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2020 Kia Soul pricing starts at $18,485

Pricing for the 2020 Kia Soul hatchback-crossover-thing has been revealed, and it's a bit more expensive than the old model. The base manual transmission-equipped LX starts at $18,485, which is exactly $1,000 more than the old base manual model. And for those curious, the manual transmission is only available on the LX. The price gap is a tad narrower with the CVT-equipped 2020 Soul, which is only $800 more than the previous one at $19,985. Both versions of the LX, and all trims except the GT-Line with the turbo engine, get a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four making 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. Stepping up from the base LX trim are several new variants. First up is the S that costs $21,285 and adds standard keyless entry, cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, alloy wheels and body-color door handles and mirrors. The non-turbocharged GT-Line starts at the same price, and it brings sportier bodywork, bigger 18-inch wheels, and leather-wrapped wheel and shift knob. On the other hand, safety features standard on the S, such as blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning, become options on the GT-Line. X-line is next and is similar to the GT-Line, but comes with crossover-inspired plastic body cladding, faux skid plates and real roof rails. It costs more at $22,485, though, and it gets even fewer safety features still, losing the GT-Line's options as well as lane-keep assist and automatic emergency braking. Topping out the range of Souls with the 2.0-liter engine is the EX at $23,685. It comes with all the features of the S plus heated mirrors, heated seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, 10.25-inch infotainment screen, wireless phone charging, push-button start, and leather-wrapped wheel and shift knob. At the top of the range is the GT-Line with turbo engine, and it starts at a shocking $28,485. That's $4,500 more than the outgoing turbocharged Soul, and it's right in line with some pretty serious sporty hatchbacks such as the VW GTI ($28,490), Mini Cooper S ($26,750) and Hyundai Veloster N ($27,820). Compared with other Souls, the top-spec GT-Line gets a force-fed 1.6-liter inline-four making 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. It's coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the only transmission option.

Genesis' decision to build the Electrified GV70 in America is a sign of things to come

As Steely Dan famously sang, they call Alabama the Crimson Tide. Here in Montgomery, we’re knee-deep in a Green Tide thatÂ’s transforming the business of building and selling cars. The high-style Genesis Electrified GV70 emerging from Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) is the first Genesis built outside South Korea. ItÂ’s only the second made-in-America EV from a foreign-based automaker, after the Volkswagen ID.4 whose Tennessee production kicked off in July.  Get ready for many more. Spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act — whose final interpretations and outcomes remain in Washingtonian flux — automakers foreign and domestic are scrambling to onshore EV-and-battery production to boost American jobs and security, as a condition to securing lucrative tax incentives for manufacturers and consumers. Beginning in 2024, qualifying for EV credits may even require sourcing a hefty percentage of minerals and other battery materials from America or approved trade partners, a list that conspicuously does not include China or Russia. As things stand, that sticking point could make a vast number of 2024 EVs ineligible for purchase credits; though leasing a vehicle may still earn dealers a $7,500 commercial credit that they could pass along to consumers, as most currently do for EV lessees.  The electric version of GenesisÂ’ most-popular SUV is the avatar of Hyundai MotorÂ’s $10 billion American EV investment, which is expected to foster up to 8,000 good-paying jobs. Even thatÂ’s a fraction of what Atlas Public Policy estimates to be $128 billion in industry-wide investment in AmericaÂ’s EV, battery and recycling capacity through 2030 alone. HyundaiÂ’s planned onshore footprint includes a new battery factory northwest of Atlanta, and a $5.5 billion EV factory near Savannah that aims to produce Hyundai, Kia and Genesis EVs beginning in 2025. Beginning that year, Genesis says every new model introduced will be an EV, with no fossil-fuel option. And Genesis plans to phase out gasoline-powered models entirely by 2030, a similar timeline to luxury brands including Volvo and Cadillac. In Alabama, where Hyundai also builds the Elantra, Sonata, Santa Fe and Santa Cruz, an Electrified GV70 is hoisted onto a lift for the final stop on its 16-hour assembly journey.

More than a half-million Hyundai, Kia compacts recalled for brake light problem

Hyundai and Kia will recall more than a half-million compact cars in the U.S. starting next year because of a brake-light problem. The recall covers more than 390,000 Hyundai Elantras from the 2013 and 2014 model years, and more than 134,000 Kia Forte cars from 2012 through 2014. The Associated Press, citing documents the companies filed with the federal government, reports that a polymer stopper pad between the brake pedal arm and the light switch can deteriorate and keep the brake lights on when the brakes aren't actually engaged. The problem also means a driver can shift out of park without stepping on the brake pedal. Neither automaker reported any crashes or injuries stemming from the issue. Dealers will replace the stopped pads starting Jan. 30 for Kia and Feb. 8 for Hyundai.Related Video: