2018 Kia Sportage Lx on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2021 Kia Seltos rolls style and value into a subcompact package

When Kia unveiled the Seltos, a pocket-sized crossover aimed at young buyers, it didn't reveal whether we'd see the model in the United States. The wait is over, and the American-spec variant of the soft-roader made its debut next to the updated Kia Niro at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show. Named after Celtos, the son of Hercules, the Seltos falls in line with Kia's recent design language without aping styling cues from a bigger model. Flanked by swept-back headlights, the upright grille flows into a hood that's surprisingly tall and long considering the car's relatively small dimensions. The Seltos was developed with urban use in mind, but it can tackle light off-roading thanks in part to an angled front bumper that increases its approach angle, and 7.2 inches of ground clearance. Kia explained it paid special attention to the materials the passengers see and touch, and it made the cabin as spacious as possible. It promised an abundance of cargo space, though it didn't provide specific figures, and noted every trim level comes with reclining rear seats. Buyers have a pair of four-cylinder engines to choose from. The entry-level unit is a naturally-aspirated, 2.0-liter that delivers 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) come standard, and all-wheel drive is available at an extra cost. Motorists seeking more power can move up the trim level hierarchy to unlock a 1.6-liter turbocharged to 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. It's also offered with front- or all-wheel drive, but it channels its power to the driven wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. While Hercules' lineage allegedly includes several Spartans, the Seltos is anything but. It comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, and it's the first Kia offered with an optional, eight-speaker surround-sound system sourced from Bosch. Fully loaded, it features a blind spot monitoring system with a collision avoidance function, forward collision monitoring with avoidance assist, highway driving assist, adaptive cruise control, rear occupant alert, plus lane-keeping and lane-following technologies that help it stay in its lane, among other electronic driving aids.  Scheduled to go on sale during the first quarter of 2020, the Seltos will slot between the Soul and the Sportage in Kia's growing range of soft-roaders.

These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.
CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).
Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.

Kia begins developing a Hummer-like military vehicle based on its burliest SUV

Kia confirmed its global range of SUVs will soon include a Hummer-like off-roader developed primarily for military use. While the model will report for combat in South Korea, it might end up rock crawling in Moab. Engineers are currently developing the truck, which is described as an open-top all-terrain vehicle (ATV), but they're not starting from scratch. Kia explained the model will be built on a frame borrowed from the Mohave, a civilian SUV that received comprehensive updates in 2019. It probably doesn't ring a bell because it's not sold in the United States, where the biggest member of the company's range is the Telluride. And yet, it's not entirely foreign. It's an evolution of the V8-powered Borrego introduced in America in 2009 and canceled for 2010. Kia released a rendering that illustrates what the model could look like, and it depicts an off-roader which shares absolutely no styling cues with any member of the firm's current line-up. Don't look for friendly hamsters here. Boxy and tall, it's strongly reminiscent of the AM General Humvee, GM Infantry Squad Vehicle and the Toyota BXD10, which is hardly a surprise and almost inevitable. All of these vehicles were created by following the same basic guidelines. What soldiers in South Korea will receive is admittedly of little interest to most American enthusiasts, but you might not need to travel across the Pacific to slip behind the wheel. Kia pointed out the lessons it learns from developing the ATV will help it improve the durability of its civilian models. Better yet, the yet-unnamed truck will spawn variants for different industries, including the industrial and leisure sectors. While nothing is official yet, the lucrative leisure segment's gravitational pull is what transformed the Humvee into the Hummer, and what turned the BXD10 into the BXD20, which was also called Mega Cruiser and sold in tiny numbers during the 1990s. Kia expects the first ATV prototypes will be ready in 2021. Production will start by the middle of the 2020s. What else is Kia sending to battle? Simultaneously, the company is developing 2.5- and 5-ton trucks for the South Korean military. Unlike the ATV, they won't be related to series-produced cars built for commuters. Both will be built on a standardized platform to keep development and manufacturing costs in check, and they'll be powered by a 7.0-liter turbodiesel engine bolted to an automatic transmission.