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2020 Kia Niro Hybrid gets tweaked design, more tech features

Kia's gasoline-electric Niro will enter the 2020 model year with minor design updates inside and out. The re-styled crossover made its debut next to the new Kia Seltos at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show. Stylists started the redesign by giving the Niro's front end a nip and tuck. The 2020 model stands out from the outgoing 2019 variant with new-look headlights, chevron-shaped fog lights Citroen likely wishes it had thought of first, and grille with diamond-shaped inserts. The changes made to the rear end are largely limited to the bottom part of the bumper, which looks more rugged thanks in part to gray trim designed to mimic a skid plate. And 2020-specific 16- and 18-inch alloys round out the changes. Experiencing deja vu? It's likely because the European-spec Niro made its debut during the 2019 Geneva Motor Show with the same look.  Peek inside and you'll spot a redesigned, 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. Customers can upgrade to a 10.25-inch infotainment screen programmed with navigation at an extra cost. The list of options includes shift paddles that let the driver dial in the desired amount of regenerative braking, an electronic parking brake, and, for a more festive vibe, ambient lightning that glows in six colors. There are no mechanical changes, meaning the Niro carries on with a hybrid powertrain made up of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine bolted to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and an electric motor that draws power from a 1.56-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The two power sources join forces to deliver 139 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, and they give the crossover nearly 600 miles of driving range. Fuel economy checks in up to 50 mpg in a combined cycle. Kia expanded its suite of available electronic driving aids with lane following and lane-keeping assist, which help keep the Niro in its lane. The crossover is also offered with high-beam assist. The 2020 Kia Niro will arrive in showrooms in early 2020. Pricing will be released in the weeks leading up to its on-sale date. The company confirmed the Plug-In Hybrid model will receive the same updates as its plug-less sibling, and it will go on sale at about the same time. It's reasonable to assume the Niro EV will go under the knife, too, but Kia excluded it from its announcement.

Kia GT4 Stinger concept is a 'totally selfish design'

After a trio of teasers, Kia has finally unveiled its GT4 Stinger Concept at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Let's get one thing out of the way right off the bat: Kia says in its press release that "there are currently no plans to bring the concept to production." Of course, that's a qualified statement: the automaker then follows that up by noting it "has a history of delivering production vehicles that bear a strong resemblance to the concept that preceded them." So cross your fingers, kids - this looks like it could be a preview of the company's first real sports car.
Through those three teasers, we've learned and seen more of the GT4 Stinger, and we largely like what we see. It's a 2+2, rear-drive coupe with a detuned version of the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder used in the Kia Optima GTS racer from the Pirelli World Challenge. The concept's engine is said to be good for a healthy 315 horsepower, though the race-tuned Optima GTS can deliver upwards of 400. A six-speed manual handles the power, while staggered Pirelli PZero tires provide the grip. Those Pirellis wrap around a set of 20-inch wheels, complete with showcar-friendly center locks, while 15-inch Brembo brakes and four-piston calipers mean the Stinger should be able to stop with as much authority as it will go. What the teasers haven't been able to put into perspective, though, is GT4 Stinger's size.
The footprint issue is an important one, as it hints that a production GT4 would be more of an FR-S/Subaru BRZ fighter than a rival to the Genesis Coupe.

Foreign automakers pay from $38 to $65 per hour to non-union workers

As leaders for the United Auto Workers gather in Detroit for their Special Convention on Collective Bargaining to work out the negotiating stance for this year's new labor agreements with the Detroit 3 automakers, what they most want to do is figure out how to eliminate the two-tier wage scale. However, the lower Tier 2 wage has allowed the domestic automakers to reduce their labor costs, hire more workers, and compete better with their import competition. As it stands, per-hour labor rates including benefits are $58 at General Motors, $57 at Ford, and $48 at Fiat-Chrysler – a reflection of FCA's much greater number of Tier 2 workers. The Center for Automotive Research released a study of labor rates (including benefits) that put numbers to what the imports pay: Mercedes-Benz pays the most, at an average of $65 per hour, Volkswagen pays the least, at $38 per hour, and BMW is just a hair above that at $39 per hour. Among the Detroit competitors, Honda workers earn an average of $49 per hour, at Toyota it's $48 per hour, Nissan is $42 per hour, and Hyundai-Kia pays $41 per hour. The lower import wages are aided by their greater use of temporary workers compared to the domestics. Automotive News says the ten-dollar gap between those foreign camakers and the domestics turns out to about an extra $250 per car in labor, which adds up quickly when you're pumping out many millions of cars. That $250-per-car number is one that, come negotiating time, the Detroit 3 will want to reduce, as the UAW is trying to raise both Tier 1 and Tier 2 wages. Another wrinkle is that the domestic carmakers are considering the wide adoption of a third wage level lower than Tier 2. Some workers who do minor tasks like assembling parts trays kits and battery packs already make less than Tier 2, but the UAW will be quite wary about cementing yet another wage scale at the bottom of the system while it's trying to fight a bigger battle at the top. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req., BloombergImage Credit: AP Photo/Erik Schelzig Earnings/Financials UAW/Unions BMW Chevrolet Fiat Ford GM Honda Hyundai Kia Mercedes-Benz Nissan Toyota Volkswagen labor wages collective bargaining labor costs