2013 Kia Rio Lx on 2040-cars

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2014 Kia Forte

Forte 2.0 Keeps Kia Competitive In The Compact Crop
Looking back just a few years, America's compact segment was filled with bland, uninteresting cars that traded largely on low prices and high fuel economy. In today's landscape, though, things couldn't be more different - this class now boasts some of the most attractive cars on the market, not to mention features and technologies once reserved for luxury cars.
Filling Kia's role in this important market, the 2014 Forte has helped make the South Korean automaker a contender among compact cars with the sedan launching earlier in the year and the Koup and Forte5 hatchback hitting dealers soon. When the Forte first launched in 2010, it was a much-needed replacement for the Spectra, but it still had lingering drivetrain refinement issues. In the end, the model didn't really move the needle for Kia, let alone the segment. Now the second-generation Forte sedan has arrived in an effort to bolster the company's lineup, a portfolio that includes impressive models like the Optima, Sorento, Soul and even the subcompact Rio.

2020 Kia Telluride Second Drive | Won over

When I first saw the 2020 Kia Telluride at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show press days, I was super impressed. It looked great on the show floor, the interior was roomy, materials were high-quality and details well attended to. I couldn't wait to show my wife, Cat, who has been looking to move from a Mercedes-Benz GLK into something a bit bigger. The Tellurides were less accessible when Cat and I took our son, Wollie, to the public show, so I couldn't fully show off this new ute I thought was so cool. "Eh, it's a Kia," Cat said, despite my many previous attempts to convince her that the notion of crummy, boring, cheap Kias is a thing of the past. Anyway, I'd have to wait to get a Telluride from the press fleet to convince her further and to see if I even liked it as much on the road as I did seeing it on the show floor. The day I brought it home, my 3-year-old son called — as he often does — around lunchtime to ask what car I'd be driving. When I said "Kia Telluride," he got excited. He's been a huge fan of our long-term Stinger (as well as an Optima we once rented in Arizona), so the Kia brand name impressed him. My wife, who was also on the line, had no reaction. Driving it home, I fell in love with the Telluride, just as I expected I would. Our top-of-the-line SX-trim tester was nice, loaded with content, trimmed with what looked and felt to be high-quality materials. It took close inspection to see that the headliner isn't a soft microfiber, and that the wood trim is actually plastic. The Nappa leather upholstery is rich, and the seats supportive. The huge dual sunroof and gigantic windows give the cabin an open, airy feeling. I would be pushing for a Telluride as a future addition to Autoblog's long-term garage, as I could see myself enjoying this car for many a mile, with the space to serve many purposes. When I got home, Wollie was eager to check the Telluride out. He climbed all through it, and marveled at the sheer amount of space it affords. He had the room to navigate freely from seat to seat and row to row. As a full-grown adult, I also found it fairly easy to navigate between the captains' chairs and get comfortable in the third row. I wouldn't recommend putting three adults in the back, but I'd be happy back there for shorter rides, or perfectly relaxed in the second row on long hauls. The Snyder boys were sold. Cat came out to see it, and still wasn't impressed.

Behold, Kia's Space Babies Super Bowl commercial

Kia is out to answer life's big questions in its ad for the upcoming Super Bowl. Questions like: Where do babies come from? The spot follows one father as he spins a tale to shield his young son from the world of adult truths. The story starts on planet Babylandia, where infants of every species live in peaceful coexistence until they're called to Earth. When that happens, the adorable little beings suit up and take a nine-month journey through space to their new home before parachuting from the heavens. Sure beats that tired old stork yarn.
Oh, and we forgot to mention there's a 2014 Kia Sorento in the spot as well. You can check out the whole shindig below for a quick chuckle. Expect to see the spot air during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, and keep your eyes peeled for the new Forte spot. We hear tell that ad features Alyssa Campanella in a robot get up. No, we don't get it either.