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Kia Stinger moves upmarket for the 2021 model year

Kia is giving the rear-wheel-drive Stinger a mid-cycle update that brings an updated design, a nicer interior, newer in-car technology, and a handful of powertrain tweaks. The sedan will reach showrooms by the end of 2020. Stylists played it safe when tweaking the front end, which receives redesigned lights that look darker than the current model's. Out back, the new-look lights are connected by a light bar, and the turn signals are made up of 10 individual LEDs arranged to resemble a checkered flag. Some variants are offered with bigger exhaust tips and a wider air diffuser, while new wheel designs and paint colors round out the exterior overhaul. Buyers will have two additional exterior packages to choose from. The first one, called Dark Package, adds a gloss black diffuser, black exhaust tips and black emblems. The second one, Black Package, bundles 19-inch matte black wheels, blacked-out trim, black mirror caps, and a trunk-mounted spoiler. Kia specifically pointed out the Black Package will be offered in North America, but it didn't reveal if we'll get the Dark Package. Kia explained it devoted a considerable amount of energy to making the Stinger's cabin feel more luxurious. It added nicer materials (like metallic trim on the steering wheel), a frame-less rear-view mirror, and, on some models, contrast stitching on the door panels as well as on the dashboard. The firm's newest infotainment system is displayed on a bigger, free-standing 10.25-inch touchscreen propped up on the dashboard. We'll need to be patient to find out what has changed under the hood. Kia alluded to a new powertrain lineup, but it won't reveal what's on the roster until a little bit later in 2020. As of writing, the Stinger's entry-level engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged to 255 horsepower. Motorists who want quicker acceleration can select a twin-turbocharged, 3.3-liter V6 that develops 365 horsepower. Could there be a step up to the Genesis G80's 300-horsepower 2.5-liter turbo-four and 375-hp 3.5-liter turbo V-6? Rear-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission come standard regardless of cylinder count, and all-wheel drive is offered at an extra cost. Kia noted the updated Stinger will go on sale in South Korea during the third quarter of 2020. Sales in other global markets — including, presumably, the United States — will start shortly after, and additional details will be released in the coming weeks.

Kia's regionally inspired concepts converge on Las Vegas [w/poll]

Kia has, over the past couple of weeks, been steadily streaming an array of concept cars it's prepared for SEMA this year. But with the doors now open at the Las Vegas Convention Center, it's now released the full monte – so to speak – including one we hadn't seen before at all. The lineup takes a geographic approach, each representing a different region in this great country of ours, and each is based on a different model in the company's product line. Arguably the most outlandish is the A1A Optima. The sedan has been converted into a four-door convertible, taking its name and inspiration from the coastal highway in Florida. The project was carried out by Lux Motorwerks, which reinforced the Optima's bodywork for the chop job, fitted suicide rear doors, and painted it a bright shade of turquoise. It rides on 20-inch HRE alloys, with an interior trimmed out in cream leather and titanium accents. A coilover suspension drops it down to the tarmac, and a new exhaust system helps with the turbo four's sound. Next up is the PacWest Adventure Sorento, inspired by the Pacific Northwest with a woodsy approach. The Sorento crossover has been customized by LGE-CTS Motorsports with a candy-effect green paint job and matte black trim, tubular bumpers, a raised suspension, off-road tires, a snorkel for fording streams, and a pop-up tent on the roof. They're joined by the Photo Safari Sedona, which is a new addition we hadn't seen until now. The minivan has been thoroughly transformed into a rolling observation point for shutterbugs in the wild. The rear section has been converted into a pickup bed, the seats have been swapped out for deploying buckets to get closer to the action, and the whole thing rides on an air suspension with off-road tires on 17-inch wheels. It's even got an iMac workstation on board for processing photos. In short, it's everything you could want to embark on a photographic adventure in the Northeast – or anywhere else for that matter. Finally there's the Mud Bogger, a Forte Koup inspired by the South. It's jacked up four inches on an off-road suspension, with an open rollback vinyl roof to let in the elements. The bodywork has been painted a deep shade of blue, offset by the white powder-coated roll cage, brush guards, and wheels. And the interior has been stripped out and fitted with Sparco racing seats. Kia has also brought the Ballast Point Sedona back to the show this year.

2020 Kia Forte GT priced under $24,000

The 2020 Kia Forte GT sporty compact sedan was revealed way back at last year's SEMA show along with its turbocharged 1.6-liter engine making 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Kia has been pretty quiet about the car until now, having finally revealed its price tag. The cheapest model starts at $23,215 with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Switching to six-speed manual transmission bumps the price up to $23,815. Regardless of transmission, the Kia Forte GT is cheaper than its Hyundai cousins with the same engine. The Veloster Turbo R-Spec is next in line with a price of $24,070, then the Elantra GT N-Line at $24,230, and the Elantra Sport at $24,730. Besides the turbocharged engine, the Forte GT boasts an independent multi-link rear suspension rather than the standard model's rear torsion beam. It also has unique exterior accents such as a red-accented grille, rear spoiler, side skirts and special wheels. 2020 Kia Forte GT-Line View 14 Photos If you don't care about power, but still like the look of the GT, there's also the newly added Forte GT-Line. It has the same body upgrades, but with the regular Forte's 147-horsepower naturally aspirated engine and CVT. And to help make up for the lack of power, it adds blind-spot warning and rear cross traffic alert. It's also cheaper with a price of $21,315. As for the rest of the Forte lineup, prices and equipment lists are unchanged from 2019. The 2020 Forte models should show up on dealer lots by the end of the year.