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65k Kia Sorento models face NHTSA probe for shattering sunroof

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration isn't ready to give up its investigation into spontaneously shattering sunroofs in the 2011-2013 Kia Sorento yet. In fact, it has actually broadened it into a full engineering analysis affecting as many as 65,347 vehicles.
The investigation started in 2013 when NHTSA received 15 complaints about breaking sunroofs in the crossover. Since then, the regulator requested data from Kia and found that there have been 95 complaints of the roof abruptly braking. In many of those cases, the vehicle was moving at the time. People have been injured when this happens; NHTSA found 14 incidents where at least one person in the vehicle suffered from cuts or scrapes.
According to the investigation document, Kia also conducted its own internal review but couldn't find any defects. The company claims that the only way for the roof to break is for an object to strike it. Although, it does admit that the large surface of the sunroof on the Sorento could be the cause of the high frequency of damage. NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation isn't convinced and calls it "concerning." It's pressing forward to find more details in the engineering analysis.

Rumored Kia Soul EV spied for the first time

Up until now, we've only heard rumors about an all-electric version of the second-generation Kia Soul, but these spy shots seem to confirm that the Korean automaker is developing a zero-emission version of its quirky little box-back. Our most recent report has the Kia EV showing up in the first half of next year (likely for MY 2015) with a starting price of around $35,000 (presumably before tax credits) and a range of about 120 miles.
While the front and rear of this prototype remains heavily camouflaged, we can see some differences between this car and the 2014 Soul we saw earlier in the year at the New York Auto Show. For starters, the entire front end seems to be changed, including the hood, headlights and fascia, and we would expect Kia's so-called Tiger Nose grille to be blocked off for improved aerodynamics. Further supporting our shooter's claims that this is an electric vehicle is the fact that the Soul's exhaust pipe is missing from beneath the rear fascia.
Previous reports have indicated that the Soul EV will become "the very-first electic vehicle to be sold in the global market, including the US, Europe and China." It would appear that claim may be validated by technicality only - Nissan sells its Leaf in the US and Europe, and it will reportedly be sold as the Dongfeng Fengshen E30 in China.

Lexus NX, BMW i3 to get Super Bowl commercials

At this point last year, we'd been getting news on automotive-focused Super Bowl commercials for more than two months. The teasers hadn't come out yet, but manufacturers lined up for the super-expensive spots were making their intentions known. This year? Almost nada, until this week. BMW has said it will air a 60-second spot promoting the i3 during the first quarter of the game, the Munich firm returning to The Big Game after a four-year absence. BMW says, "Big ideas like the BMW i3 take a little getting used to, and the creative idea surrounding our spot will play on this analogy." We say that pitching a tiny range-extended hatchback during the beer-iest American sports orgy of the year should make for some neat commentary afterward. Lexus is putting its new NX crossover in the second Super Bowl commercial it's ever aired, eschewing the glitter of celebrities and glamor for a straight-shooting spot and the tagline, "Be seen, be heard, make some noise." Joining those two are Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Toyota. The six confirmed carmakers are down from eleven last year, when car spots made up a quarter of the total ad time. The price to do business for 30 seconds this year: reportedly around $4.5 million, up a stacks from last year's $4 million. You can watch the Lexus commercial in the video above, and beneath that, the BMW press release below has a bit more information on its effort. BMW to Advertise All-Electric BMW i3 during Super Bowl XLIX. The all-electric BMW i3 is featured in a 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, February 1, 2015. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 15, 2015... Today, BMW announced plans to feature the all-electric BMW i3 in a 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, February 1, 2015. After a 4-year hiatus, BMW will be returning to the big game with a commercial during the first quarter. "As one in three Americans will tune in to watch the Super Bowl, we are thrilled to use this platform to educate viewers on the importance of electric mobility," said Trudy Hardy, Vice President of Marketing, BMW of North America. "Big ideas like the BMW i3 take a little getting used to, and the creative idea surrounding our spot will play on this analogy." BMW i is BMW's forward-looking and sustainable brand dedicated to solving many of the mobility challenges faced by the world's most densely populated cities. The BMW i3 is the first of the BMW i vehicles constructed from the ground up primarily of carbon fiber.