2011 Kia Soul Eco !!! Cheap !!! Runs Great !!! No Reserve !!! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2020 Kia Telluride Review & Buying Guide | A stylish and practical family hauler

The 2020 Kia Telluride joins the growing list of three-row family crossovers, adding a more rugged vibe to what has become a pretty sensible shoes segment. Its boxier styling and clean lines certainly imply that this big SUV could get dirty, although its rather pedestrian all-wheel drive system and average ground clearance would indicate it's mostly for show. Or at least, a hefty dump of snow. That's OK, folks wear outdoorsy garb from Mountain Hardwear and rarely visit the mountains. We're impressed by the new Telluride's spacious cabin, a massive features list and plenty of thoughtful, family-friendly details like USB ports in every row and second-row seats that slide and fold at the press of a button. The Telluride really steps things up in its range-topping SX trim, which unlike many competitors, looks and feels genuinely luxurious. The Telluride's well-balanced driving experience and impressive value round out a genuinely appealing three-row SUV that deserves serious consideration. What's new for 2020? The Telluride is an all-new model for Kia, filling the gap at the top of its SUV lineup. What's the interior and in-car technology like? Admittedly, we have only had contact with the ritziest, range-topping Telluride SX model that boasts soft, interestingly stitched leather, convincing faux wood trim, and a generally luxurious ambience that trumps everything else in the segment. Oh, and it costs less than range-topping rivals that actually have less equipment. Now, will an LX and EX be as swank? No, but the general quality of plastics, switchgear and other materials should still be above average. Every Telluride is also extremely well equipped. Check out the pricing and features section below for a full breakdown, but suffice to say, you don't need to pay top dollar to get heated and ventilated seats, sunshades and an abundance of infotainment features. Indeed, every Telluride comes standard with five USB ports, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite radio. An 8-inch touchscreen is standard (and is typically sized for the segment), yet the EX and SX features a wide 10.25-inch touchscreen that will not only impress your friends with its largesse, but it improves functionality as well. It brings with it wireless smartphone charging, integrated navigation and a grand total of seven USB ports spread throughout all rows.

Kia Niro crossover is the company's first dedicated hybrid

Kia arrives in Chicago this week with the Niro, an all-new hybrid crossover joining the company's growing electrified lineup. It's not Kia's first hybrid, but it is the first dedicated hybrid, designed from the ground up with gasoline-electric power. Following the Niro concept from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and the teaser images that followed, the production Niro joins the Soul EV and Optima Hybrid in the automaker's EcoDynamics line. Though full specifications and dimensions have yet to be revealed, the Niro rides on a 106-inch wheelbase to slot it size-wise in between the smaller Sportage and larger Sorento. The parallel hybrid powertrain mirrors that of the Ioniq – which is, in turn, parent company Hyundai's first dedicated hybrid and which we're not expecting to see in person until next month. The system pairs a 1.6-liter four with an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery, and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The sum total is 146 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, and a projected fuel-consumption rating of 50 miles per gallon. View 18 Photos According to Kia's product guru Orth Hedrick, the company has tuned the Niro for "the best combination of outstanding mpg, an engaging driving experience, utility, and most importantly, a stunning design that doesn't shout 'hybrid'." Of course the taller, less streamlined form means it won't cut through the air like a more streamlined sedan or hatchback would, but it's still much slipperier than most crossovers: its drag coefficient of 0.29 comes a lot closer to the Ioniq's 0.24 than it does to the Soul EV's 0.35. We'll wait to see it in person before we decide how that streamlined crossover styling comes across. But for now you can scope out the full details released thus far in the press release below. ALL-NEW 2017 NIRO HYBRID UTILITY VEHICLE ARRIVES IN THE WINDY CITY FOR GLOBAL DEBUT AT CHICAGO AUTO SHOW Kia's Hybrid Utility Vehicle Boasts a Number of Firsts for the Brand, Including an All-New, Dedicated Eco-Car Platform and Unique Hybrid System • Niro is a no-compromise package, maintaining the style and appeal of a utility vehicle while offering outstanding fuel economy with a targeted 50 mpg combined • Niro challenges the hybrid-electric segment with an innovative hybrid system that directly contributes to a dynamic driving experience CHICAGO, Feb.

Nissan, Kia under investigation over occupant detection systems

Kia and Nissan are facing separate investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration because of alleged problems with the occupant detection systems in their vehicles' airbags. The larger investigation is NHTSA's new engineering analysis into 986,826 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. They include the 2013 Nissan NV200 and 2013-2014 Altima, Leaf, Pathfinder, and Sentra. Among the Infinitis, there are the 2013 JX35 and 2014 Q50 and QX60. Owners allege the occupant classification system can misidentify passengers and turn off the airbag if they don't weigh enough. Nissan recalled over a million vehicles worldwide last year to fix the same problem with a software update, but NHTSA kept getting complaints about the issue after the repair. The agency opened a preliminary evaluation in March, and after 1,271 complaints it has now been updated to an engineering analysis. The Feds intend to evaluate the effectiveness of Nissan's solution. NHTSA is also opening a preliminary evaluation into the 2007-2009 Kia Spectra for the occupant classification not working properly, and it could affect an estimated 186,000 of these vehicles. The government agency has 43 complaints from people allegedly reporting the failures. According to NHTSA, the issue could result in the airbag not deploying with enough force or not activating at all in an accident. This investigation is meant to assess the scope of the potential flaw, and there's no recall yet. INVESTIGATION Subject : Occupant Classification System Fault Date Investigation Opened: SEP 01, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: PE15031 Component(s): AIR BAGS All Products Associated with this Investigation Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) KIA SPECTRA 2007-2009 Details Manufacturer: Kia Motors America SUMMARY: The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 43 complaints alleging a malfunction of the front passenger seat occupant classification system (OCS) in 2007-2009 Kia Spectra vehicles. The complaints report illumination of the SRS (air bag) warning light. All of the complaints allege the cause of the light illumination to be a malfunction of the OCS sensor mat imbedded in the passenger seat cushion, and/or report the presence of diagnostic trouble code B1448 which relates to the OCS sensor mat also. Many of the complaints note the malfunction occurred after the warranty period expired and mention high repair costs as a major deterrent to repairing the vehicle.