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Kia Telluride could head into luxury territory with flagship trim

Kia will expand the Telluride lineup with a range-topping trim level that will catapult the SUV into luxury-car territory, according to a recent report. The variant will arrive as one of the firm's most expensive models. Without citing sources, website AutoSpies wrote the yet-unnamed flagship Telluride will stand out from less expensive models with a two-tone paint job split below the roof line and additional interior colors, among other posh tweaks. And, somewhat surprisingly, Kia will allegedly offer buyers an off-road package that will bundle skid plates, beefier tires, and a bull bar. The off-roader described by the publication sounds a lot like the concepts Kia brought to SEMA 2018, and it could surf the ruggedization wave sweeping across the industry. There's no word yet on whether the deluxe treatment will continue in the engine bay. As of writing, the Telluride is only offered with a 3.8-liter V6 rated at 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive come standard, and all-wheel drive is offered at an extra cost. Kia hasn't commented on the rumor, and it hasn't announced plans to expand the Telluride's trim hierarchy. If it's accurate, the flagship version could make its debut in 2020 and arrive in showrooms during the 2021 model year. Its upmarket ambitious would push its base price toward the $50,000 mark, about $20,000 more than the entry-level model and a $10,000 premium compared to the SX currently positioned at the top of the line. While the idea of paying $50,000 for a Kia will certainly startle more than a few buyers, it's not as far-fetched as it sounds. The Stinger is already there, the most expensive GT2 trim is pegged right at that price point, so the South Korean firm has already proved it has the credibility to compete in this space. The Telluride lends itself well to an extra dose of opulence, especially considering demand for luxury SUVs continues to grow in America.

Hyundai, Kia earmark $760 million to settle U.S. lawsuits over engine fires

SEOUL — Hyundai and affiliate Kia have earmarked 900 billion won ($758 million) to settle U.S. class action litigation and address engine-related issues including fires and failures in the United States and South Korea. The move marks the South Korean auto giant's first major effort to resolve years of trouble over engine defects that have also sparked probes by the U.S. safety regulator and prosecutors. Hyundai Motor will make a provision of about 600 billion won in its July to September earnings while Kia will book one for about 300 billion won, they said on Friday. Hyundai and Kia said in a statement that under the U.S. settlement they would install software to monitor for symptoms of engine failure and take other steps, including offering compensation options and lifetime warranties. A total of 4.17 million Hyundai and Kia models equipped with Theta II gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines, which were sold in naturally aspirated 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter displacements, and had a turbocharged derivative, will be affected by the U.S. settlement. Hyundai and Kia, together the world's fifth-biggest automaker by sales, recalled nearly 1.7 million vehicles in the United States to address the possibility of engine fires. In November, Reuters reported that U.S. federal prosecutors had launched a criminal investigation to determine if the recalls had been conducted properly. Since 2017, the U.S. safety regulator has been investigating whether the recalls covered enough vehicles and were conducted in a timely manner. The investigation comes after Kim Gwang-ho, then an engineer at Hyundai, flew to Washington in 2016 to tell the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the companies should have recalled more vehicles over the problem, citing an internal report. Hyundai Motor at that time denied allegations. The NHTSA this year opened a fresh investigation into 3 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles after reviewing reports of more than 3,000 fires that injured more than 100 people. That probe came in response to a petition seeking an investigation filed in June by the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety.

Supply issues force Kia to delay new Soul EV until 2021 model year

The electric version of the new, third-generation Kia Soul won't join its gasoline-powered siblings in showrooms for the 2020 model year. Kia announced it was forced to delay the model. American motorists seeking an electric Soul will need to wait until the 2021 model year, Green Car Reports learned. Kia blamed the delay on a shortage of electric motors, and on battery-pack-related supply issues, and it warned the new timeline might change. Autoblog reached out to the company to find out whether the delay is linked to its decision to sell only the electric variant of the hatchback on the European market. We can confirm the model already arrived in showrooms in many European nations, and several dealers we spoke to in France told us they had a handful in their inventory. The Soul EV will be worth the wait when it finally disembarks in the United States. It can drive for up to 243 miles on a single charge, which is about twice the number its predecessor was capable of achieving. It shares its 64-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack with the Hyundai Kona Electric, and it offers a Soul Turbo-like 201-horsepower output. We called it a top choice among entry-level electrics after driving it for the first time in its home country of South Korea. The other reason why the Soul EV might be worth the wait is that Green Car Reports added Kia might choose to sell it in more states. The last-generation model axed after the 2019 model year was only available in 13 states, including Hawaii, New York, Georgia, and, of course, California.