2008 Kia Rondo Lx Wagon 4-door 2.7l on 2040-cars

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Kia teases next Sorento [w/video]

We recently spotted it testing, and now Kia digitally dropped all of the cladding and obfuscation from its next-generation Sorento crossover to tease its true face. For the new model, it certainly looks as if the company's designers will evolve the current CUV's shape to be a bit more curvaceous than before.
According to Kia, the new design has a lower roofline and higher beltline than the current model, and the side windows certainly look a lot narrower than they are now. These renderings also hint at the next Sorento's more rectangular, vertical front end with the Korean automaker's now recognizable "tiger-nose grille." At the back, the styling appears to be a bit more rounded with the rear glass and taillights wrapping around slightly.
We won't have to base our opinions on renderings for long. Kia says that it will unveil the new Sorento in Korea at the end of August and will debut it to Europeans at the 2014 Paris Motor Show in early October. Scroll down to watch a video showing off some more renderings of the upcoming model and read Kia's teaser release.

Trump encouraged by talk of 'a level playing field' on trade with South Korea

South Korea is a longstanding American ally, but President Donald Trump has spoken harshly about U.S. trade imbalances and threatened to tear up the bilateral trade pact. "We will do more to remove barriers to reciprocal trade and market access," Trump said, adding that the two leaders had talked about the thorny trade areas of steel and autos. Trump said he was encouraged by South Korea's President Moon Jae-in's assurances that he would seek a level playing field for American workers and businesses, particularly automakers. A joint statement said the two sides had agreed to work together to reduce over supply of basic materials such as steel and non-tariff barriers. It also said Trump had accepted an invitation from Moon to visit South Korea this year. Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said it was unwise for Trump to air the trade issue so publicly. "Public complaints by Trump about unfair trade and inadequate defense spending provide opportunities for China and North Korea to drive a wedge between the allies," she said. The U.S. goods trade deficit with South Korea has more than doubled since the U.S.-Korea free trade pact known as KORUS took effect in 2012. The agreement was forecast to boost U.S. exports by $10 billion a year, but in 2016 they were $3 billion lower than in 2011. At the start of Friday's talks, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the largest component of the deficit was automotive trade and many non-tariff barriers to U.S. auto exports to South Korea remained. "I think the way to address it is to deal product by product with what we can do to change the export side and what we can do to reduce the bad imports side," he said. Ross said later on Friday that some progress had been made in the talks. The current pact was agreed to despite protests by supporters of Moon, who was then in opposition. But analysts have suggested that given the need to preserve a unified front in the face of a hostile North Korea, there could be compromise on both sides to resolve issues. (By David Brunnstrom and Lisa Lambert. Additional reporting by Fatima Bhojani, Roberta Rampton, Tim Ahmann, David Chance, David Lawder and Eric Beech; Editing by Bill Trott and Andrew Hay) Related Video: Image Credit: Kim Hong-Ji / Reuters Government/Legal Genesis Hyundai Kia trade

Acura Integra, Ford F-150 Lightning, Kia EV6 win 2023 North American Car, Truck, Utility Vehicle of the Year

After much testing and deliberation, the winners have 2023 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards have been announced. Previously whittled down to three finalists in each category over the course of the past year, the 2023 NACTOY winners are as follows: 2023 North American Car of the Year: Acura Integra 2022 Acura Integra A-Spec front low View 38 Photos The Acura Integra has won in this year's Car category, beating out the Hyundai Genesis Electrified G80 and Nissan Z. The Integra nameplate has been revived for the 2023 model year, with the Honda Civic-based sedan offering an affordable sport compact from the luxury brand. You can read our First Drive review of the Acura Integra here. 2023 North American Truck of the Year: Ford F-150 Lightning Ford F-150 Lightning front low View 48 Photos The Ford F-150 Lightning has taken the award in the Truck category, knocking out the other two finalists, the Chevy Silverado ZR2 and the Lordstown Endurance. It was interesting to see two all-electric contenders in the pickup field, one based on a legacy platform, and the other coming from a new company and using novel, in-wheel motor technology. It's Ford's third NACTOY Truck win a row. The battery-powered Ford F-150 Lightning is the most powerful F-150 to ever roll off the factory floor, and it has proven itself to be wildly popular, and for good reason. You can read more about it in our First Drive review. or our buying guide. Also worth noting is that the truck's Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch technology won Autoblog's 2022 Technology of the Year Award. 2023 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year: Kia EV6 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD front three quarter mid View 35 Photos Kia EV6 has taken the top spot in the Utility Vehicle category, over two other all-electric rivals, the Cadillac Lyriq and Genesis GV60. This seems like it was probably the toughest choice for the NACTOY jurors, as these are each excellent EVs. The Kia EV6 is built on the same E-GMP electric platform as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Genesis GV60, which means it has 800-volt battery architecture for extremely fast charging, available all-wheel drive and plenty of power. The EV6 has quickly become a favorite at Autoblog, especially since joining our long-term fleet. Read more about it in our First Drive, buying guide and long-term reviews.