2012 Kia Sorento Lx on 2040-cars

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Editors’ Picks January 2023 | Acura Integra, the new CR-V and more

A new year means another long year of testing and evaluating new metal coming from the automotive industry — we know, tough job, right? It also means another year of new cars making it to our EditorsÂ’ Picks status, and weÂ’re starting out January with a bang. In total, eight new vehicles were EditorsÂ’ Picks this month, including some brand-new models like the redesigned Honda CR-V, Cadillac Lyriq and the ever-controversial Acura Integra. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, hereÂ’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get an EditorsÂ’ Pick designation. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in January that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2023 Honda CR-V 2023 Honda CR-V Sport Touring front three quarter View 22 Photos Quick take: An all-around winner, the Honda CR-V is spacious, features easily used technology and looks better than ever. We recommend the efficient hybrid model, but the standard powertrain is a solid option, too. Score: 9.0. What it competes with: Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, Nissan Rogue, VW Tiguan, Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, Mitsubishi Outlander Pros: Clean styling; massive interior; efficient engine options; solid infotainment system; many standard safety features. Cons: No base trim levels; lack of specialty options such as plug-in hybrid and off-road models. From the editors: News Editor Joel Stocksdale — "The CR-V is just really good in a lot of ways that really matter. It's enormous inside. It has a clean, stylish exterior and interior. It's solidly equipped. The base engine is pretty underwhelming, but that's rectified with the more powerful, more refined and more efficient hybrid. It simply doesn't do anything badly." Senior Editor James Riswick — "The 2023 Honda CR-V is at its best as the hybrid. While the turbo base engine carries over virtually unchanged, the hybrid is new for 2023. To put it simply, itÂ’s just better to drive. Honda engineers managed to simulate shifts when the gas engine kicks on, providing a more natural driving experience and eliminating the blender-like droning of the outgoing car.

Kia Niro shares Hyundai Ioniq parts, could become an EV

It's time for the Chicago Auto Show, so it's no surprise that Kia has warmed up the chilly February air here with a green vehicle debut. This year it was the Niro, the brand's first dedicated hybrid, and it follows past Chicago debuts like the Soul EV and the Optima Hybrid. Like those vehicles, the Niro is not going to take long to get from the concept stage to showroom. Steve Kosowski, Kia Niro project manager, told AutoblogGreen that the first Niro hybrids will arrive in all 50 US states in about 11 months. The Niro will only be offered as a hybrid – both with a plug and without – but Kosowski could not say when the PHEV will arrive, other than, "a little later in the lifecycle." The standard hybrid will be certified as a 2017 model-year vehicle, but the PHEV might become a 2018, or even later. A PHEV will arrive "a little later in the lifecycle." Kia is on a mission (with Hyundai, see below) as it develops the Niro to get incredibly high fuel economy. Kosowski said that the defining mantra was, "Let's see what we can do when the resources are focused on hitting 50 miles per gallon and the only way the car is going to be built is with an electrified powertrain," he said. View 18 Photos Knowing that the Niro would have a battery allowed Kia and Hyundai engineers to plan things out together, because the Niro will share a lot of components with the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq. "The whole powertrain is essentially shared between the two," Kosowski said. "There are a few little tuning differences, but it's a 1.6 GDI, four-cylinder from the Kappa engine family that is the basis for both cars. The motor is sandwiched between the engine and the transmission, there's a clutch there. And the DCT is also shared between both cars." They both ride on the same 103-inch wheelbase, and the track width is similar as well. There might be some changes with the ratios and the tunings, Kosowski said, but the two companies are obviously working together to make these two vehicles very real, very soon. The main difference between the Niro and the Ioniq that the Kia is a CUV while the Hyundai is a sedan. "The market for electrified vehicles is changing rapidly." - Steve Kosowski Going into the process with electrification in mind meant "that the engineering, the platform layout, the way the car crashes, the way the car comes together, the way the car is assembled, all of that is engineered around having a battery," Kosowski said.

Kia recalls 2014 Cadenza over wheel fractures

Kia is officially recalling just over 3,100 2014 Cadenza sedans. While that might not seem like a lot of vehicles, the reason for the recall is particularly troubling - the optional 19-inch wheels on these cars are prone to cracking. Doubly troubling? Cold weather tends to make things worse, so if you drove your new Cadenza during this past Winter of Hell, you'll want to get on the horn with your local dealer.
The affected cars, all of which have 19-inch wheels, were built between February 1, 2013 and August 27, 2013. Kia is in the process of notifying owners, and should be completed by the end of the month. Based on the recall documents, it doesn't appear that there have been any injuries or crashes due to the wheel fractures.
Owners will need to report to dealers, where their cars will be fitted with replacement wheels, free of charge. Scroll down for the official bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.