2023 Kia Forte Gt on 2040-cars

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Kia shows off 2 tuned Stingers, modified Cadenza at SEMA

Ascendant Korean automaker Kia is leaving its mark on the SEMA Show in Las Vegas with two versions of its forthcoming 2018 Stinger GT, including the wide-body version developed with West Coast Customs that we previewed recently, and a sumptuous version of its premium sedan it's calling the Cadenza Obsidian. The third model is the Stinger GT Federation, which Kia says marks its foray into offering high-performance aftermarket parts through suppliers in conjunction with a vehicle launch (the production Stinger hits showrooms in December). Kia pairs the GT Federation with Air Design USA performance kits like a rear spoiler, rear diffuser and redesigned hood vents that contrast with the fastback's custom creamy-orange paint. The GT-standard twin-turbo 3.3-liter engine gets an added 15 horsepower, taking it to an estimated 380 hp, thanks to a K&N cold-air intake and a low-restriction quad-tipped Borla exhaust. It also gets Eibach springs, beefier antiroll bars and a reduced ride height, plus staggered 20-inch TSW wheels with Falken tires. Kia teamed with West Coast Customs for both the Stinger GT Wide Body and the Cadenza Obsidian sedan. The latter gets an upscale aesthetic makeover with ultra-dark ceramic window tint, metallic black body paint and copper accents inside and out. It rides on a lowered suspension with stiffened sport springs and custom 20-inch gloss-black Keen wheels with Cosmic Copper trim. Inside, there's hand-stitched suede dashboard top panel, "butter-soft" brown leather seats with suede inserts, and custom brown suede door panels. Oh, and there's a Harmon Kardon 630-watt premium sound system with an integrated subwoofer — perfect for belting out "Let It Go" at full voice during your morning commute. Kia also revealed new details about the Stinger GT Wide Body, which takes its inspiration from grand-touring racing cars of the 1970s. Its suspension has been lowered 1.4 inches up front and 1.2 inches in the rear, and it rides on 21-inch Keen forged wheels fitted with high-performance tires. The body gets wide fenders, a lightweight carbon-fiber aero kit and rear diffuser, plus quad-port exhaust tips. Inside, the makeover features custom blue leather seat piping, a hand-stitched gray leather dash panel, Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and gloss-black center console trim.

Kia hopping on the 48-volt ultra-mild hybrid bandwagon

Kia has announced that it will join an expanding line of automakers, including Audi, Ram, Volvo and others, adding ultra-mild 48-volt hybrid systems to their engines. The system works like other systems in that it has a combination starter and generator connected to the engine crank via a belt. It allows the engine to be shut off earlier than simply at a stop, and provides a bit of electrical assistance to reduce how much the engine has to work on takeoff. The system will first be implemented in Europe with the Kia Sportage and with its diesel engine in 2018. In 2019, the Kia Ceed small car will also be offered with the system. Kia says the system will also appear on gasoline engines in the near future. However, a representative from Kia's U.S. branch wouldn't comment either way on whether the technology will come to America. We think it's a pretty safe bet that we'll see the technology offered in the U.S. soon. Kia makes it clear that this system is designed to be easy to implement. It says there are hardly any packaging issues, usually putting the battery under the trunk floor, and the starter/generator motor doesn't typically require reworking the engine bay much. It also should work with rear-, front-, or all-wheel-drive layouts and with manual and automatic transmissions. If it were only going to be on diesel engines, we could see how Kia might not bring it, but since it will also be featured on gas engines, we're sure it will show up on our shores soon. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Kia Telluride vs Buick Enclave Luggage Test | What actually fits behind that third row?

So, you want to buy a three-row crossover. Before plunking down $40,000 on a new sport utility vehicle, might we dissuade you with the prospect of minivan ownership? The Pacifica Hybrid, perhaps ... no? Fine. Good thing crossovers (especially the Telluride and comparable Palisade) are so nice to drive these days. We’ll assume you want the big three-row crossover, as you intend to seat folks in all three rows. Unfortunately, raising that third row reduces the luggage area from cavernous to crawl space. ItÂ’s rather devastating from a pure numbers perspective to the two models we have today. The 2019 Buick Enclave goes from a monstrous 58 cubic-feet with the second-row in place down to 23.6 cubic-feet (which along with the nearly identical 2020 Chevrolet Traverse is still best-in-class). Meanwhile, the 2020 Kia Telluride takes a similar hit, going from 46 cubic-feet down to 21 cubic-feet. Just looking at the numbers, it would seem that the EnclaveÂ’s big advantage all but disappears with the third row up, boasting just 2.6 cubic-feet of storage more than the Telluride. But as West Coast Editor James Riswick has discovered in the numerous luggage tests he's conducted, the numbers don't always tell the whole story. Let's see how the Enclave and Telluride compare when you actually put things inside.  Boom. The Enclave swallows all of the test luggage we have for it without any fuss. The distance between the back of the seats to the hatch opening is enough to fit our full-size suitcase horizontally, making it easy to stack every other bag around it. It even fits below the seatbacks, so the driver will have an uninhibited view out the rear of the vehicle.  At our Michigan HQ, our test luggage consists of the following pieces: 28-inch upright suitcase, 24-inch upright suitcase, 19-inch upright suitcase, two small tote bags and one backpack. ItÂ’s likely enough luggage for a quick weekend getaway with the family, given there are no strollers involved. As we attempted to pack it all into the Telluride, weÂ’re glad we didnÂ’t have anything else. The loss of 2.6 cubic-feet of space was indeed felt much harder than what it looks like on paper. We knew we were in trouble when the 28-inch suitcase didnÂ’t fit along the floor as it did so neatly in the Enclave. We were forced to stack it up next to the rear seats, which left it sitting rather tall back there. As a result, the other suitcases didnÂ’t have a neat or convenient place to go.