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New Kia Soul Turbo gets futuristic full-width headlight treatment

When we last saw a prototype of the next-generation Kia Soul, it looked like it wouldn't look all that different from the old one, except for having trendy split headlights. As it turns out, those split headlights are more interesting than we thought. The example of the new compact hatchback shown above reveals that it will have a futuristic-looking full-width headlight treatment, something we haven't really seen since the early Mercury Sable. It's clear from these photos that the full-width lights are not the actual headlights that provide forward illumination. They're just accent lights, but the effect is still impressive. It appears the turn signals are integrated into each end of the big light. The center section also eliminates the old Soul's center grille. Below the lighting unit is an expanded lower grille and large lighting elements on either side. These are real forward-illuminating lights. In the bottom of the lower grille are a pair of foglights much like on the current model. The Soul's profile looks almost unchanged from the current model, leading us to wonder if this is a major update to the existing car, or if it is a new platform that just looks mostly like the old one. The tail end receives some major changes, though. The taillights are now almost completely visible, and although they still run up the rear pillars, they now descend lower and into the hatch area. They appear much more shapely and aren't form fitted to the body. This particular prototype also has a sporty dual exhaust tip in the center. This seems to indicate this is a Kia Soul Turbo model, as does the fact it's parked next to a Hyundai Veloster N. Not much is known about the new Kia Soul. We expect it to be roughly the same size as the current model, and we wouldn't be surprised if Kia offers all-wheel drive to keep it competitive with other tiny crossovers. As for the Kia Soul Turbo, we predict it will use the same turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder that the current model and the new Hyundai Veloster Turbo use. We do hope that Kia will offer it with a manual transmission this time around. Related Video:

Best sport sedans for 2022 and 2023

SUVs dominate the car industry at every size and price level, but some people still prefer the looks, and more importantly, the performance and comfort, of the traditional sedan. With a lower ride height, lighter weight and generally smaller size, they often are much more fun to drive, and can even be more comfortable. Sport sedans of course lean harder on the performance side of things, and are among the best options for sheer speed and fun, thanks to those inherent characteristics. We've rounded up the ones in the segment that do the sporty dance better than any others in 2024 to give you a handy guide when you're shopping for one of your own. You'll find a wide array of cars here including gas, electric and hybrid powertrains. They'll have manual and automatic transmissions and drive the front, rear or all four wheels. Technically a few hatchbacks have slipped in, but they're close enough in look and feel that we wanted to include them. And excluding them means you might miss out on some of the best-driving options available. You wouldn't want that, would you? Alfa Romeo Giulia Why it stands out: Punchy four-cylinder; astounding power from Quadrifoglio; light and nimble character; awesome shift paddlesCould be better: Clunky infotainment; sub-par switchgear Read our Alfa Romeo Giulia review We start this list with one of the most predictable inclusions: the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Yes, it's a stereotype that the Italian sport sedan is fun to drive, but the fact is, well, it is. The Giulia comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 280 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful four-cylinders in the segment. It's paired with a snappy and smooth eight-speed transmission and either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.  The engine is lively and torquey, if a little short of revs, and the chassis feels super-light. The steering is eager and the car jumps into corners. We also highly recommend getting a version with the enormous and superb aluminum paddle shifters that make clicking through gears much more entertaining. And on the topic of the interior, it's attractive, but the various switches and knobs feels a little cheap, and the infotainment system is clunky. Of course there's also the incredible Giulia Quadrifoglio at the high end. It gets a Ferrari-derived twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 making 505 hp, and it's rear-wheel drive only.

2021 Kia Sorento price creeps upward with the redesign

Pricing for the redesigned 2021 Kia Sorento is out, and it’s more expensive than the outgoing 2020 model. You will be paying a heavier sum for the snazzier exterior and higher quality interior on the new model. In its base LX trim, the Sorento is $30,560, including the $1,170 destination charge. ThatÂ’s $2,450 more than the standard L trim of last year. Since Kia dropped the L trim for 2021, a more fair comparison would be LX to LX trim, where the Sorento only costs $1,350 more than the 2020. If you want all-wheel drive, thatÂ’ll cost you another $1,800 over the standard front-drive model. Both the LX and S models come with the low-power, naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder. That gets you to 60 mph in the nine-second range. More power can be had in the form of a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, but itÂ’ll cost you. This engine (good for 0-60 mph in the seven-second range) is standard on EX trims and above, and it can't be added to the lower trims as an option. The cheapest Sorento available with it is $36,160. Adding all-wheel-drive with this engine involves paying the same $1,800 upcharge as you do with the base engine. The top trim level has two tiers: SX and SX Prestige. The standard SX is priced at $39,160, whereas the Prestige comes in at $41,760. The latter trims is the only way to get the off-road-oriented X-Line package, too. This version of the Sorento will cost you $43,760, making it the most expensive version of the crossover. The package adds an extra inch of ground clearance, locking center differential and more useful roof racks. Pricing for the late-coming hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions is not listed by Kia yet. Compared to the other three-row Kia on dealer lots (the Telluride), a base Sorento is $2,600 less. That price gap is far less than what it was before Kia eliminated the basement level L trim. However, it still provides an incentive for folks to buy the smaller Sorento if they donÂ’t need the extra space that the Telluride offers. Expect the first 2021 Sorentos to start hitting dealer lots soon. Related video: