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Kia Optima Sportwagon spied before Geneva

Kia showed off the Sportspace concept at the Geneva Motor Show this year, and we knew at the time that it previewed design elements that would migrate to the Optima sedan. On top of that, it's keeping its hump to transition into the Optima Sportwagon for what we presume will be audiences outside the US. When we asked Kia about the chance of it coming here, a company spokesman responded: "Right now we don't have plans to bring the Optima Sportwagon to the US but we are continuously studying the market and looking for new opportunities. The all-new 2016 Optima midsize sedan is one of our best selling vehicles and at this time we are focused on its launch in the U.S." Now in prototype form, spy photographers caught engineers testing the Sportwagon out on German roads. The roofline declines as it makes its way to the back, a nod to the concept and a sporty profile. Otherwise design matters appear quite toned down compared to the concept, which shouldn't be a surprise. And in spite of commenters who promised Kia their money if the South Korean automaker would produce the Sportspace with all-wheel drive and something like 400 horsepower, what buyers will really be faced with is front-wheel drive and a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with around 250 horsepower. A plug-in hybrid is said to be on the cards, too. Spy shooters said they saw Volkswagen Passat and Ford Mondeo wagons at the Kia test facility, so you know the benchmarks and have more proof that it's not for us. It's expected to make its production appearance at next year's Geneva Motor Show.

Hyundai Group design chief wants more differentiation between models and brands

Luc Donckerwolke, the man who oversees design at Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, is determined to get more differentiation into the model range. He not only wants greater visual separation between all the models in the range, he also wants more distinction between Hyundai Group cars and others in the respective segments, and global distinctions so that a Hyundai in China doesn't necessarily look like one built for North America. He told Autocar, "We will not have a global design language because otherwise it's too rigid. [The alternative is] more work, but it's more flexible." Donckerwolke gets an extreme look at the results of homogeneous design, because an enormous number of cars on the road in South Korea are Hyundai Group products. "[Our] core task is to differentiate the design philosophy of the three brands, not least because we have a big [around 70%] share in Korea. We need to differentiate each model, otherwise the landscape is too homogeneous." Top-down, each brand gets a design brief. Hyundai will be Hyundai's "sexy, seductive and sensuous, sporty, eager and stylish," holding onto its value proposition while adding emotion. Kia will be "young, challenging and cool — cooler than before," said brand design chief Byungchul Juh, with Donckerwolke adding that it's about "streetwear — bold, fresh and young." And Genesis is "haute couture." Donckerwolke characterizes the design philosophy as not "Russian dolls but ... chess pieces, with a look that reveals its own charismatic character. For example, Kia's used to be about the tiger nose grille, separate headlights and the lower intake. Now it's going to be more of a mask that will deliver sportiness and a presence." Kia designer Juh said, "There will be a distinct version of tiger face for each segment, and we'll keep the tiger nose grille. In principle it's the same, but there's a different interpretation for each segment, and more of a 3D feeling. We're moving from a nose to a face." The sketches we've seen of Kia's coming small global crossover take a first step, and we're told the next Sportage will make more impact than the new Tucson. As for Hyundai, the next Sonata will "be the design flag-bearer." We wait to see how much of the vehicle all of this affects. But right now, look at the 2020 Elantra and Sonata from the front three-quarter; ignore their front fascias, and they're two sizes of one sausage.

2020 Kia Soul Review | Everything you need to know

The 2020 Kia Soul finds itself at the heart of the growing subcompact crossover segment, offering a compelling blend of space, value and style. It wasn't always that way, however. Now in its third generation, the Soul was once a boxy oddball with few, if any, apples-to-apples competitors. Today, the subcompact crossover segment has effectively been built up around it, yet despite this competition, it remains one of the most characterful and well-rounded choices. A lack of all-wheel drive may be a detriment to some buyers, but it's also no longer alone in that regard. What's new for 2020? The Soul is all-new and represents the third-generation model, but it follows the same successful formula as its predecessors. Its trademark proportions have been maintained, and apart from more cargo capacity and a few extra inches in overall length, its dimensions inside and out are consistent. However, its styling has been reworked (note the wraparound LED taillights, the Kia grille that's been grossly enlarged and moved to the lower bumper, and the thin slit of lighting above) and the cabin features a new, more cohesive design that seems to wrap behind the dashboard from door to door (it's very Jaguar). The 2020 Soul also introduces two new models: the more rugged-ish, crossover-like Soul X-Line, and the sporty GT-Line, which is the only way to get the powerful turbocharged engine upgrade. Importantly, fuel economy has improved across the board, in part thanks to a new CVT transmission. What's the interior and in-car technology like? It's a shame that Kia didn't make the interior as fun and characterful as the exterior. It certainly funks things up a bit with triangular patterns in the doors, a squircle-shaped center infotainment pod and tweeters nestled into triangular air vents, but apart from the pricey GT-Line (see the red trim above), it's all rendered in various shades of black or dark grey, effectively hiding them in a colorless, drab interior. On the other hand, characterful interiors can also be ergonomically challenging (see Mini), and like other Kias, the Soul impresses with simple and easily reached controls — including the standard seven-inch touchscreen. You don't need to be a member of this car's Millenial (or younger) audience to figure the thing out. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, along with a single USB port (and an extra two arrive along with wireless smartphone charging in the EX and GT-Line 1.6T trim levels). How big is it?