2008 Kia Rio Lx Sedan 4-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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America was the unexpected theme at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show thanks to Trump

President-elect Donald Trump was not in attendance at this year's Detroit Auto Show, but it sure seemed like he was the target audience for many of the press conferences and announcements surrounding the event. Several manufacturers chose to play up existing and future commitments to the US in general and American jobs specifically in their presentations to the press, and we're pretty sure that has everything to do with Trump's recent targeting of automakers on Twitter. To us, it seemed automakers were going on the offensive to try and preempt any future tweet-shaming for investing in auto manufacturing anywhere but the US. The pro-America sentiment started the week prior to the auto show, with Ford announcing that it would build several future electrified vehicles at its Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan and also cancel a $1.6 billion factory planned for Mexico. Ford announced the two items on the same day, but the reality is that they likely have no relation to each other; the Mexican plant is being skipped because the company doesn't need the extra capacity to build the Ford Focus right now. Trump was still happy to share the news on Twitter. Then, on Sunday, FCA announced it would invest $1 billion in manufacturing plants in Ohio and Michigan to produce the new Jeep Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer, and Wrangler-based pickup. It's not as though those potential new jobs were on their way out of the US, necessarily, but FCA took the opportunity to mention that plant upgrades at the Warren Truck Plant would allow the company to build Ram heavy duty trucks, which are currently assembled in Mexico, there. CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that Trump and his proposed tariffs had nothing to do with the decision. We certainly believe that, but we also have to believe that the timing of the release, positive outcome for America, and zero gain for Mexico were all orchestrated. Again, Trump sent out a victory tweet as if this had been his doing. Ford then used its press conference at the show on Monday to reiterate the plans for Flat Rock and also confirm that the Ford Bronco and Ranger nameplates will be returning to the US market, and that both will be built at a plant in Michigan. Announcements of manufacturing locations are usually aimed at the UAW, which certainly has a stake in these things, but again this one was broadcast to the auto show crowd in general.

Kia and Amazon team up to sell at-home electric charging stations

Amazon really wants to be the one-and-only destination you go to for online shopping, and it's edging a little further into the car world with its latest partnership. Kia is teaming with the online retail giant to sell and install Level 2 chargers for your home. To buy the chargers on offer, you'll need to own/lease an electric or plug-in Kia, or at least have one on order. That includes the Niro EV, Soul EV, Niro PHEV and Optima PHEV. Amazon has previously partnered with Audi to offer installation services is preparation for the E-Tron rollout, but this version of the program is framed differently and meant for Kia owners. This is being done in an attempt to make buying and installing these kind of chargers easier. Most folks know and understand Amazon, so buying everything you might need to get an electric car charger up and running from them could be a comforting process. The benefit to this way of acquiring a 240-volt charger is that Amazon sets up the whole installation process. It'll call out an electrician to inspect your house to see if any changes need to be made to support it, then install the charger. A choice of three Level 2 car chargers are being sold through this partnership. The brands include Bosch, ChargePoint and JuiceBox, ranging from most to least expensive respectively. Access to a Level 2 electric car charger will make your life with an electric car all the better. The 2020 Soul EV (shown below) and 2019 Niro EV both get to a full charge in a little more than nine hours on a Level 2 plug versus a long 59-hour wait from a Level 1 charger. You can get by with Level 1 sometimes, but getting home on a depleted battery late at night then leaving early in the morning doesn't work. In these situations, juice at a faster rate is deeply needed. The chargers are available for purchase now. 2020 Kia Soul EV View 11 Photos

Kia Stinger moves upmarket for the 2021 model year

Kia is giving the rear-wheel-drive Stinger a mid-cycle update that brings an updated design, a nicer interior, newer in-car technology, and a handful of powertrain tweaks. The sedan will reach showrooms by the end of 2020. Stylists played it safe when tweaking the front end, which receives redesigned lights that look darker than the current model's. Out back, the new-look lights are connected by a light bar, and the turn signals are made up of 10 individual LEDs arranged to resemble a checkered flag. Some variants are offered with bigger exhaust tips and a wider air diffuser, while new wheel designs and paint colors round out the exterior overhaul. Buyers will have two additional exterior packages to choose from. The first one, called Dark Package, adds a gloss black diffuser, black exhaust tips and black emblems. The second one, Black Package, bundles 19-inch matte black wheels, blacked-out trim, black mirror caps, and a trunk-mounted spoiler. Kia specifically pointed out the Black Package will be offered in North America, but it didn't reveal if we'll get the Dark Package. Kia explained it devoted a considerable amount of energy to making the Stinger's cabin feel more luxurious. It added nicer materials (like metallic trim on the steering wheel), a frame-less rear-view mirror, and, on some models, contrast stitching on the door panels as well as on the dashboard. The firm's newest infotainment system is displayed on a bigger, free-standing 10.25-inch touchscreen propped up on the dashboard. We'll need to be patient to find out what has changed under the hood. Kia alluded to a new powertrain lineup, but it won't reveal what's on the roster until a little bit later in 2020. As of writing, the Stinger's entry-level engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged to 255 horsepower. Motorists who want quicker acceleration can select a twin-turbocharged, 3.3-liter V6 that develops 365 horsepower. Could there be a step up to the Genesis G80's 300-horsepower 2.5-liter turbo-four and 375-hp 3.5-liter turbo V-6? Rear-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission come standard regardless of cylinder count, and all-wheel drive is offered at an extra cost. Kia noted the updated Stinger will go on sale in South Korea during the third quarter of 2020. Sales in other global markets — including, presumably, the United States — will start shortly after, and additional details will be released in the coming weeks.