2019 Kia Stinger Premium on 2040-cars

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2016 Kia Sorento now an IIHS Top Safety Pick

The new Kia Sorento has taken it up a notch, securing a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety thanks to a major improvement in the small overlap crash test. When the Sorento was in 2014, the crash dummy didn't have an easy time of it, almost missing the front airbag and suffering nearly a foot of intrusion in the footwell. That earned it a "poor" mark. The 2016 model did much better, with the dummy properly restrained, proper airbag deployment, and just four inches of intrusion in the footwell, all of which was good enough for a "good" rating. Add that to the good ratings it's received for all the other tests, the Sorento's overall status is elevated to Top Safety Pick. You can check out video of the small overlap test above. News Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Kia Safety Crossover Videos crash test kia sorento

2019 Kia Stinger gets IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating

The 2019 Kia Stinger just officially received an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, which is the highest honor from the Insurance Institute. However, this award only applies to Stingers equipped with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights. All the crashworthiness ratings returned with a "Good" rating, and that applies to every version of the Stinger sold here. The forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection is an option on the Stinger, and this combined with trims sporting LED headlight projectors results in the TSP+ rating. In IIHS forward collision tests, the Stinger successfully avoided collisions at 12 mph and 25 mph. The base halogen projector headlights were rated "Poor," so watch out for those while Stinger shopping. Interestingly, the IIHS rated the static LED projectors as "Good" and the curve-adaptive LED projectors got lower marks as "Acceptable." For reference, the curve-adaptive LEDs are found on the Stinger GT2 trim. The IIHS just thinks the visibility with the adaptive LEDs is worse compared to the static units. We can't say we're surprised that the Stinger received the TSP+ award, as it shares a modified platform with the Genesis G70 that received the same rating from the IIHS. The new sport sedan and sportback from Genesis and Kia clearly crash well. That's always heartening to hear, especially as we continue with the long-term test of our Kia Stinger GT. We love the red bullet of a hatchback, and most recently compared it to a Genesis G70 with the same powertrain.

2021 Kia Seltos prices possibly leaked

An anonymous tipster sent Motor1 a list of MSRPs for all six trims of the 2021 Kia Seltos. We can't know if the prices are all correct, but Motor1 seems to have solid underground connections into Kia's back rooms lately, and if nothing else, the numbers give us a reference for when official pricing drops. When the Seltos debuted at last year's L.A. Auto Show, the carmaker said the all-wheel drive variant of the base-model LX and the front-wheel drive version of the S will both start under $22,000. Based on the anonymous figures, a $10 bill makes Kia an honest source, both trims starting at $21,990 before destination. The reported $1,120 fee for handling takes the sum to $23,110, and puts the Seltos $2,000 under the similarly sized but more powerful Sportage. Claimed pricing for the entire lineup after destination runs: LX AWD $23,110 S FWD $23,110 S AWD $24,610 EX AWD $26,410 S 1.6L Turbo $26,610 SX 1.6L Turbo $29,010 At the time of writing, Kia has the Seltos on its U.S. website, but the information isn't all laid out yet. The starting MSRP is listed as $21,990 at the top of the page, but near the bottom of the page, the SX Turbo is listed for that price, which can't be correct. The relevant links all lead to broken pages. The base LX packs the base 2.0-liter with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque running power through a CVT, yet clearly isn't a stripper model; it adds adaptive cruise control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and 17-inch wheels to its all-wheel drive system. The S forgoes the all-wheel system to plump up on options. Installing AWD to the entry-level motor requires an additional $1,500. The upgraded 1.6-liter with 175 hp and 195 lb-ft shifts through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and only comes in AWD, and it takes the surcharge to $3,500. As Motor1 also notes, the Seltos LX AWD and S FWD are more expensive than FWD and AWD versions of the Hyundai Venue and Kona, Nissan Kicks, Ford EcoSport, Mazda CX-3, and Toyota C-HR. When it comes to practical concerns like fuel economy, though, the Seltos fares well. Looking at front-drive competitors, only the much more expensive Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid and the smaller, cheaper Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Venue top the Kia, and the Buick Encore ties it. With all-wheel drive, the Seltos is also competitive. The non-hybrid Subaru Crosstrek's 30 mpg combined beats the Seltos by just one, and the more expensive Honda HR-V is tied with the Kia.