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Kia introduces sleek Novo Concept at Seoul Motor Show

As you've no doubt noticed, we're deep, deep into coverage of the 2015 New York Auto Show. But despite the glitz and glamor of the Big Apple, our attention is also draw to Asia today, where Kia has introduced the handsome Novo Concept at the 2015 Seoul Motor Show. Powered by a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder and with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission shipping power to the front wheels, the Novo's powertrain is not unlike what we saw yesterday in the 2016 Optima. Of course, that's the extent of the technical details, as the Novo is far more of a design exercise than a tech demonstrator. Taking its name from the Latin for "to make new," the Novo was designed by Kia's team in Namyang, South Korea. Billed as a four-door coupe – as is the trend nowadays – the Novo rides on a version of the company's C-segment platform, giving some idea of its size. Kia's hallmark "tiger nose" grille is flanked by laser headlights, and is the most obvious tie-in to the brand's current design language, while other elements, like its fastback profile and pillar-less greenhouse are add some spice to the visuals. Those compact rear doors are hinged at the rear. Meanwhile, a vertical side grille, reminiscent of the early Jaguar XF, meets a strong shoulder line that extends from the headlights and terminates in the middle of the rear door. Kia has released a spate of images of the new car, which accompanies the company's design-oriented press release. Head down and take a look. Related Video: KIA NOVO FASTBACK CONCEPT PREMIERED AT SEOUL MOTOR SHOW Coupe style for Kia's latest concept Minimalist interior with high-tech features 1.6 litre turbo GDi engine and seven-speed DCT Delivering a bold and exciting, coupe style with a driver-focused cabin, Kia's latest concept car, the Novo, has been unveiled at the 2015 Seoul Motor Show. Giving clear hints at future Kia styling and strategy the Kia Novo is aimed at modern urbanites with stressful jobs and frantic schedules. Interpreted by Kia's designers, the name 'Novo' represents the concept of making something new and fresh. Taking its name from the Latin 'novatus' the Kia Novo concept establishes a calming, focused environment in which drivers can refresh and rejuvenate as they transition from one life commitment to the next. Fittingly, 'novatus' also provides the origin of the English word, 'innovation', which the Novo concept brings to life with thoroughly innovative styling and high-tech interior features.

UPDATE: 2021 Kia K5 name confirmed in fuel economy listing

UPDATE: Additional Kia K5 fuel economy data has been added to the FuelEconomy.gov website. It includes two sets of fuel economy numbers for what seems to be front-wheel-drive trims of the 1.6-liter turbocharged K5. You can find those numbers in the updated text below. The website has also seemingly removed the numbers for the all-wheel-drive version, but those are still present in this article. We've already seen Kia's new midsize family sedan, but details about it are still being fleshed out, including what it will finally be named. Based on a listing at the EPA's FuelEconomy.gov website, it seems the sedan will officially be known as the 2021 Kia K5, dropping the old Optima name. Besides the name, we also get snippets of information about one engine in multiple configurations. The engine in question is a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder, likely the same engine found in the Hyundai Sonata, which makes 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. The Hyundai uses an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the Kia probably will, too. With what is likely the front-drive model, the K5 will get 29 mpg in town, 38 on the highway and 32 combined. There's also a version that gets slightly worse economy at 27 in town, 37 on the highway and 31 in combined driving. It's probably a heavier, more well-equipped trim. Both versions do get better fuel economy than the Sonata with the same engine (27 city / 36 highway / 31 combined). The third set of numbers is for the all-wheel-drive version, which will be unique to the Kia. According to the listing, it returns 26 mpg in the city, 34 on the highway and 29 in combined driving. Though all these numbers are for the 1.6-liter, there is another engine coming, which Kia has also previously said will be another turbocharged engine. It will probably be the 2.5-liter for the Sonata N-Line with 290 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. With the Kia K5's option for all-wheel drive, it will join a growing group of midsize sedans with the drivetrain: the Subaru Legacy, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry and the soon-to-be-discontinued Ford Fusion. Based on the engine size and output, this Kia K5 will be a direct competitor to the Altima and Camry, as well as the Legacy with the naturally aspirated engine. Depending on trim levels, the K5 ties or beats the Camry, which returns 28 to 29 mpg combined. The Altima returns 29 to 30 mpg combined depending on trim level, and the Legacy hits 30 mpg. Related Video:    

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Review Update | Do we like the seats?

We've had our long-term 2018 Kia Stinger GT for over six months, which means we've all had a lot of seat time in the sports sedan. And those seats we've become so familiar with have stirred up some mixed opinions among the staff, which I discovered after voicing my personal dissatisfaction with the shape of the seats. In my experience, I've found the seats to offer too little lumbar support, and with short, flat bottom cushions that aren't angled to support my thighs. Managing Editor Greg Rasa and Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski agreed the seat bottom would be better if it was angled up more, but otherwise didn't have complaints about the shape. Korzeniewski also mentioned he doesn't care for aggressive lumbar support, so the Stinger seat felt fine in that regard. Editors both lighter and shorter than the aforementioned folks didn't have any complaints. Road Test Editor Reese Counts felt they were supportive enough with good adjustability. "I've got a bad back, but I was feeling fine when I got home," Counts said, referring to a road trip to St. Louis in the car. "They're not the best seats I've ever tested, but the fact that I don't think about them very much speaks for itself." Senior Producer Chris McGraw said: "I'm 5'7" and weigh 150 pounds on a good day, so I wasn't really pushing these seats to their limits. They were comfortable for long highway stretches and offered enough support when I decided to push the twin-turbo V6 while driving around some of West Michigan's curvy roads." There is something about the seats that drew near universal derision, though: the combination of interior and exterior colors. Our Stinger GT is red with a red interior, and Counts, Korzeniewski and Rasa were annoyed that the reds don't quite match. McGraw felt it was "a bit too much The Shining to me," a reference to the vivid red bathroom in the movie. I like lots of color, and wasn't put off by the mismatch, so was perfectly fine with the color scheme. No one actually disliked the red leather itself, though, and Rasa offered a solution we all could agree on, "Just don't get that combo." We all agreed the red interior would look excellent with contrasting exterior colors such as white, black and blue. And it seems that even Kia agrees, since it appears that the red-on-red combo is no longer offered on the Stinger. Related Video: