2012 Kia Soul on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Kia Seltos crossover: Aimed at millennials, named from mythology

In news that touches on proper placement of carts and horses, Kia announced that its new global compact crossover will be called the Seltos. This should surprise no one, since we posted a batch of "spy" shots last week of a naked Seltos that was decorated with Seltos badges and placards. What might surprise is the inspiration for the name: Greek mythology. Kia says we have the legend of "'Celtos,' the son of Hercules" to thank for the moniker. In case you ever need to take a test on this, you should know that Heracles was the Greek god. Hercules was the later Roman version, and the Romans focused more on Hercules' early, dismal relationships. Herc, as the story goes, got tricked by a princess named Celtine during a stint herding cattle, when he stopped by her father's place. The episode resulted in a boy named Celtus (or Celtos), one of his multitudinous brood, and that boy became the mythological father of the Celts. The Seltos crossover has a job almost as challenging as fathering a nation, that of being a lure to millennials the world over. Kia's tried to give the little people hauler a head start on the job by changing the first letter of Celtos' name to "S," said to imply speed and sportiness. Conveniently, that also fits into the carmaker's crossover and minivan naming scheme that already includes Soul, Sportage, Sorento and Sedona. Without details on available engines, we can't tell how much speed or sportiness there will be, but the design looks sophisticated enough. Designers have managed to put plenty of muscle and flourish into a small space without making a mess. With the exterior matching the sketches faithfully, we expect the same handsome results inside, led by the 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen. Kia says it will reveal the Seltos later this month. Sales will begin in South Korea in the latter half of the year, with other markets to follow.

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.

2021 Kia Sportage Review | Sporty-ish value

The 2021 Kia Sportage picks up right where last year's mid-cycle refresh left off, with some modest improvements to design and technological updates that make driving easier and safer. An often overlooked vehicle in the increasingly crowded compact crossover segment, the Sportage provides comfort and value on a budget, but doesn’t quite match the style, fuel economy or cargo space of its competitors, many of which have been recently revamped as all-new models. Still, with the features available for the price, itÂ’s worth a test drive if youÂ’re looking at vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape or Toyota RAV4. You just might find the Sportage to be the right fit for you and your budget, and with its roomy backseat — at the expense of cargo volume — it might be the right fit, literally, for you and your passengers. Finally, if you like the packaging of the Sportage, but are looking to save some money up front, as well as at the pump, it might be worth taking a look at the similarly sized Kia Seltos. YouÂ’d be giving up some power and nicer interior materials, but would be getting a more efficient and arguably more stylish Kia for about $2,000 less. What's new for 2021? The 2021 Kia Sportage builds upon the previous model yearÂ’s mid-cycle refresh with an update to S trim level offerings. The new Nightfall Edition and Nightfall Edition Premium appearance packages replace the S Sunroof and Premium Package, respectively. Nightfall gets unique 18-inch wheels with blacked-out center caps, and adds piano black trim on the front bumper, side sills, front and rear skid plates, and fog lights. It also gets unique Sportage badging on the liftgate. The LX, EX and SX Turbo trims remain unchanged. What's the Sportage interior and in-car technology like? The Sportage's interior styling is straightforward and functional. ThereÂ’s not much to visually break up the square footage of plastic, but the materials donÂ’t scream “cheap.” In fact, its superior materials quality to the Seltos is one area that justifies the Sportage's higher price. The leather seating in the SX Turbo trim looks and feels quite nice, especially when you consider those front seats are heated and, optionally, ventilated. The seating position is upright for a good view of the road, and the center stack tilts slightly toward the left to give a sense of ergonomic care to the driver.