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Kia previews drop-top Optima for SEMA

You don't see a lot of four-door convertibles these days, but that's just what Kia has in store for the SEMA show this year. It's called the A1A, and it's based on the Optima sedan you can pick up at your local showroom. Just don't expect this one to go into production anytime soon. The Kia Optima A1A concept is just one in a series of regional specials that the Korean automaker is preparing for the tuner expo in Las Vegas. It's already given us glimpses at a Sorento inspired by the Northwest Coast, and a Forte Koup that pays tribute to the South. The Optima A1A joins in on the action to represent Florida, adopting not only an open-air body-style but also suicide rear doors and 20-inch chrome wheels fitted on a dropped coilover suspension. It's all done up in bright teal with an off-white leather interior. The turbo four produces the same 245 hp as stock, but is fitted with a high-performance exhaust. It's one of six concepts - four of them never seen before - that Kia will be presenting at SEMA this year, and we're looking forward to seeing what the next one will look like before there'll all presented in full on Tuesday. Related Video: KIA'S 2015 SEMA PRESS CONFERENCE INFORMATION America's wanderlust is found from coast to coast and everywhere in between. The A1A Optima takes inspiration from the iconic Florida A1A highway by letting the sunshine in and taking the all-new 2016 Optima in a new direction with its sliced top, shortened windshield and room for four. Reinforced steel tubes have been discretely hidden within the body so that the vehicle retains a rigid structure. The back doors of the A1A Optima swing open on rear-mounted hinges, adding a touch of whimsy and fun while complementing the roadster style. A gleaming set of 20-in. wheels are bolted to a Ksport coilover suspension, which dramatically lowers ride height. Soft butter-cream leather bucket seats up front and custom double buckets in back are separated by extended armrests and a custom center console. The powerful 245-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine is combined with a high-performance exhaust. Kia Motors America will unveil four all-new custom vehicles at its press conference Tuesday, November 3 at 9:00 AM, booth #10809

2015 Kia Sedona

Minivan sales have stagnated in recent years, and Kia tells me that no fewer than 15 models have been completely eliminated from the market since crossovers rose to prominence. So why in the world is the company not only sticking by the Sedona, but also actively investing in it, giving it a complete overhaul for the 2015 model year?
The Korean automaker isn't convinced that the minivan's "family box" reputation is truly warranted, and it sees an opportunity to snare younger, more active buyers by designing, engineering and marketing the Sedona as something versatile, edgy and comfortable. While that logic may seem both a bit familiar and somewhat far-fetched, Kia says forty-five percent of minivan buyers don't actually have kids and are instead simply looking for space, so the approach should be based at least in part on sound reasoning.
I spent an afternoon in Northern California behind the wheel of Kia's new non-minivan with a healthy does of skepticism about its new strategy, but an open mind, as well. Does the Sedona's execution live up to Kia's lofty criteria and expectations of what a nontraditional minivan should be? Will buyers ditch their CUVs for something with a little more junk in the trunk? Read on to find out.

Driver unaware SUV is in flames going down the highway

NBC Nightly News recently carried the above segment on a video showing a 2012 Kia Sorento spewing flames as its driver travels at highway speed on Interstate 4 in Orlando. Another motorist, Meredith Olinger, drives alongside, shooting the video while trying to warn the driver to pull over. She does, just in time. Seconds later, the Kia is cooked. The driver, Susan King, says, "I got out, and suddenly the car was engulfed in flames. (Olinger) saved my life. I'm incredibly grateful, and she was my angel that day. It was surreal." NBC did a nice job of using the video to highlight a serious issue. The SUV's owner was not King but her friend Tyla Kennedy, and though the Kia was part of a recall of 2012-14 Sorentos having to do with an engine defect, Kennedy says she never received a recall notice. That's because she was not the car's original owner. And as anyone who has received a recall notice for a long-sold car knows, automakers send the notices to original owners. Subsequent owners are out of luck. We could argue all day about whether automakers, sellers or subsequent owners should do more to ensure that automakers know the current whereabouts of their products, but luckily there's an easy way past all of that. If you own a car you bought second-hand, go to safercar.gov and enter your VIN. If there is a recall on your vehicle, it will show up there. If one pops up, contact a dealership and the repair will be carried out free of charge. Even if you bought your vehicle new, doing this check couldn't hurt, just in case your notice got lost in the mail. It could keep you from discovering, as you fly down the highway, that you are driving a fireball. Related Video: Image Credit: Meredith Olinger Auto News Recalls Kia Crossover SUV Videos