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2021 Kia Sportage Review | Sporty-ish value

The 2021 Kia Sportage picks up right where last year's mid-cycle refresh left off, with some modest improvements to design and technological updates that make driving easier and safer. An often overlooked vehicle in the increasingly crowded compact crossover segment, the Sportage provides comfort and value on a budget, but doesn’t quite match the style, fuel economy or cargo space of its competitors, many of which have been recently revamped as all-new models. Still, with the features available for the price, itÂ’s worth a test drive if youÂ’re looking at vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape or Toyota RAV4. You just might find the Sportage to be the right fit for you and your budget, and with its roomy backseat — at the expense of cargo volume — it might be the right fit, literally, for you and your passengers. Finally, if you like the packaging of the Sportage, but are looking to save some money up front, as well as at the pump, it might be worth taking a look at the similarly sized Kia Seltos. YouÂ’d be giving up some power and nicer interior materials, but would be getting a more efficient and arguably more stylish Kia for about $2,000 less. What's new for 2021? The 2021 Kia Sportage builds upon the previous model yearÂ’s mid-cycle refresh with an update to S trim level offerings. The new Nightfall Edition and Nightfall Edition Premium appearance packages replace the S Sunroof and Premium Package, respectively. Nightfall gets unique 18-inch wheels with blacked-out center caps, and adds piano black trim on the front bumper, side sills, front and rear skid plates, and fog lights. It also gets unique Sportage badging on the liftgate. The LX, EX and SX Turbo trims remain unchanged. What's the Sportage interior and in-car technology like? The Sportage's interior styling is straightforward and functional. ThereÂ’s not much to visually break up the square footage of plastic, but the materials donÂ’t scream “cheap.” In fact, its superior materials quality to the Seltos is one area that justifies the Sportage's higher price. The leather seating in the SX Turbo trim looks and feels quite nice, especially when you consider those front seats are heated and, optionally, ventilated. The seating position is upright for a good view of the road, and the center stack tilts slightly toward the left to give a sense of ergonomic care to the driver.

LeBron James ad claims $10M fan bet proving he drives K900

As one of the nation's most famous and top paid professional athletes, LeBron James' Kia K900 sponsorship has always left us suspicious to its sincerity. The basketball player could buy any other vehicle in the world but claimed to be a fan of Kia's rear-wheel drive sedan even before he signed up as the brand's pitchman. While no weirder than many other NBA auto ads, the idea is still hard to believe. The company now wants to challenge the cynics with a three-commercial campaign called The Truth that stars King James responding to actual tweets about him driving the K900. The first commercial titled Ten Mil (above) starts with James checking Twitter and finding a skeptic that bets $10 million that the player doesn't drive the K900 to games. Since that's not the case, James confirms that a wager on social media is a binding contract and hops in the Kia with an armored car following him to go pick up the cash. However, the spot misses the mark slightly because we still only have James' word that he really takes the Kia to games Once the spots start airing, you can bet Cleveland fans start keeping an eye on how the player arrives to Quicken Loans Arena. It better be in the K900 for this campaign to work. LEBRON JAMES TELLS "THE TRUTH" ABOUT DRIVING HIS KIA K900 LUXURY SEDAN 11-Time NBA All-Star Responds To Real Tweets in New Ad Campaign First of three spots from "The Truth" campaign will begin airing on TV tonight and can be viewed at Kia.com and YouTube.com/Kia Multiplatform campaign will run through the remainder of basketball season and includes television, digital and social media elements IRVINE, Calif., December 3, 2015 – Last year, when LeBron James Tweeted "Rolling around in my K900. Love this car!!" and later stated he was a K900 driver before becoming Kia Motors' luxury ambassador, naysayers took to social media to question the validity of his claims. Now, with sales of Kia's rear-drive luxury sedan up considerably over 2014 levels, the 11-time NBA All-Star and avid car collector is tackling that skepticism head-on to prove the K900 is in fact "Fit For A King" in a new ad campaign from Kia Motors America (KMA).

2020 Kia Telluride crossover moves the brand upscale, and a bit off-road

Kia added its newest and largest entrant to its lineup, unveiling the designed- and made-in-America Telluride as its new flagship. It's a handsome and sporty midsize three-row SUV that seats eight, offers upscale interior perks and safety technology, plus off-road capability. The reveal brings the Telluride full circle from its origins as a concept first shown in Detroit three years ago. Kia will emphasize its rugged looks and comfortable, well-appointed interior when it goes on sale later this year as a 2020 model and takes on well-entrenched competitors like the venerable Ford Explorer (itself redesigned for 2020) and the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Designed at Kia's studio in Southern California, the Telluride deliberately harkens to the boxy appearance of O.G. SUVs like the aforementioned Explorer, with a long hood and wide grille, a clean side profile and upright windshield. Nameplates adorn both the leading edge of the hood, atop the grille, and on the liftgate, with stacked headlights, inverted L-shaped taillamps and a sculpted rear skid plate with integrated twin exhaust tips. The Telluride is powered by a 3.8-liter direct-injection V6 making 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic. There's four-wheel independent suspension and stiff, torsionally rigid body structure owing to an advanced high-strength steel monocoque shell. The rear suspension is self-leveling, with the ride height automatically calibrated depending on the load to benefit control and stability. Four driving modes are offered — Smart, Eco, Sport and Comfort — plus Snow and AWD Lock settings when needed. On-demand all-wheel drive will be an option, distributing torque between the front and rear wheels depending on road conditions and the driver's input. Kia says it's based on electro-hydraulic AWD coupling and constantly redistributes power between the front and rear wheels depending on drive mode — for example, splitting it 65 percent to 35 percent between the front and rear wheels in Sport mode. Inside, there's a wide console that emphasizes the horizontal, with an available 10.25-inch color touchscreen. There's simulated brushed metal and matte-finished wood, interior hooks to hang packs and bags, ceiling-mounted climate control in the second row and reclining third-row seats.