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Kia Trail'ster Concept brings traction for the Soul in Chicago

Kia teased its hybrid all-wheel drive Trail'ster concept prior to the 2015 Chicago Auto Show debut, but the company kept some of this off-road Soul's biggest features a secret. Designed both to go off the beaten path and drive efficiently in the city, the company's designers in California added 2.5-inches of extra ground clearance and aluminum skid plates to give the hatchback a more rugged appearance. Drivers can also let the weather into the cabin thanks to a retractable canvas roof. However, the Trail'ster's most intriguing feature is its drivetrain. With a platform still based on the production Soul, up front there's a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with stop/start churning out 185 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed automatic gearbox. The gas engine exclusively runs the front axle; at the rear there's an electric motor with 35 hp and 100 lb-ft with a 1.2-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery under the cargo floor providing assistance. The whole system produces a total output of 220 hp and 285 lb-ft of twist, and the Kia claims, the concept could even run two or three miles purely on electric power. There's no physical connection between the internal combustion engine at the front and electric in the rear. Under low-throttle situations, the electric motor runs exclusively, but under most driving conditions, the all-wheel drive system provides extra traction and a bit more acceleration. Kia claims that if it put this layout into production it would offer 25-30 percent better city fuel economy and a 5-10 percent improvement on the highway compared to the current 2.0-liter powertrain in the Soul. That works about to about 30 miles per gallon city and 34 mpg highway, based on the maximum figures. The automaker isn't saying anything official yet, but it's at least hinting that a system like this could end up in the Soul one day. "The Trail'ster concept is a near-future look at how the production Kia Soul would logically evolve into an AWD-capable version that's built to escape the city streets and roam into the mountain wilderness," Tom Kearns, chief designer at the Kia Design Center of America, said in the model's announcement.

Kia Soul EV starts production next month amidst modest sales projections

The hamsters in those Kia Soul commercials? Looks like they'll be riding real quiet and quite clean a little sooner than we thought. Kia is now saying it will start production of the 2015 Soul EV next month, and sales will start later this year in the company's home country of South Korea. Additionally, according to Reuters, Kia is keeping sales expectations low, suggesting it should sell about 5,000 Soul EVs a year at a price of around $39,000, though the out-of-pocket costs should be cut in half because of South Korean government subsidies. Kia's taking a somewhat conservative approach to its early sales target as it focuses largely on the US and Europe during its first phase, said Kia spokesman Michael Choo. "We are currently conducting launch feasibility studies for the secondary phase of Soul EV introduction and plan to expand sales to other countries at a later stage," he said. "Hence, we believe the sales volume of the Soul EV will steadily grow following our initial full year of sales." As for the US, Kia spokesman James Hope tells AutoblogGreen that while the company hasn't set a definitive debut date, "we are targeting Q3 of this year." Hope says Kia isn't providing Soul EV sales guidance for the US, so we'll just have to see where the EV chips fall come September or so. Reuters also notes that sister company Hyundai will start selling its own battery-electric vehicle in 2016, a timetable confirmed by Hyundai Senior Vice President Lee Ki-sang. Both Kia and Hyundai are shooting for a South Korean electric-vehicle market that they hope will expand exponentially from a total of just 713 sales last year. The front-wheel-drive Soul EV will have a 81-kilowatt electric motor, and its single-charge range will be about 120 miles. The model was first shown off at the Chicago Auto Show last month, but Autoblog scored an early prototype test drive ahead of the reveal – check out our feature drive report here. Kia Motors shows Soul EV and next-generation hybrid powertrain at Geneva Show (SEOUL) March 4, 2014 -- The new Kia Soul EV made its European debut at the 84th Salon International de l'Automobile in Geneva, Switzerland, today alongside a special technology exhibit of the brand's next-generation hybrid powertrain.

Kia Sportage crossover is feeling 'Sporty' with 2020 refresh

The 2020 Kia Sportage crossover, which has been spied testing on the Nurburgring of all places, gets unveiled this week at the Chicago Auto Show. The 2020 model year marks a light visual refresh for the 2017-on Sportage generation, and among other details, it's recognizable from updated bumpers front and rear. The headlights have been discreetly redone, offering available LED technology, and they also incorporate LED turn signals on select trim levels. In addition, the fog lights are also available with LED. The taillights also have new trim, and there's a redesigned skid plate on both bumpers. You can also spot the 2020 Sportage from a new selection of alloy wheels in 17-, 18- and 19-inch sizes. Inside, the 8-inch touchscreen is standard, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities. Modem-enabled telematics and navigation are optional, as is a wireless smartphone charging tray. The steering wheel is a new design, and "Sofino" leather trim is a new option. For 2020, the optional driver assists have been updated to include attention warning, lane keeping assist, high beam assist, adaptive cruise, start-stop and a forward collision assist with pedestrian detection. The cruise control radar is visible in the middle of the tiger-nose grille, below the Kia emblem. The powertrain continues as previously, with a naturally aspirated, 181-hp 2.4 and a 2.0-liter, 240-hp turbo four on offer, and a choice of FWD or AWD to go with the standard six-speed automatic. No mild hybrid has yet been announced, but we're expecting it to appear later on — sans diesel power. As for the trim levels, there's a new S level joining previous LX, EX and SX trims, and according to Kia, S stands for "Sporty"; it features sporty trim both inside and outside. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.