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Weekly Recap: Kia leads Korea's quality surge

The rapid rise of Korea's auto brands in the US market has been apparent on the sales charts for several years, and now it's showing up in an area that's just as crucial: quality. Kia and Hyundai earned the highest rankings among mainstream brands in the J. D. Power Initial Quality Study released on Wednesday. The study tracks problems owners report during the first 90 days they own their car. Kia reported 86 problems per 100 vehicles, or fewer than one problem per car sold, to take second in the rankings behind luxury sportscar-maker Porsche (80). Kia's score improved by nearly 20 percent compared with the 2014 study. "The big industry story is Kia," Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive quality at J.D. Power, said in a video statement, noting Kia's infotainment systems were the key reason for its improved performance. Hyundai was fourth for the second straight year, though its score actually worsened by one, to 95. Even with Hyundai's slight dip, Korean quality increased 11 percent, according to the study, which far outpaced American and European companies' three-percent increases. Japanese brands improved one percent. Hyundai Motor Co. (parent company of the Hyundai and Kia brands) captured four individual vehicle awards, which tied for the most with General Motors, Nissan, and Volkswagen. "The Korean brands have really taken off," Stephens said. "There's movement in the industry, and the patterns are shifting." Another luxury brand, Jaguar (93 problems), slotted in between Hyundai and Kia in third place. Infiniti was fifth, followed by BMW. Chevrolet was the highest domestic brand, taking seventh place, followed by Lincoln, Lexus, and Toyota, which were all well above the industry average of 112 problems per 100 vehicles. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Kirk Kerkorian dead at 98 Kirk Kerkorian, a billionaire activist investor who wielded enormous influence on the Detroit Three car companies in the 1990s and 2000s, died Monday. He was 98 years old. Kerkorian made headlines in 1995 for trying to take over Chrysler – with the help of former chairman Lee Iacocca – before being fended off by Chrysler management. His takeover attempt ultimately pushed Chrysler to be sold to German giant Daimler. He tried to buy Chrysler again in 2007 when Daimler put Chrysler on the market, but Kerkorian fell short and the automaker was sold to private equity firm Cerberus.

Honda Civic Hatchback prototype unmasked

The US hasn't had a Honda Civic hatchback since the seventh-generation model on sale from 2001 to 2005, and over the past 11 years we've watched from afar as Honda cut and polished the Euro-market Civic hatch into a gem of lusty beauty. We will get our turn in 2017 with the tenth-generation model, about to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show as a "prototype" that is a thinly-disguised production model. Compared to the ninth generation currently on sale over The Atlantic, this concept is stronger, sharper, and more sculpted throughout, but especially up front. The curving hoodline on the current car that falls in an undisturbed arc down to the bottom of the front bumper gets straightened out, sitting atop a bluff face packed with jutting features. Sheetmetal peaks and troughs carve up the sides, and the rear hatch emphasizes the angular and distinctions between features like the tailgate and arching boomerang containing the C-shaped lights. Production features on a base model will undoubtedly be toned down, but we could see this concept making for a fine Si or Type R trim, if we're being especially hopeful. View 15 Photos Proportions increase a smidge, the new car 5.1 inches longer, 1.8 inches wider, and sitting .7 inches lower. That puts it about 1.2 inches shorter than the Civic Coupe on sale in the US. The European launch goes down early next year, the US to follow after that. You'll find a little more info in the press release below, we'll have live shots from the show floor as soon as we can. Related Video: CIVIC HATCHBACK PROTOTYPE REDEFINES HONDA'S CORE MODEL FOR EUROPE • Prototype of the next-generation Civic hatchback makes its global premiere at the 85th Geneva International Motor Show • Assertive stance and distinctive new design establishes 10th generation as the sportiest Civic ever • Low, wide proportions and long wheelbase promise engaging driving dynamics while maximising interior space • New Civic hatchback will be available in Europe early in 2017 and will be built at Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) Geneva, March 1, 2016 - The next-generation Civic hatchback makes its global debut in prototype form at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. The design of the prototype heralds a significant step-change from previous versions of Honda's core European model, focusing on provocative design and rewarding driving dynamics. The all-new Civic hatchback will be 30 mm wider, 20 mm lower and 130 mm longer than the current generation.

How to charge up your BMW i3 with a Honda

Behold a cheaper version of BMW's range extender for its i3 plug-in. And it's brought to you by ... Honda? Sort of, if you take the approach that Gadget Review took when it looked for an alternative to ponying up the $4,000 or so for the gas-powered i3 range extender that comes from the factory. What was procured was a Honda portable generator for Home Depot for the experiment, which involved gassing the generator up in a parking lot, plugging in the i3 and going out for a cup of coffee. The result was that, after about a half-hour of charging, the i3 picked up about four miles of driving range. Not exactly revolutionary but it least a bit instructive. And given that Honda generators start at about $800, the idea, while clunky, is potentially cash-saving. Gadget Review briefly took the experiment one-step further by trying to run the generator inside the back of the car and plugging in, complete with a rigged-up ventilation system, but the host thought better of it once he realized that there'd be suffocation involved. Why this was never tried on the Nissan Leaf, we'll never know. Check out Gadget Review's five-minute video below.