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The 2018 Stinger fulfills Kia's sport-sedan destiny

A little more than five years ago, Kia rolled out the GT Concept - a sheetmetal hypothetical musing on where the brand's sporting aspirations might go. Today on the eve of the Detroit Auto Show Kia unveiled the Stinger, the production version of that 2011 show car. While Kia Motors America says "the Stinger really is a dream car for us," enthusiasts anticipating something a lot racier have sobered up over the distance between the concept and the production reality. Nevertheless, the new Stinger will be the sportiest Kia ever, and not by a little. True, there's a lot of Optima in the body - it's too bad they couldn't have made the 2014 GT concept - but details everywhere separate the Stinger from the bread-and-butter sedan. The Stinger's wheelbase is four inches longer than the Optima's, yet overall length is an inch shorter. The brand's corporate face looks to have dabbled in CrossFit, the wide, narrow "tiger-nose" grille jutting out ahead of plenty of black mesh, new LED headlamps, and a new hood with twin hood vents. Side vents and sharp sills carve up the flanks, and side mirrors mount on the bodywork instead of at the A-pillar. In back, the deck lid gently curves upward becoming an integrated spoiler above elongated LED taillights, and a full-length rear diffuser houses four oval tailpipes. Inside, the dual-zone instrument panel boasts a "large" color touchscreen for infotainment, metal-accented dash gauges with red needles, and a small, color TFT screen in the binnacle for displaying tidbits like G-forces and lap times. Luxury touches include a heads-up display, an optional 720-watt, 15-speaker Harmon/Kardon audio system with two subwoofers, a driver's seat that can be had with air-cell bladders for a snug fit, and lots of driver assistance systems. When the Stinger goes on sale late this year customers get a choice of two engines that are currently still in development. The base model employs a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with around 255 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The upper trim, known as the Stinger GT, goes with the 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 found in the Genesis G90 and expected to put out the same numbers: 365 hp and 376 lb-ft. Both motors will shift through the eight-speed automatic shared with the Kia K900 but refined with a centrifugal pendulum absorber for reduced vibration. If all goes to plan, the dash from zero to 62 miles per hour will take 5.1 seconds with the 3.3-liter V6, with top speed capped at 167 mph.

Kia shows the inside of its body-on-frame Mohave the Master SUV

Kia published a sketch showing the inside of a full-size SUV named Mohave the Master that it plans to launch in its home market in the coming weeks. The family hauler will be positioned near the top of its South Korean range as its most expensive high-riding model, and unverified rumors claim it could appear in American showrooms sooner or later. Presumably named after the Mojave Desert, the Mohave lives up to its upmarket positioning with an elegant-looking interior characterized by horizontal surfaces that emphasize its width, wood trim, plus contrast stitching on the dashboard and on the door panels. Keep in mind the sketch might show a relatively expensive trim level, and lesser variants could look considerably less posh. The sketch suggests the Mojave shares no parts with the Telluride, the three-row SUV Kia launched on the American market in 2019. The infotainment system's touchscreen is neatly integrated into the dashboard, not propped up on it, and silver accents frame the piano black center console. The Telluride is Kia's answer to the Volkswagen Atlas; the Mohave looks like the firm's Touareg. kia-mohave-the-master-exterior-1 View 3 Photos Stepping outside, the Mohave wears a bold design defined by an upright grille with chrome-look vertical slats, LED headlights and a model-specific emblem instead of the usual Kia logo. Its rear end receives a wide light bar with LED inserts that echo the shape of the grille. The fresh design hides an evolution of the body-on-frame architecture found under the previous Mohave, which the firm's American division launched as the short-lived Borrego in 2008. While Kia hasn't released technical specifications, the emblem on the hatch confirms one of the engines offered will be a 3.0-liter V6. It might be the turbodiesel unit currently available in the Mohave, though it's not unreasonable to assume Kia will also offer a gasoline-powered six. Another emblem denotes the availability of four-wheel drive.  The Kia Mohave the Master will allegedly go on sale in South Korea in September, so a full reveal is imminent. Rumors point to an American comeback, but Kia hasn't announced plans to add another SUV to its line-up in the United States. Auto News Kia SUV

Best plug-in hybrid cars, SUVs and minivans for 2024

We’re fans of electric vehicles, but they have their shortcomings. TheyÂ’re not available in as wide of a range of body styles as gas-powered cars, and theyÂ’re still limited by range and charging infrastructure. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) offer a great compromise, though, allowing for all-electric driving, but also having a gas engine for when you need more power or to travel long distances. Choosing a plug-in hybrid vehicle also allows more options; for instance, you canÂ’t get an all-electric minivan in the U.S. Â… yet. But with those extra PHEV offerings, it might be difficult to know where to start shopping. WeÂ’ve narrowed it down a bit, bringing you the best plug-in hybrids for 2024, as voted on by Autoblog staff, in various segments to help you pick a great PHEV based on your budget and needs. Best luxury plug-in hybrid large/midsize SUV: Volvo XC90 Recharge Despite showing its age, the Volvo XC90 remains an excellent three-row crossover in terms of design, comfort and safety, and the XC90 Recharge plug-in hybrid only improves the formula with both power and efficiency. Interestingly, with the gas motor powering the front axle and the e-motor powering the rear, the XC90 Recharge operates as a rear-wheel-drive car when only using electric power, and front-wheel-drive when only using gas. The powertrain is good for 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque, with a 5-second 0-60 time. It can travel 32 miles on electricity alone. Runner-up: Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid   Best mainstream plug-in hybrid large/midsize SUV: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Do you want an American PHEV with style, refinement and off-road capability? The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe combines all that with a turbocharged 2.0-liter and electric motor good for 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, as well as an electric range of 26 miles. That means you can enjoy your favorite trails in near silence and make fewer trips to the gas pump on the way there. Runner-up: Kia Sorento Plug In-Hybrid   Best luxury plug-in hybrid compact/subcompact SUV: Volvo XC60 Recharge Volvo borrows the formula from the XC90 and places it in a smaller package to get the XC60 Recharge. It has the same 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque, but it drops the 0-60 time to 4.5 seconds while offering 35 miles of electric range. You can even pony up for the Polestar Engineered trim to get the Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes, 21-inch forged wheels and unique styling.