Bluetooth Alloy Wheels Panoramic Roof Cd Player Factory Warranty Off Lease Only on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Kia Sportspace Concept is a big, red wagon that previews the future

The Kia Sportspace Concept might preview some design elements for the next-gen Optima, but for now the Korean brand is keeping the focus on this somewhat sporty looking wagon on display at the Geneva Motor Show. Its shape is designed specifically to appeal to European tastes, and the styling comes from the company's design studio Frankfurt, Germany. Despite the European design ethos, there's no mistaking the Sportspace as anything but a Kia. Up front, it features a sharper version of the brand's familiar tiger-nose grille that runs horizontally to link the LED headlights. However, the major visual focus for the concept is the long roof and angled rear hatch. The designers even pitch the D-pillar forward for a slightly more sporty style. The interior almost appears to come from a completely different model. The combination of black upholstery with carbon fiber trim and large pieces of anodized aluminum makes it look like a very dark place for a drive. Kia is apparently trying to appeal to the Sportspace's Swiss audience, though. The company touts that there's enough room to store a set of skis by fitting them between the rear seats. Power for the Sportspace comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 247 horsepower that spins the front wheels, but the automaker doesn't specify anything about the transmission that it all routes through. Looking at the current Optima, it isn't hard to see the future design evolving this way. Get a preview from this big, red wagon on the show floor of the Geneva show in our gallery, above. DESIGN OVERVIEW: THE KIA SPORTSPACE CONCEPT The working week is over. The late afternoon sun is glinting on the ice crystals in the road-side snowbanks and turning the snow-capped peaks ahead pink. The road snakes ahead towards a weekend of fun and action. The journey demands a swift, efficient and refined machine to allow the maximum pleasure to be extracted from the time available. This is exactly the role for which the Kia SPORTSPACE was conceived. Its muscular proportions are ready to deliver a safe, secure but speedy passage to the slopes. Its cosseting and refined interior provides convivial yet individual space for its four passengers. Its sleek and elegant lines – both inside and out – are functional but stylish, allowing its travelling partners both comfort and convenience within a bodyshape that stands out from the crowd. This is a concept that has extracting the maximum from life at its heart.

2016 Kia Optima SX Limited Quick Spin

There are some questions that aren't easily answered. Is it possible to only eat one Pringle potato chip? Who decided the band Creed was a good idea? And why the heck isn't the Kia Optima more popular? That last one that floated through our heads as we tested the refreshed 2016 Optima. Kia sold just under 160,000 Optimas in 2015, while Ford sold 300,000 Fusions, Honda shipped 355,000 Accords, and Toyota moved 429,000 Camrys. The Optima's low numbers didn't make sense then, and they certainly won't make sense when sales figures for the refreshed 2016 model roll in. For the third-generation Optima, Kia applied its trademark exterior design to a segment-leading interior and one of the most comfortable driving experiences in the segment. The result is a damn fine family sedan that really ought to help Kia find its way into a lot more driveways. Driving Notes We can debate the value of top-trim family sedans until we're blue in the face, but in the case of the Optima, you want the SX Limited that we tested. It's one of the only ways to score Hyundai/Kia's stout 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine (the other is the $30,515 SX). At 245 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, it's down on output for model year 2016 – the 2015 model had an extra 27 hp and 9 lb-ft of torque – but gains two miles per gallon in the city and one on the highway, for a total of 22 and 32 mpg, respectively. Should we lament the loss of power? That's what we did when Kia first showed the 2016 Optima at the 2015 New York Auto Show. On the road, though, it's tough to pick out the drop in output. Nine pound-feet is negligible, and unless you're regularly playing in the high part of the rev range, you won't miss the extra power. The Optima pulls hard from a standstill, developing peak torque between 1,350 and 4,000 rpm. It'll get to 60 in what we guesstimate is the high six-second range. Yes, that is slower than both the six-cylinder Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, two sedans that are also lighter than the 3,600-pound Kia. Let's remember that these are family sedans, though, and the broad torque peak (and improved fuel economy) will be more important to your average consumer than the stopwatch figures. The Optima is more fuel efficient than the Japanese V6-powered competitors. Barely. And only in the city. That means the 2.0-liter's fuel economy has improved incrementally, not massively.

Compact SUV Comparison: Specs, pics and reviews of every brand's crossover

Honda CR-V vs Toyota RAV4. Chevy Equinox vs Ford Escape. Mazda CX-5 vs Subaru Forester. Whichever combinations of compact crossover SUV you're considering, there's probably a comparison test or chart out there to read. Heck, you can even create a three-car comparison yourself here at Autoblog. However, if you want a bunch of that information all in one convenient place, well, here it is. Our mega comparison of specs, features and photos of compact SUV entries from every mainstream manufacturer that sells them. That includes the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, 2018 Ford Escape, 2018 GMC Terrain, 2018 Honda CR-V, 2018 Hyundai Tucson, 2019 Jeep Cherokee (it's already on sale with notable changes from 2018), 2018 Jeep Compass, 2018 Kia Sportage, 2018 Mazda CX-5, 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (none of Mitsu's SUVs are perfect fits for this segment, so we deemed the MEC the most competitive fit), 2018 Nissan Rogue, 2018 Subaru Forester, 2018 Toyota RAV4 and 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan. We can update this comparison as more information about 2019 models is released, most notably the Forester and RAV4. Now, there are certainly some models that are smaller (Nissan Rogue Sport) or larger (Kia Sorento) that could also be considered, but we figured it was wise to stick with those in this sweet spot of comparable size and price. We also included links to Autoblog reviews, buying guides and smaller comparisons. Engines and Transmissions With rare exception, this segment features four-cylinder power. Sometimes it's turbocharged, often its not, but standard engine outputs are generally in the same ballpark. Therefore, we'd recommend focusing on torque output, as it's what will make a difference around town or when passing, and weighing that versus fuel economy (the Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain, Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 make particularly strong cases in this regard). Many drivers aren't too fond of continuously variable transmissions (CVT), either, so that's another thing to consider and note during a test drive. As you can see, several models are available with performance upgrades. Besides the Jeep Cherokee's available V6, all are more powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The exception to this would be the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape, as their 1.5-liter turbo engines don't prioritize performance. Instead, they serve as overall upgrades to the base naturally aspirated engines standard on only their base trim levels (CR-V LX and Escape S).