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With more power and better mpg, the 2017 Kia Soul Exclaim is one to get.

We got our first look of the turbocharged Kia Soul just over a month ago at the Paris Motor Show in the form of the Soul SX. Because it was the Euro-spec model, we couldn't be sure just how much of it would change for the American market. But now it's abundantly clear that the US-spec Soul Exclaim is the very same car. The understated body modifications, the 201-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter engine, and the upgraded interior all make the trip to the States. We do learn a few more details now that the American model has been unveiled. One of the most surprising ones is the gas mileage. Although the Soul Exclaim is by far the most powerful trim in the range, it also yields the best fuel economy. The combined city and highway rating is 28 mpg, which tops the second-highest rated Soul Plus by 1 mpg overall. For reference, the Soul Plus is only offered with a 2.0-liter, 161-horsepower, naturally aspirated four-cylinder and a 6-speed automatic. The 130-horsepower naturally aspirated entry-level Soul only gets 26 mpg, regardless of whether it's equipped with a manual or automatic. This does bring us to a disappointing tidbit about the Kia Soul Exclaim. It's only available with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. A spokesperson from Kia told us that the reason for this was to improve fuel economy and get the most performance out of the car. He also mentioned that the take rate for manual transmissions is very low. While we understand the reasoning, we still hoped it would be offered with a clutch pedal, especially since the engine is shared with the Hyundai Veloster Turbo and the Elantra Sport, both of which are available with 6-speed manuals. However, if you don't have to row your own gears, the Soul Exclaim is by far the model to get. It goes the fastest, is the most efficient, looks the best, and has the nicest interior, complete with a 315-watt stereo with subwoofer. Kia hasn't revealed pricing yet, but it's safe to say it will be the most expensive Soul, too. But if you want a Soul and have the means, this is the obvious choice. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Hyundai and Aptiv enter self-driving joint venture

Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv are creating a 50:50 autonomous driving joint venture valued at $4 billion. In an announcement, Hyundai said the venture plans to begin testing fully driverless vehicle systems in 2020 and to "have a production-ready autonomous driving platform available for robotaxi providers, fleet operators, and automotive manufacturers in 2022." Under the terms of the agreement, Hyundai Motor Group affiliates Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors and Hyundai Mobis — which debuted the self-driving concept vehicle seen above earlier this year at CES — will collectively contribute $1.6 billion in cash and $0.4 billion in vehicle engineering services, R&D resources and access to intellectual property. Aptiv, which was formerly known as Delphi Automotive, will contribute its autonomous driving technology, intellectual property, and approximately 700 employees focused on the development of scalable autonomous driving solutions. According to a statement on the joint venture, Aptiv says it currently operates more than 100 self-driving vehicles, a number of which are part of a commercial deployment in Las Vegas. The company says it has provided more than 70,000 paid autonomous rides and has maintained a rating of 4.95-out-of-five stars. The company will be headquartered in Boston and have so-called technology centers located across the United States and Asia. Green Hyundai Kia Transportation Alternatives Technology Autonomous Vehicles aptiv

Don't call it a minivan: Kia previews new Sedona Grand Utility Vehicle

Kia sells more crossovers than ever, but it's not forgetting about its entry into the minivan segment. It released a design sketch to preview the next-generation Carnival, which is known as the Sedona in the United States. Stylists shun the increasingly unpopular minivan label; they claim they've created a Grand Utility Vehicle whose design is more stylish, more futuristic, and, somewhat inevitably, more SUV-like than the outgoing model's. The sketch released by the South Korean firm indicates the Sedona's front end receives a taller, flatter hood, a bigger grille with vertical slats and a chrome-look frame, plus thin horizontal lights accented by LED elements. Its overall proportions don't drastically change, no one's going to mistake it for a Stinger, but blacked-out door pillars create the illusion of a floating roof. We don't know what the rear end looks like yet, though the company noted the horizontal crease below the window line links the lights on both ends. The alloys are gigantic, but keep in mind we're looking at a design sketch. The production model will ride on smaller wheels with more sidewall. We'll need to muster a little bit of patience to find out what the Sedona looks like inside, or what its sheetmetal hides. Practicality is the name of the game in the minivan segment, so Kia will likely pack an array of clever features into the van to make commuting, kid-hauling, and road-tripping easier. Seeing a hybrid powertrain join the specifications sheet would make sense considering the market's on-going shift towards electrification, but nothing has been confirmed at this point. The current-generation Sedona receives a 3.3-liter, 276-horsepower V6 for the American market, and we wouldn't be surprised if it downsizes to a turbocharged four-cylinder. Kia will introduce the fourth-generation Carnival this summer, and the model will go on sale in its home country in the third quarter. It will begin arriving in other global markets shortly after. Although the company didn't specifically mention the United States, we'd bet on seeing it in showrooms as a 2021 model. Minivans are getting their lunch money taken by crossovers here, but the segment remains reasonably big. Kia is one of its underdogs: It sold 16,000 examples of the Sedona in 2019, while Honda and Chrysler each found nearly 100,000 buyers for the Odyssey and the Pacifica, respectively, and Toyota reported 73,585 Sienna sales.