2023 Kia Sorento X-line Ex on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2020 Kia Soul shown in profile ahead of L.A. Auto Show

A week after showing just a hint of the 2020 Kia Soul, Kia has shown a shocking amount of the compact hatchback in another teaser. It reveals almost the entire profile of the Soul, and a few other teasers give us a peek at the interior. Overall, it's right between evolution and revolution of the current model. On the evolution side, the Soul retains is funky box shape and many of its most recognizable design cues. The window line at the back kicks up to form the car's distinct triangular D-pillar. The windshield is about the only raked line on the car. Plus, the taillights still run up the rear pillars, and the roof can still be painted in contrasting colors. On the revolution side, the front fascia looks much more streamlined and futuristic. The big, cute headlights of the old models have been replaced by more menacing, slender examples that almost look like the eye openings of a stormtrooper's helmet. And based on spy shots, these headlights should span the full width of the front fascia. The lights sit low in the fascia, too, and the whole front end has a smoother, more curved look than previous Souls. Additional teaser photos give us a look inside the Soul. The dashboard has been updated, and now all the center controls, vents and the screen are encompassed by a rounded square shape, rather than having some of those components spread out across the center stack. The door handle areas appear to be an area of customization, with this example showing a bright yellow trim piece with triangular accents. Kia also gave a few details on powertrains and trim levels. The Soul will be available with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a turbo 1.6-liter four-cylinder or an electric motor. This seems to indicate the naturally aspirated 1.6-liter engine available now will be going away. The gas engines are probably carry-over, too. The 2.0-liter engine currently makes 161 horsepower, and the turbo engine makes 201 horsepower. Kia says the Soul will be available with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, though it didn't say whether it will be available with both engines. Also, as we've seen in spy shots, the electric model could have a range of over 200 miles. For trim levels, Kia is dropping the "+" and "!" terminology and instead offering the Soul in LX, EX, S, GT-Line, and the newest trim, X-Line.

2021 Kia Sorento spied racing around the Nurburgring

Last time our spy shooters caught the next-gen Kia Sorento, it was doing something strenuous and taxing (towing a BMW X5). This time the mid-size crossover is on the Nurburgring. Perhaps Kia has visions of being a Ring Taxi. We kid, but it’s always fun to see family SUVs pounding around the German racetrack. The previous Sorento we captured had a massive tent over the rear concealing the design. This tester has no such apparatus, so we can see exactly what Kia is working with. ThereÂ’s a bit of bodywork at the rear window line that juts outward strongly. Perhaps this is just trying to throw us off the trail. The general shape of the rear window and slant is the same as the current Sorento. This just looks far more pronounced due to the ducktail-like piece sticking out. As for the third rear window, itÂ’s shaped just like the slanting window in the current Sorento. These spy shots donÂ’t suggest a floating roof design for the time being. Of all the design changes coming to the Sorento, the front may be the most dramatic. ThereÂ’s plenty of camouflage hiding whatÂ’s underneath, but the design appears to be a bit more butch and tough than the gentle slopes and curves on the current Sorento. We donÂ’t think Kia is going full Telluride with the strong, squared-off appearance, but the SorentoÂ’s front fascia is definitely edging that way. This prototype itself is still looking rather unkempt — just look at those exposed “taillights” and the uneven/weird rear valance. ItÂ’s expected to be a 2021 model year vehicle, so weÂ’re likely to see more put-together Sorentos racing around later this year or early 2020.

South Korea island of Jeju becoming an EV-incentive heaven

When it comes to providing some island EV love, we can point to Hawaii, which has been pushing hard for greater electric-vehicle adoption through subsidies and a broader charging network. Now, South Korea has Jeju. We're not sure if the surf is as good. Like Hawaii, Jeju is focusing on a "carbon-free" existence and lowered fossil-fuel dependency as a way to help the environment while addressing the extra expenses involved in providing fuel locally, Wards Auto says. Jeju, which is about 720 square miles, provides about $7,000 worth of EV incentives on top of those provided by the South Korean government. As a result, the cost of buying an EV can be cut in half. In the case of a Chevrolet Spark EV, going electric actually has a lower out-of-pocket price tag than buying a gas-powered counterpart on the island. South Korea's Ministry of Environment has earmarked about $14,000 in subsidies for each EV purchase, while 10 South Korean cities are adding on incentives anywhere from about $2,800 to $7,400 per vehicle. South Korean automaker Hyundai and affiliate Kia are just starting to do their part to boost the country's EV sales, which didn't even break the 800-unit mark last year. Kia recently said it will start making its 2015 model-year Soul EV in April, with sales debuting in South Korea by the end of the year. Hyundai is said to start selling its own EV starting in 2016. News Source: Wards AutoImage Credit: Korean Tourism Organization Government/Legal Green Hyundai Kia Electric incentives tax incentives island