European, and since wagons still aren't popular here, there's not much hope for this to have an American rendition. Stranger things have happened, of course. Hyundai has continued to sell the American Elantra sedan alongside the European i30 under the Elantra GT name. Kia could possibly do something similar. At the very least, there's a good chance that the Proceed's design will influence other Kia models, possibly even some of its crossovers, so that's a plus. View 5 Photos Related Video:

Kia confirms Soul EV headed to US, cue the electric hamsters

Kia has been toying with the notion of an electric vehicle for years now. In the two years since the Korean automaker revealed the Ray EV concept, rumors of a battery-powered production vehicle have persisted, evidenced most recently by spy shots showing an electric version of the Soul hatchback this past July. Now Kia has officially announced that the Soul EV is heading for production.
Although Kia has yet to reveal official photos or specifications, this is the first confirmation we've received that the Soul EV is indeed headed for a showroom near you. Set to arrive sometime next year, the Soul EV promises to pack an as-yet unspecified arrangement of electric motors and batteries and visual cues that aim to improve the vehicle's aerodynamics and differentiate it from the conventionally powered Soul.
We'll have to wait until its debut approaches at an undetermined upcoming auto show in the US for more details, but for now you can delve into the official announcement below and scope out those same spy shots in the gallery above.

Trump wants a trade deal, but South Korea doesn't want US cars

SEOUL - US auto imports from the likes of General Motors and Ford must become more chic, affordable or fuel-efficient to reap the rewards of President Donald Trump's attempts to renegotiate a trade deal with key ally South Korea, officials and industry experts in Seoul say. Meeting South Korean President Moon Jae-in last week in Washington, Trump said the United States would do more to address trade imbalances with South Korea and create "a fair shake" to sell more cars there, the world's 11th largest auto market. "What we really want to say to the United States is: Make good cars, make cars that Korean consumers like." While imports from automakers including Ford, Chrysler and GM more than doubled last year largely thanks to free trade deal which took effect in 2012, sales account for just 1 percent of a market dominated by more affordable models from local giants Hyundai and affiliate Kia. Imports make up just 15 percent of the overall Korean auto market, and are mainly more luxurious models from German automakers BMW and Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz, which also benefit from a trade deal with the European Union. "Addressing non-tariff barriers would not fundamentally raise the competitiveness of US cars," a senior Korean government official told Reuters, declining to be identified because of the sensitivity of the subject. "What we really want to say to the United States is: Make good cars, make cars that Korean consumers like." TASTE BARRIER In Korea, US imports are seen as lagging German brands in brand image, sophistication and fuel economy, industry experts say. US imports do have a competitive advantage in electric cars: Tesla Motors' electric vehicles are seen as both environmentally friendly and trendy, while GM has launched a long-range Bolt EV. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had cited a quota in the current trade deal as an obstacle to boosting imports. The quota allows US automakers to bring in each year 25,000 vehicles that meet US, not necessarily Korean, safety standards. Should GM, for example, decide to bring in more than its quota of one model - the Impala sedans - it would cost up to $75 million to modify the cars to meet Korean safety standards, the company told its local labor union. Asked about non-tariff barriers, a spokesman at GM's Korean unit said removing them could expand the range of models the company can bring in from the United States. No US company, however, has yet to make full use of the quota, industry data shows.