2023 Kia Sorento Lx on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Review Introduction | A brand new day

Kia has come a long, long way since it entered the U.S. market back in the mid '90s. Initially, the Korean automaker was known for affordable economy cars with questionable reliability and a distinct lack of charisma. That's no longer the case. Kia turned its reputation around, building solid if slightly sedate cars and crossovers with handsome styling and one of the best warranties in the industry. Our new long-term 2018 Kia Stinger GT is the automaker's first real attempt to inject some life into the brand. The Stinger's development was helmed by some genuine all-stars. The design was led by Peter Schreyer — the man behind the original Audi TT — and Gregory Guillaume at Kia's European design studio. Engineering was handled by former BMW M Vice President of Engineering Albert Biermann. Biermann is now leading the way at Hyundai's N division. The end result is a front-engine, rear-drive sportback tasked with putting to rest Kia's budget-car image. The automaker has made no secret about targeting models like the Audi A7 and Porsche Panamera. What we got The Stinger comes in two flavors. The base model comes with a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbo four-cylinder producing 255 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque. We opted for the more powerful Stinger GT and its 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. That engine — shared with models from Genesis — makes 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic. While rear-wheel drive is standard, we opted for all-wheel drive ($2,200) to better deal with Michigan winters. Our car comes in Hichroma Red with a red interior. Leather is standard on every Stinger model. A base GT starts at $39,250 and comes with LED lighting, 19-inch wheels with summer tires and Brembo brakes. Our GT1 package comes in at $46,350 and adds niceties like a sunroof, a Harman Kardon audio system and a heated steering wheel. Other features include dual-zone climate control and power-adjustable front seating. We added cargo mats and a cargo tray in the rear, bringing the total to $46,620. Why we got it Kia and Hyundai are working hard to move past their budget-car roots. In general, both companies are producing vehicles that no longer have to sell on value alone. For a while, Kia's lineup consisted mostly of vehicles that were closely related to a Hyundai counterpart, with sharper styling but few points of real differentiation.

Kia decides on Mexico plant location for small car assembly

Mexico has long been a hot spot for auto manufacturing, but the country's fortunes have been boosted lately, with Honda, Mazda and Nissan recently adding factories there, and BMW is said to be poised to join them soon. Now, new reports indicate that Kia might start building south of the border to keep up with demand.
Insiders speaking to Reuters claim that the Korean automaker is very close to striking a deal to build a factory for two small models in Monterrey, Mexico, with a 300,000-vehicle annual capacity. Assembly could reportedly begin as soon as 21 months after ground is broken.
If true, Kia has done a fantastic job of keeping the deal under wraps. The only hint at anything like this brewing was a rumor last year that Hyundai may have investigation building a factory in Mexico. The company currently operates a factory in Georgia that builds the Optima and Sorento.

Hyundai, Kia earmark $760 million to settle U.S. lawsuits over engine fires

SEOUL — Hyundai and affiliate Kia have earmarked 900 billion won ($758 million) to settle U.S. class action litigation and address engine-related issues including fires and failures in the United States and South Korea. The move marks the South Korean auto giant's first major effort to resolve years of trouble over engine defects that have also sparked probes by the U.S. safety regulator and prosecutors. Hyundai Motor will make a provision of about 600 billion won in its July to September earnings while Kia will book one for about 300 billion won, they said on Friday. Hyundai and Kia said in a statement that under the U.S. settlement they would install software to monitor for symptoms of engine failure and take other steps, including offering compensation options and lifetime warranties. A total of 4.17 million Hyundai and Kia models equipped with Theta II gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines, which were sold in naturally aspirated 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter displacements, and had a turbocharged derivative, will be affected by the U.S. settlement. Hyundai and Kia, together the world's fifth-biggest automaker by sales, recalled nearly 1.7 million vehicles in the United States to address the possibility of engine fires. In November, Reuters reported that U.S. federal prosecutors had launched a criminal investigation to determine if the recalls had been conducted properly. Since 2017, the U.S. safety regulator has been investigating whether the recalls covered enough vehicles and were conducted in a timely manner. The investigation comes after Kim Gwang-ho, then an engineer at Hyundai, flew to Washington in 2016 to tell the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the companies should have recalled more vehicles over the problem, citing an internal report. Hyundai Motor at that time denied allegations. The NHTSA this year opened a fresh investigation into 3 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles after reviewing reports of more than 3,000 fires that injured more than 100 people. That probe came in response to a petition seeking an investigation filed in June by the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety.