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Kia launches 1.0-liter engine in Europe

As emissions regulations get tighter around the world, the automotive industry is seeing a proliferation of small, turbocharged engines to keep up. Kia is hopping into this field, at least in Europe, with its newly announced 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, and the mill debuts at the upcoming 2015 Geneva Motor Show in the Cee'd GT Line (pictured right). Kia's turbocharged three-cylinder makes 118 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque in the Cee'd and goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2014 across the pond. The Korean brand says that the engine will be offered in more of its products there, but won't announce them until later. The engine is still subject to emissions and fuel economy certification in Europe, but Kia's goal is for it to have 10-15 percent better economy than the current 1.6-liter, direct-injected four-cylinder. To make those goals a reality, the company packs the three-cylinder with technology. Laser-drilled fuel-injection holes provide a more even mixture, and the heads and block have separate thermostats to let them be cooled independently, a decision that allows engineers to tune the temperature of the two parts separately to maximize efficiency. Also, the exhaust manifold is integrated into the design to further lower temperatures. On the Cee'd GT Line, the powertrain gets stop/start, as well. While the Ford Fiesta shows that small engines can work in the US by offering the 1.0-liter EcoBoost with 123 hp and 148 lb-ft of twist, don't expect Kia to try it here anytime soon. Company spokesperson James Hope told Autoblog, "We're always studying the market, but there are no plans at the moment" to bring the mill here. WORLD PRODUCTION PREMIERE FOR KIA'S NEW 1.0-LITRE TURBOCHARGED THREE-CYLINDER 'KAPPA' ENGINE World premiere for Kia's new downsized 1.0-litre T-GDi engine Developed in-house at Kia's Namyang R&D centre Newly-developed laser-drilled injectors enable more efficient combustion Single-scroll turbocharger with electric scavenging system Innovation dual-thermostat cooling for cylinder heads and engine block Kia's all-new 1.0-litre T-GDi (turbo gasoline direct injection) 'Kappa' engine will make its world production debut at the 85th Salon International de l'Automobile in Geneva on 3 March 2015. Kia's new T-GDi Kappa engine embraces the industry trend towards smaller capacity, higher efficiency units which consume less fuel and emit fewer emissions – while still delivering responsive performance.

Consumer Reports says infotainment systems 'growing first-year reliability plague'

The Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey (right) is out, and the top two spots look much the same as last year's list with Lexus and Toyota in first and second place, respectively. However, there are some major shakeups for 2014, with Acura plunging eight spots from third in 2013 to 11th this year, and Mazda replaces it on the lowest step of the podium. Honda and Audi round out the top five. This year's list includes six Japanese brands in the top 10, two Europeans, one America and one Korean.
Acura isn't the only one taking a tumble, though. Infiniti is the biggest loser this year by dropping 14 spots to 20th place. Other big losses come from Mercedes-Benz with an 11-place fall to 24th, and GMC, which declines 10 positions to 19th.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's not traditional mechanical bugs hauling down these automaker's reliability scores. Instead, pesky problems with infotainment systems are taking a series toll on the rankings. According to Consumer Reports, complaints about "in-car electronics" were the most grumbled about element in new cars. Problem areas included things like unresponsive touchscreens, issues pairing phones and multi-use controllers that refused to work right.

Kia Telluride SUV rated at up to 23 mpg combined

On paper, the 2020 Kia Telluride looks like it will compete well with the rest of the three-row SUV challengers. It offers unique looks, available all-wheel drive, an upscale interior, and affordable pricing. It's fuel economy numbers, however, pretty much fall in line with the Kia's main competitors. The Telluride will have two orientations at launch. The 3.8-liter V6, which makes 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, and eight-speed automatic transition will work together with either front-wheel drive or AWD setups. The EPA estimates that the FWD model will get 20 mpg city, 26 highway, and 23 combined. The EPA rates the AWD model at 19 mpg city, 24 highway, and 21 combined. That falls in line with most other mainstream V6-powered three-row SUVs. Although the rear-wheel-drive 2020 Ford Explorer has not yet been rated, the Honda Pilot with a 9-speed automatic gets 23 mpg combined, the 9-speed Chevrolet Traverse is rated at 21 mpg combined, the 6-speed Hyundai Santa Fe is rated at 21 mpg combined, and the 8-speed Toyota Highlander is rated at 23 mpg combined. The 8-speed Volkswagen Atlas brings up the rear of the pack with a rating of 19 mpg combined. For further comparison, the Mazda CX-9 has a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that's rated at 24 mpg combined, and the Subaru Ascent, which also has a turbocharged four but comes standard with all-wheel drive, gets 23 mpg combined.