2018 Kia Sedona Sx on 2040-cars

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2014 Kia Sedona rises from the dead, same as it ever was

Don't throw away your car seats just yet, Korean minivan enthusiasts - the Kia Sedona is back on the market. If you recall, Kia killed its minivan offering at the end of 2012 (there was never a 2013 model). But here's what's making us scratch our heads: Despite the fact that Kia did confirm that the Sedona would eventually be back, we were under the impression that it would return with a proper replacement for the aging van. (Earlier reports suggested something along the lines of that cool KV7 concept.) Instead, the reincarnated Korean minivan you see here is, well, the same as it ever was. Consider our buzz killed.
That's not to say there haven't been a couple of delightfully refreshed bits thrown into the new package. For starters, the Sedona wears a slightly updated schnoz with a redesigned grille, LED positioning lamps and standard foglamps inside the reworked lower fascia. (If we're honest, the Kia looks a bit Ford Windstar-ish from the front three-quarter angle.) There's a new 17-inch wheel design for the 2014 model year, and aside from a couple enhancements to the interior in terms of storage, that short list rounds out the full extent of the new updates.
All Sedonas are powered by the same 3.5-liter V6 that debuted in the 2011 model, producing 269 horsepower and 246 pound-feet of torque, mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy ratings fall in at a rather mediocre 17/24 miles per gallon (city/highway).

Kia Niro sets arbitrary Guinness World Record for fuel mileage and nobody cares

For an individual, setting or breaking a Guinness World Record is something worth bragging about at the pub. For a company, it's a marketing tool. The Niro crossover is Kia's first dedicated hybrid, with a company-estimated 50 miles per gallon combined rating, which is enough to set it apart. A world record, though, sounds cool and official, even if they're a dime a dozen these days. Kia presumably paid Guinness its consultation and licensing fees, created a new record category, put hypermiler Wayne Gerdes and co-driver Robert Winger behind the wheel, and off they went to create a very specific piece of history. The record Kia set with the Niro is for the lowest fuel consumption driving across the USA from coast to coast in a hybrid car. The final score: an impressive 76.6 mpg. The stock 2017 Kia Niro traveled 3,715.4 miles from Los Angeles City Hall to New York City Hall on just over four tanks of gas for a total of 48.5 gallons. This isn't the first time Kia and Gerdes have made it into the book you used to love to flip through at your grade school book fair. In 2011, the pair set a Guinness record by driving through the lower 48 states in an Optima Hybrid getting 64.55 mpg. A Honda Insight now holds that record (74.34 mpg). As Guinness World Records become increasingly abundant, they might mean less to the general, non-record-holding public. They're still a source of pride for the record holders. "We're extremely pleased with the Niro's record-breaking performance," says Kia product planner Orth Hedrick. "We set out to build a vehicle that offers real-world utility, great looks, and fantastic mileage, and setting the Guinness World Record title confirms our achievement." Building a dedicated hybrid crossover from the ground up is hard work. 76.6 mpg is an achievement. A Guinness World Record? Anyone can do that. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Kia Niro Sets Guinness World Record Related Gallery 2017 Kia Niro: Chicago 2016 View 16 Photos News Source: Kia Green Kia Fuel Efficiency Hybrid hypermiling kia niro

2015 Kia K900 proves Korea's other brand has arrived

Kia entered the US market in 1993 with the Sephia, a compact economy car you probably don't (want to) remember, and two decades later it has stepped on stage at the LA Auto Show to unveil a rear-wheel-drive, fullsize luxury sedan called the K900. The achievement here isn't the car itself, its handsome styling or the incredible value it might be (pricing has yet to be announced), but rather that no one thinks it's strange for this company that once sold us the Sephia to compete head-to-head with the best luxury brands in the world. It's a testament to what 20 years of hard work can do.
No one thinks it's strange for this company that once sold us the Sephia to compete head-to-head with the best luxury brands in the world.
As for the car itself, it does indeed have handsome styling. Kia's design language wears nicely on the K900's larger frame. The large, 19-inch, multi-spoke wheels keep that big body from looking disproportionate, and the all-LED headlights give the front end a suitably high-tech appearance that's required in this class of overachievers.