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Kia Soul EV ad campaign charges up with sexified hamsters

It's official: Kia's adorable Soul-hawking Hamsters have crossed that line. It was one thing when they first hit the scene, and we got a small chuckle out of their trimmer looks for the refreshed, 2014 Soul. This, though, is too much.
This is Kia's latest commercial for the 2015 Soul EV, and it starts off typically enough. The hamsters seem to be tinkering in a laboratory attempting to modify a standard, gas-powered Kia. But then, some Weird Science-like trickery occurs and, well, the results are rather disturbing.
You'll need to watch yourself if you want to experience the horror. Take a look, and then head into Comments and let us know what you think.

Here’s how 20 popular EVs fared in cold-weather testing in Norway

Electric vehicles are known to suffer diminished performance in cold weather, but some do a better job than others hanging onto their range capacity while cabin heaters and frigid outdoor temperatures sap power from their batteries. Recently, the Norwegian Automobile Federation put the 20 of the best-selling battery-electric vehicles in the country to the test, to see not only how winter weather affected their range but also their charging times. The major findings: On average, electric vehicles lost 18.5% of their official driving range as determined by the European WLTP cycle. Electric vehicles also charge more slowly in cold temperatures. And interestingly, the researchers learned that EVs don’t simply shut down when they lose power but instead deliver a series of warnings to the driver, with driving comfort and speed levels maintained until the very last few miles. Because itÂ’s Norway, the worldÂ’s top market for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles by market share, the test included many EVs that arenÂ’t available here in the U.S. But there are many familiar faces, among them the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Models S, 3 and X, Hyundai Kona (known here as the Kona Electric) and Ioniq, and Audi E-Tron. In terms of range, the top-performing EV was the Hyundai Kona, which lost only 9% of its official range, which the WTLP rated at 449 kilometers, or 279 miles, compared to its EPA-rated range of 258 miles on a full charge. It delivered 405 km, just enough to nudge it ahead of the Tesla Model 3, which returned 404 km. Other top performers included the Audi E-Tron, in both its 50 Quattro (13% lower range) and higher-powered 55 Quattro (14% lower) guises; the Hyundai Ioniq (10% lower); and Volkswagen e-Golf (11% lower). At 610 km (379 miles) the Tesla Model S has the longest WLTP range of all models tested and went the furthest, but still lost 23% of its range, though it also encountered energy-sapping heavy snow at the end of its test, when many cars had dropped out. The Model 3 lost 28% of its range. The worst performer? That goes to the Opel Ampera-e, better known stateside as the Chevrolet Bolt. It traveled 297 km (about 184 miles) in the test, which was nearly 30% lower than its stated WLTP range. We should also note that Opel, now owned by Groupe PSA, is phasing the car out in Europe and that Chevy recently upgraded the Bolt here in the U.S.

2021 Kia Seltos officially costs $23,110; trim features detailed

Kia has broadcast the Seltos' arrival in a Super Bowl commercial, but the South Korean automaker has done its usual stealth reveal of pricing, quietly uploading trims and MSRPs to the build site. Turns out the prices leaked to Motor1 last month are all correct. Including the $1,120 destination and handling charge, here are the Seltos trim steps and prices: LX AWD $23,110 S FWD $23,110 S AWD $24,610 EX AWD $26,410 S Turbo $26,610 SX Turbo $29,010 The base LX packs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque running power through a CVT to all four wheels. EPA-rated mileage comes in at 27 city, 31 highway, 29 combined. Standard features include keyless entry, 8-inch touchscreen-based infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and 17-inch wheels. The S, with the same engine but front-wheel drive, ups gas mileage to 34 highway, 29 city, and 31 combined. Features get a boost, too, with a different grille and LED DRLs and taillights, mixed Sofino leatherette and cloth surfaces, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shift, roof rails, and heated outside mirrors. Standard driver safety kit bundles automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and lane departure warning. Blind spot detection is an optional extra. Requesting all-wheel drive with the center-locking differential costs $1,500. The EX comes with AWD, as well as all of the S features plus full Sofino leatherette seats, heated front seats and a power driver's seat, keyless entry, push-button and remote start, climate control, power sunroof, wireless phone charging, and a USB port for rear passengers, and upgraded 17-inch wheels. Safety tech includes blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and avoidance. The S Turbo is based off the S trim but fits the a 1.6-liter with 175 hp and 195 lb-ft that shifts through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and only comes in AWD. The $3,500 premium over the S pays for the AWD, the superior engine, and much of the feature set from the EX trim except the seats; the S Turbo sticks with the synthetic leather and cloth seating. The top-tier SX Turbo goes beyond the S Turbo with LED headlights and fog lights, full Sofino leatherette, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, Bose premium audio and "Sound Connected Mood Lamp, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and Safe Exit Assist. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.