2015 Kia Sorento Lx on 2040-cars

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Hyundai, Kia, Genesis and Subaru clean up in IIHS 2018 safety ratings

Hyundai, its partner Kia and its Genesis division are the big winners in the latest vehicle safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, accounting for six of the 15 models that earned the Top Safety Pick+ awards for 2018. Subaru was right behind with four, Mercedes-Benz had two, and Toyota, BMW and Ford each had one. Another 47 vehicles earned the Top Safety Pick designation, where Toyota had 10 vehicle models, with Hyundai recognized for nine models. All but one of the seven vehicles in Subaru's lineup, the BRZ, qualified for one of the awards. IIHS strengthened the criteria for the Top Safety Pick+ award for 2018 to require headlights to earn a "good" rating — an "acceptable" rating was previously enough to notch the "plus" award — and good or acceptable passenger-side protection in the small overlap front crash, which replicates a crash involving just the front corner of a vehicle. It also required vehicles to have acceptable or good headlights for the first time to earn a Top Safety Pick award. Most of winners for both awards qualified on the basis of optional upgrades. IIHS in October began evaluating the passenger side of vehicles in its small overlap front crash test after it said it became clear that automakers were neglecting that side of the vehicle as they focused on improving driver-side protections. IIHS first began conducting driver-side small overlap crashes in 2012. It began measuring both how well low and high beams illuminated the road and the amount of glare they produce for oncoming vehicles as part of its ratings in 2016. The Top Safety Pick+ winners are listed below. The list doesn't include any minivans, pickups or minicars, which don't appear on either list of awardees. Small cars Kia Forte Kia Soul Subaru Impreza (sedan and wagon) Subaru WRX Midsize cars Subaru Legacy Subaru Outback Toyota Camry Large luxury cars BMW 5 series Genesis G80 Genesis G90 Lincoln Continental Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan Midsize SUVs Hyundai Santa Fe Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Midsize luxury SUV Mercedes-Benz GLC The full list of Top Safety Pick winners is available here.Related Video: Image Credit: IIHS BMW Genesis Hyundai Kia Lincoln Subaru Toyota Safety Crossover SUV Wagon Sedan crash test

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Review Update | It's an ideal grand touring car

When you think GT car, you probably conjure up images of European sports coupes. Aston Martin DB11s, Ferrari Portofinos and the like. Surely you think of the Maserati Gran Turismo, its name literally being the long form of GT. They all share some key features. They're incredibly beautiful and stylish, they're very fast and they're actually reasonably comfortable and practical. You know what else fits that description? Our 2018 Kia Stinger GT. It nails all those criteria, and for a heck of a lot less money than those exotic coupes. First off, the Stinger GT is arguably the most distinct and exciting car in its small-to-midsize luxury sport sedan segment. It looks hunkered down over its massive 19-inch wheels. The proportions are proper with a long nose, short deck, and plenty of space between the front wheels and the base of the windshield. Its fastback shape both evokes classic coupes while also disguising its practical hatchback. It's a car with real presence wherever it goes, and the fact that it isn't selling in Camry numbers means that it's still rather cool to see one in the wild. In fact, when I came back from one of my press trips and was on the airport shuttle back to the parking lot, the driver became really excited when he saw I was driving our Stinger. He started asking me questions about it and how much he loved it when he saw it at the last Detroit Auto Show. So that's style nailed down. As for performance, the Stinger GT has plenty of that, too. Even though it's been in our fleet a few months, the twin-turbo V6 still impresses with its 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. After just a minute delay when hitting the skinny pedal, boosted power hits with a rush, and of course that power is available throughout the rev band, meaning you never have to work the engine hard to go fast. It's coupled with an extremely composed chassis that doesn't lean too much, and is happy to leap into action at the behest of the very quick steering wheel. This all-wheel-drive model does feel a little less quick to turn in than the rear-drive model we had earlier this year, but it does also provide a certain feeling of security if the rear gets loose. Its big Brembo brakes bring the Stinger to a halt in a hurry, too, and with solid brake feel. It's all good enough that senior editor Alex Kierstein took one to a racetrack. The biggest issue I have with the car is the transmission.

Kia debuts the compact Seltos crossover in Delhi

The Kia Seltos has had an unusual gestation, with two concepts, exterior sketches, interior sketches, an effective reveal during a photo shoot, a christening via mythology and more teasers. Even so, since the Kia Seltos small crossover began as last year's SP concept for the Indian market, it's fitting Kia hosted the production model's debut in Delhi. We're still missing a few details, like the look of the production interior and drivetrain options, but we have a bit more to go on. The detailing and materials are what could set the Seltos apart in the segment. The overall lines are familiar, however, Kia designers have worked to make those lines lyric instead of prosaic. The front fascia's been defined by three transverse metallic-look pieces shaping the upper and lower forms. The wide tiger-nose grille gets bracketed by crisp splashes of color with the LED headlights and intricate turn signals. The rear end's creasing, shadow and metallic effects are bounded by LED taillights and more "3D multi-layer indicators." We've seen renderings of the interior and know to expect a 10.25-inch infotainment screen atop the instrument panel. That screen display can be split up to show three infotainment applications at once. Kia says there will be an available eight-inch heads-up display on a glass panel behind the steering wheel. Optional eight-speaker Bose audio can pump tunes that guide the optional Sound Mood Lighting, which uses ambient lighting to create a light show timed to the beat. Indian buyers will have a choice of a 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder with 175 horsepower, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 147 hp, and a 1.6-liter diesel four with 134 hp. Kia didn't specify how the transmission options will be assigned, but the selection includes a seven-speed dual-clutch, a six-speed automatic, and a CVT. A three-mode driving selector offers Eco, Normal, and Sport. The Kia release said "Sport mode increases responses from steering and electric motor to maximize the dynamic driving feel." As there's no mention of hybridization, we wonder if the electric motor refers to the electrically-assisted power steering, or something else. Wheel choices for India start with 16-inch alloys on 205/60 rubber, moving on to 17-inchers on 215/55 rubber, topping out at 18-inch wheels on 235/45 tires. In one of the interior drawings, we noted buttons that appeared to control all-wheel drive, hill descent control, and a locking rear differential.