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Kia bringing a performance EV to Geneva that'll 'get your pulse racing'

Kia just keeps going with the electric flow. The South Korean carmaker has already introduced the e-Niro and Soul EV, and in Europe will put a plug-in hybrid version of the Ceed wagon on sale later this year. Next month, Kia will unveil a performance-minded electric vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show. The company had almost nothing to say about it beyond the philosophical: The concept will be "a visual embodiment of the company's desire to move forward in the exciting world of electrification." Moving forward appears to mean addressing all of the enduring issues consumers have with EVs, meaning looks, range, performance and recharging. The Audi E-Tron GT set at least two of those bars unexpectedly high, so we look forward to finding out what Kia's European design center in Frankfurt has come up with. That means looking in a different direction than the electric Kia's that have come so far. The Geneva concept is meant to "get your pulse racing," and to "signpost our holistic and emotional approach to electrification." The Soul EV and e-Niro both use a 64-kWh battery to power a motor with 201 horsepower on to 238 miles of range. Since neither the Soul EV nor e-Niro are expected to get our hairs up with their driving chops, it's possible the Geneva concept ups the power on the motor in return for less range. But that would be less impressive than the press release billing, wouldn't it? And it would be a shame to waste the concept's bulging fender fenders and beastly lines on something, well ... less than totally electrifying.

8 car technologies designed to keep you safe

Technologies are always advancing forward, especially in your vehicle. As more safety technologies are being introduced into the market, it can be hard to keep track of everything. So here are 8 technologies designed to keep you safe on the road. Want more coverage? Head over to http://bit.ly/2CcOngW Ford Kia Mercedes-Benz Subaru Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video FCA automatic emergency braking

2023 J.D. Power APEAL Study shows new-car customer satisfaction scores slip

J.D. Power survey results have been slightly up but mostly down for automakers this year, literally. In February, the 2023 Vehicle Dependability Study showed an overall decline compared the 2022 a month before the Customer Service Index Study did the same. The trend reversed in June with a better overall score on the 2023 U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration Study than in 2022, then declined again the same month on with a lower overall score on the 2023 Initial Quality Study. The declines continue with the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, overall satisfaction among the 84,555 respondents down two points overall compared to 2022, to 845 out of 1,000 points. Because last year's score dropped compared to 2021, this year marks the first consecutive decline in the study's 28-year history. The study tries to "[measure] owners' emotional attachment and level of excitement with new vehicle" after 90 days of ownership by asking new owners to rate 37 attributes in 10 areas around the vehicle, such as the feeling they get when they hit the accelerator. Satisfaction with nine of the attributes is down this year versus last, fuel economy the only segment to show better results with 15 points more satisfaction. Styling and infotainment are big drags on satisfaction. Responses to new car exterior looks tallied 888 points, down from 894 last year, the largest drop in this year's study. On the digital side, less than half of those surveyed this year said they prefer using a manufacturer's built-in infotainment. From 70% of respondents in 2020 preferring to use a manufacturer's in-house software to play audio instead of Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, that's 56% in 2023. Going all-in on Google appears to have the best effect. J.D. Power said that vehicles with both Google's Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS) and Google Automotive Services (GAS) "score higher in the infotainment category than those with no AAOS whatsoever. AAOS without GAS receives the lowest scores for infotainment of the three categories."  Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, said, "Despite the technology and design innovations that manufacturers put into new vehicles, owners are lukewarm about them. While innovations like charging pads, vehicle apps and advanced audio features should enhance an owner’s experience, this is not the case when problems are experienced.