2022 Kia Seltos S on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Watch the 2020 Technology of the Year presentation to Kia

CHICAGO — Kia's Blind Spot System won the 2020 Autoblog Technology of the Year Award. Watch the presentation at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show as Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore hands the trophy to Kia Corporate Communications Director James Bell, followed by a Q&A of how the tech works. Autoblog editors judged the system, which combines blind spot monitoring and active crash avoidance features, as the best in our testing last fall. Kia beat out Mercedes E-Active Body Control, Subaru DriverFocus and Ram's MultiFunction tailgate. Every year, Autoblog editors test the latest technology features. Tech of the Year began in 2013, and Tesla, Lexus and Cadillac are among the previous winners. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.     Related Gallery 2020 Autoblog Technology of the Year Award Presentation Kia Technology Technology of the Year Truck SUV

New electric Kia spied, looks like the production version of the Imagine Concept

Last we heard, Kia had plans to bring forth a production version of the Kia Imagine Concept vehicle. These spy photos today suggest that the intel was good, and Kia is well on its way to transforming its concept into a production car. The shape and proportions of the heavily camouflaged car seen in photos here are the two most intriguing elements. From the side, this vehicle looks like a short, lifted wagon. One look at the Imagine Concept is all you need to know where this one is going, though. Its roof slopes further downward the closer you get to the rear of the car, and despite the black tenting, we can still see that it’s going to have a heavily raked rear window like the concept. In a nutshell, the best way we can describe this thing right now is a cross between a wagon and a “crossover coupe.” Kia called the concept a sedan, but the higher-than-normal ride height suggests something in the same vein as the V60 Cross Country. One other big element in all of this is its powertrain. The Kia Imagine Concept is an electric car, so we can assume that Kia is going to keep the production version of it electric. ThereÂ’s no sign of an exhaust hanging out under there. ItÂ’s a pretty safe bet that this camouflaged tester is electric, which will just add to the legion of electric cars Hyundai and Kia have on the way or at dealerships now. The last new electric car out of Korea that we spied was the 45, which is yet another EV based on a recent concept car. Assuming the coronavirus didnÂ’t knock the Imagine ConceptÂ’s timing too far off track, we expect to see it revealed in full in 2021. The concept was revealed in Geneva, so that would suggest that itÂ’s definitely bound for Europe. However, itÂ’s unclear whether Kia will also sell the vehicle here. With the illusion of it being a crossover, Kia might try its luck. If there are Kias it reminds us of the most, though, itÂ’s the XCeed and ProCeed. Obviously, we donÂ’t get either here, which is a shame because the new ones are rather attractive. We will hopefully have more concrete news on this car in the coming months or in 2021. Related video:

Kia Telluride could head into luxury territory with flagship trim

Kia will expand the Telluride lineup with a range-topping trim level that will catapult the SUV into luxury-car territory, according to a recent report. The variant will arrive as one of the firm's most expensive models. Without citing sources, website AutoSpies wrote the yet-unnamed flagship Telluride will stand out from less expensive models with a two-tone paint job split below the roof line and additional interior colors, among other posh tweaks. And, somewhat surprisingly, Kia will allegedly offer buyers an off-road package that will bundle skid plates, beefier tires, and a bull bar. The off-roader described by the publication sounds a lot like the concepts Kia brought to SEMA 2018, and it could surf the ruggedization wave sweeping across the industry. There's no word yet on whether the deluxe treatment will continue in the engine bay. As of writing, the Telluride is only offered with a 3.8-liter V6 rated at 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive come standard, and all-wheel drive is offered at an extra cost. Kia hasn't commented on the rumor, and it hasn't announced plans to expand the Telluride's trim hierarchy. If it's accurate, the flagship version could make its debut in 2020 and arrive in showrooms during the 2021 model year. Its upmarket ambitious would push its base price toward the $50,000 mark, about $20,000 more than the entry-level model and a $10,000 premium compared to the SX currently positioned at the top of the line. While the idea of paying $50,000 for a Kia will certainly startle more than a few buyers, it's not as far-fetched as it sounds. The Stinger is already there, the most expensive GT2 trim is pegged right at that price point, so the South Korean firm has already proved it has the credibility to compete in this space. The Telluride lends itself well to an extra dose of opulence, especially considering demand for luxury SUVs continues to grow in America.