2021 Kia Forte Gt-line on 2040-cars

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2021 Kia Sorento Review | What's new, price, hybrid fuel economy, pictures

The Kia Sorento has always gone its own way. We'll spare you a history lesson, but in short, Kia's midsize crossover has never fit neatly into a same-sized competitive set. That continues for the all-new, fourth-generation 2021 Kia Sorento. It's still a midsize crossover, it still has three rows of seats, but it's still not as big as other three-row family crossovers, including Kia's own Telluride. Not everyone needs that much space. At the same time, though, perhaps you might need more than the Honda CR-Vs and Toyota RAV4s of the world provide — plus a few extra seats. For many, the Sorento should make a lot of sense. The biggest change for 2021, then, is the amount of variety the Sorento now offers. The new X-Line trim model is basically Kia's answer to the Subaru Outback or perhaps a Toyota RAV4 Adventure. It gets an extra inch of ground clearance for a lofty 8.3 inches total, standard all-wheel drive with a locking center differential, more functional roof racks and different styling. It's no rock crawler, but for weekend adventures, it should do the job nicely. All other trims get revised styling as well, with the SX in particular slathered in glossy black trim and wheels. It's the interior that sees the bigger visual overhaul, plus an injection of the latest technology, plus a slight improvement to the Sorento's already above-average interior quality. There are huge changes under the hood. The base four-cylinder is bigger and a bit more powerful, while the old V6 engine upgrade gives way to a 2.5-liter turbo inline-four good for 281 horsepower and a robust 311 pound-feet of torque that smokes all those bigger three-row crossovers — including the Telluride. From there, things get green. The Sorento joins the Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer as the only three-row hybrids, and betters them both with an estimated 37 miles per gallon combined. Then there's the new Sorento Plug-In Hybrid, which is the only three-row plug-in hybrid SUV from a non-luxury brand. It can go an estimated 32 miles on a charge, which should be more than enough to run the dayÂ’s chores without the turbocharged gas engine firing up. All of this makes for a compelling, diverse lineup. Whether you're considering one of the larger compact SUVs, a two-row midsize SUV or a bigger three-row family crossover, the new Sorento is a smart alternative to consider and one of our top recommended midsize SUVs.  What's new for 2021? The Sorento is all-new for 2021.

Kia Futuron autonomous, electric concept has scales and UFO design

Although the Kia Futuron Concept is styled and literally named to suggest a prospective automobile, it checks all the market trend boxes of right now. It's styled like a crossover coupe. It has all-wheel drive. It's electric. And it is said to have Level 4 autonomy. Oh yes, and it lights up, too.  Unveiled at the 2019 China International Import Expo (CIIE), the Futuron's name is technically two words put together, according to Kia: future and on. "On" is apparently meant to hint at "switched on," as in an electrical switch. Or just consider it Megatron's cousin. The Futuron is about 191 inches long, 61 inches tall, and has a 118-inch wheelbase. For reference, a Kia Stinger is 190 inches long, 55 inches tall, and has a wheelbase of 114.4 inches. Kia says it used a 360-degree design that is inspired by UFOs and flying saucers. A central eye-drawing crease starts at the new interpretation of the "Tiger Nose," disappears in the front wheel arches, and picks up again at the door, where it continues along the body and circles around the rear. The glass canopy roof is diamond-shaped and offers a unique airy design that extends beyond the dashboard. Kia says it wants its future designs to be "confident, sporty and modern, yet also elegant."  One of the key features of the Futuron is the evolutionary "Tiger Face." The headlights and front fascia of the car blend together, thanks to "Star Cloud" lighting. Kia says it pulls from the nebulae in space to create the geometric Matrix lighting. It also uses a "Dragon Skin" surface that mimics scaled armor on mythic Chinese dragons. A kinetic surface allows the car's scales to open and close to reveal daytime running lights or headlights, depending on the time of day. Hypothetically, the Futuron is powered by four in-wheel electric motors, which are fed by a battery beneath the floor of the cabin. Four motors means electric all-wheel drive, which will deliver "lightning-fast responses to driver inputs." Furthermore, sensors, radar, lidar, and cameras make the Futuron capable of Level 4 autonomous driving, which allows the driver to be completely free of road attention or guidance, for the most part. The steering wheel even retracts. Inside, the autonomous capabilities allow for a more flexible design. The Futuron has seats that can be switched between driving or zero-gravity reclining.

2014 Kia Forte

Forte 2.0 Keeps Kia Competitive In The Compact Crop
Looking back just a few years, America's compact segment was filled with bland, uninteresting cars that traded largely on low prices and high fuel economy. In today's landscape, though, things couldn't be more different - this class now boasts some of the most attractive cars on the market, not to mention features and technologies once reserved for luxury cars.
Filling Kia's role in this important market, the 2014 Forte has helped make the South Korean automaker a contender among compact cars with the sedan launching earlier in the year and the Koup and Forte5 hatchback hitting dealers soon. When the Forte first launched in 2010, it was a much-needed replacement for the Spectra, but it still had lingering drivetrain refinement issues. In the end, the model didn't really move the needle for Kia, let alone the segment. Now the second-generation Forte sedan has arrived in an effort to bolster the company's lineup, a portfolio that includes impressive models like the Optima, Sorento, Soul and even the subcompact Rio.