2015 Kia Sorento Ex on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2018 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid revealed, boasts 26 miles of electric range

The 2018 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid was introduced Thursday at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show, adding a considerably larger battery pack to the existing Niro Hybrid crossover. With an estimated 26 miles of all-electric range, the Niro Plug-in is in the same ballpark as most other plug-in hybrid models like the Toyota Prius Prime (25 miles), Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in (29 miles) and Kia's own Optima Plug-in (29 miles). The Chevrolet Volt is the king of the castle at 53 miles. When the all-electric range is exhausted, it'll get 48 mpg city, 44 mpg highway and 46 mpg combined. That's actually a bit worse than the regular Niro (51 city/46 highway/49 combined), though that difference isn't as great it might seem given actual gas burned and the all-electric range. The estimated mile-per-gallon-equivalent rating is 105 MPGe. That's actually about the same as the Volt (106) and Optima (103), but less than the Prius Prime (133) and Ioniq (119). This is all achieved by the addition of a 8.9-kWh lithium-polymer battery pack and a 60-horsepower (44.5-kw) electric motor. This compares to the regular Niro Hybrid's 1.56-kWh battery pack and 43-hp motor. Despite its greater capacity, the battery doesn't take up any extra interior space, still fitting under the back seat and cargo area. It can be recharged in approximately 2.5 hours using a 240V charger, or in less than 9 hours using a regular household 120V outlet. Besides the powertrain, the Niro Plug-in is essentially the same beyond a few minor styling updates. There is a slightly different "grille" insert and some blue trim accents. It can also be equipped with LED headlamps. Related Video:

2020 Kia Soul gets funkier and adds a long-range Soul EV

The Kia Soul, the clear victor of the funky box fad of the mid-2000s, has been completely redesigned for the 2020 model year. It's still very square, but it's even funkier than before. The big, cute headlights of previous models have been swapped for a more futuristic, almost brooding set of slender lamps up top connected by a piece of plastic for a full-width look. They're supplemented by additional lights in large pods in the front bumper. There's a large grille in the bottom of the bumper, too. The overall nose is a bit more rounded, but the whole profile is about as upright as ever. The rear is completely vertical and retains vertical taillights that now have a wraparound look. The fenders don't visually protrude as much, but they're highlighted by deep creases around the wheel arches. There are an array of trims to pick from on the new Soul, some of which have significant style tweaks. LX, S and EX make up the basic Soul, with an EX Designer Edition offering up two-tone paint between the roof and body as well as big 18-inch wheels. The Kia Soul Turbo is replaced by the Soul GT-Line, which can be had with the turbo engine or the naturally aspirated engine. It has a much more aggressive front fascia with extra slots around the grille and side sill extensions with red accents. The turbo version gets center-exit exhaust, bigger brakes and stiffer suspension. Then there's the new X-Line that gives the Soul a crossover look with plastic body cladding, fender flares and fog lights. It also has two-tone paint as an option. 2020 Kia Soul View 11 Photos Despite all the design changes, the new Soul is almost exactly the same size as the old one. It's just over 2 inches longer, and adds a little over an inch between the wheels, but width and height are the same. Passenger space is nearly the same, too, giving or taking a couple tenths of an inch here and there. There is much more cargo space now, though, picking up an extra 5 cubic feet for a total of 23.8. The restyled interior also gets some nice new features such as customizable ambient lighting, an available 10.25-inch touchscreen and a heads-up display. There are three powertrains available for the Kia Soul, and only one is a carryover from the previous model. Starting at the bottom is the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine. This engine is also found in various other Hyundai and Kia products such as the Forte. It makes 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque.

Watch the Kia Soul hamsters take on 'Dueling Banjos'

The Kia Soul hamsters are back, but rather than bopping to the party tunes of LMFAO, they're delivering their own take on "Dueling Banjos." Thankfully, this commercial is more pleasant to watch than the film that helped make the banjo tune famous. Aside from the return of Kia's fuzzy mascots, this commercial also marks the welcome return of plumper hamsters. When Kia launched the Soul EV, it gave its spokesrodents a trimmer figure that made the anthropomorphic dancing hamsters even creepier. As Autoblog chief Mike Austin said when assigning this story, "Sexy EV hamsters were scary." Alongside from the two-minute commercial, Kia has included a three-minute, behind-the-scenes video called Soul Sessions: Making the Music. You can check out the main spot up top, and then get the peek behind the curtain below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.