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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.

Kia Niro sets arbitrary Guinness World Record for fuel mileage and nobody cares

For an individual, setting or breaking a Guinness World Record is something worth bragging about at the pub. For a company, it's a marketing tool. The Niro crossover is Kia's first dedicated hybrid, with a company-estimated 50 miles per gallon combined rating, which is enough to set it apart. A world record, though, sounds cool and official, even if they're a dime a dozen these days. Kia presumably paid Guinness its consultation and licensing fees, created a new record category, put hypermiler Wayne Gerdes and co-driver Robert Winger behind the wheel, and off they went to create a very specific piece of history. The record Kia set with the Niro is for the lowest fuel consumption driving across the USA from coast to coast in a hybrid car. The final score: an impressive 76.6 mpg. The stock 2017 Kia Niro traveled 3,715.4 miles from Los Angeles City Hall to New York City Hall on just over four tanks of gas for a total of 48.5 gallons. This isn't the first time Kia and Gerdes have made it into the book you used to love to flip through at your grade school book fair. In 2011, the pair set a Guinness record by driving through the lower 48 states in an Optima Hybrid getting 64.55 mpg. A Honda Insight now holds that record (74.34 mpg). As Guinness World Records become increasingly abundant, they might mean less to the general, non-record-holding public. They're still a source of pride for the record holders. "We're extremely pleased with the Niro's record-breaking performance," says Kia product planner Orth Hedrick. "We set out to build a vehicle that offers real-world utility, great looks, and fantastic mileage, and setting the Guinness World Record title confirms our achievement." Building a dedicated hybrid crossover from the ground up is hard work. 76.6 mpg is an achievement. A Guinness World Record? Anyone can do that. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Kia Niro Sets Guinness World Record Related Gallery 2017 Kia Niro: Chicago 2016 View 16 Photos News Source: Kia Green Kia Fuel Efficiency Hybrid hypermiling kia niro

Kia and CarMax pull LA Clipper sponsorships in wake of alleged Sterling comments

There's fallout across the automotive advertising world today as companies react to alarming, racially insensitive statements alleged to have been made Donald Sterling, owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers franchise. Last Friday, entertainment website TMZ published excerpts from an audio recording, allegedly between Sterling and his girlfriend V. Stiviano, in which the Clippers owner said, among other things, that he didn't want her to bring black people to his games, including LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson. Sterling has yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
The story quickly gained steam over the weekend, and this Monday it has seen Kia Motors, auto sales website CarMax and insurance giant State Farm all pull sponsorship activities with the Clippers.
In a statement Kia said the alleged statements by Sterling were, "offensive and reprehensible," calling them "inconsistent with our views and values." Kia says it is "suspending" its advertising and sponsorship activities with the team, though has yet to clarify if that suspension includes commercials featuring NBA star and Clippers power forward Blake Griffin.