2014 Kia Optima Lx on 2040-cars

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2024 New York International Auto Show Editors' Top 5 Picks

The New York Auto Show, like many other shows over the past few years, has shrunk. But it's still playing host to some interesting reveals, and we even got a few surprises this year. It was dominated by Nissan and Hyundai Motor Group products, but ones running the gamut from affordable cars to flagship SUVs. It was a strange situation of being both quite diverse in reveals, and not at all, depending on how you looked at it. Our favorites of the show are a clear representation of that. And another interesting observation, only one of the picks was significantly electrified. Scroll down to see the best reveals of the New York Auto Show,. 2025 Nissan Kicks View 10 Photos 5. Nissan Kicks "The Nissan Kicks has gone from a reasonably attractive and small crossover into something way more funky with cool textures, color combinations and some actual presence. Plus, it's more spacious, more powerful and has available all-wheel drive. If Nissan can keep the price nice and low to compete with similarly stylish and well-executed competition like the Chevy Trax, the company's got a real winner on its hands." – News Editor Joel Stocksdale InfinitiQX80-Z63-051 View 39 Photos 4. Infiniti QX80 "The QX80 wasn't technically shown at the New York Auto Show, but it was revealed just a week prior at Hudson Yards – accross the street, in other words. Frankly, I wasn't blown away by the initial photos, but I think it looks great in person. The attention to detail both outside and in seem appropriate for an SUV that Infiniti hopes to sell for six figures loaded up. I'm a believer." – Associate Editor Byron Hurd 2025 Kia K4 Live View 7 Photos 3. Kia K4 Sedan "The Kia K4 interior has way more style than anything in the compact car price range has any business having. Now, if we don't get the green interior option shown in the initial global reveal photos, I'm retracting several of my points here. Otherwise, wowza. I kept looking and looking at that K4 interior photo, and finding new, interesting details to admire. Oh, and the exterior is pretty cool, too, though I do prefer the hatchback in that regard." – Senior Editor, West Coast, James Riswick Genesis GV60 Magma Concept View 10 Photos 2. Genesis GV60 Magma "I am psyched to see Genesis show off a proper performance car. The “Sport” trims on its various models are sort of neat, but the Magma brand looks like the real deal.

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Review Introduction | A brand new day

Kia has come a long, long way since it entered the U.S. market back in the mid '90s. Initially, the Korean automaker was known for affordable economy cars with questionable reliability and a distinct lack of charisma. That's no longer the case. Kia turned its reputation around, building solid if slightly sedate cars and crossovers with handsome styling and one of the best warranties in the industry. Our new long-term 2018 Kia Stinger GT is the automaker's first real attempt to inject some life into the brand. The Stinger's development was helmed by some genuine all-stars. The design was led by Peter Schreyer — the man behind the original Audi TT — and Gregory Guillaume at Kia's European design studio. Engineering was handled by former BMW M Vice President of Engineering Albert Biermann. Biermann is now leading the way at Hyundai's N division. The end result is a front-engine, rear-drive sportback tasked with putting to rest Kia's budget-car image. The automaker has made no secret about targeting models like the Audi A7 and Porsche Panamera. What we got The Stinger comes in two flavors. The base model comes with a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbo four-cylinder producing 255 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque. We opted for the more powerful Stinger GT and its 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. That engine — shared with models from Genesis — makes 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic. While rear-wheel drive is standard, we opted for all-wheel drive ($2,200) to better deal with Michigan winters. Our car comes in Hichroma Red with a red interior. Leather is standard on every Stinger model. A base GT starts at $39,250 and comes with LED lighting, 19-inch wheels with summer tires and Brembo brakes. Our GT1 package comes in at $46,350 and adds niceties like a sunroof, a Harman Kardon audio system and a heated steering wheel. Other features include dual-zone climate control and power-adjustable front seating. We added cargo mats and a cargo tray in the rear, bringing the total to $46,620. Why we got it Kia and Hyundai are working hard to move past their budget-car roots. In general, both companies are producing vehicles that no longer have to sell on value alone. For a while, Kia's lineup consisted mostly of vehicles that were closely related to a Hyundai counterpart, with sharper styling but few points of real differentiation.

Behold, Kia's Space Babies Super Bowl commercial

Kia is out to answer life's big questions in its ad for the upcoming Super Bowl. Questions like: Where do babies come from? The spot follows one father as he spins a tale to shield his young son from the world of adult truths. The story starts on planet Babylandia, where infants of every species live in peaceful coexistence until they're called to Earth. When that happens, the adorable little beings suit up and take a nine-month journey through space to their new home before parachuting from the heavens. Sure beats that tired old stork yarn.
Oh, and we forgot to mention there's a 2014 Kia Sorento in the spot as well. You can check out the whole shindig below for a quick chuckle. Expect to see the spot air during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, and keep your eyes peeled for the new Forte spot. We hear tell that ad features Alyssa Campanella in a robot get up. No, we don't get it either.