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2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Review Introduction | A brand new day

Kia has come a long, long way since it entered the U.S. market back in the mid '90s. Initially, the Korean automaker was known for affordable economy cars with questionable reliability and a distinct lack of charisma. That's no longer the case. Kia turned its reputation around, building solid if slightly sedate cars and crossovers with handsome styling and one of the best warranties in the industry. Our new long-term 2018 Kia Stinger GT is the automaker's first real attempt to inject some life into the brand. The Stinger's development was helmed by some genuine all-stars. The design was led by Peter Schreyer — the man behind the original Audi TT — and Gregory Guillaume at Kia's European design studio. Engineering was handled by former BMW M Vice President of Engineering Albert Biermann. Biermann is now leading the way at Hyundai's N division. The end result is a front-engine, rear-drive sportback tasked with putting to rest Kia's budget-car image. The automaker has made no secret about targeting models like the Audi A7 and Porsche Panamera. What we got The Stinger comes in two flavors. The base model comes with a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbo four-cylinder producing 255 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque. We opted for the more powerful Stinger GT and its 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. That engine — shared with models from Genesis — makes 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic. While rear-wheel drive is standard, we opted for all-wheel drive ($2,200) to better deal with Michigan winters. Our car comes in Hichroma Red with a red interior. Leather is standard on every Stinger model. A base GT starts at $39,250 and comes with LED lighting, 19-inch wheels with summer tires and Brembo brakes. Our GT1 package comes in at $46,350 and adds niceties like a sunroof, a Harman Kardon audio system and a heated steering wheel. Other features include dual-zone climate control and power-adjustable front seating. We added cargo mats and a cargo tray in the rear, bringing the total to $46,620. Why we got it Kia and Hyundai are working hard to move past their budget-car roots. In general, both companies are producing vehicles that no longer have to sell on value alone. For a while, Kia's lineup consisted mostly of vehicles that were closely related to a Hyundai counterpart, with sharper styling but few points of real differentiation.

Kia builds one millionth vehicle in the US

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. (KMMG), the plant that produces the Kia Sorento crossover and Optima sedan, celebrated today as a Snow White Pearl 2014 Sorento SXL rolled off the assembly line at the 2,259-acre site, marking the one-millionth Kia to be produced on US soil.
Located in West Point, Georgia, KMMG was Kia Motors America's first manufacturing plant in the US and represented an initial investment of $1 billion. The plant started producing the 2011 Sorento on November 16, 2009 and is responsible for the creation of 11,000 jobs in West Point and the surrounding region. Production of the Optima sedan, Kia's best-selling car in the US for the past 18 months, started at the factory in 2011, and, in 2012, the completion of a $100 million expansion upped annual vehicle production capacity to 360,000.
"Building one million vehicles in less than four years is a tremendous achievement and one that each one of our more than 3,000 team members can take great pride in," said Byung Mo Ahn, Group President and CEO for Kia Motors America and KMMG.

The greenest cars of 2024: Vehicles that use the least fuel and cost less to operate

All-electric vehicles may make headlines for environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency, but the “greenest” car in America in 2024 has a gasoline engine. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's annual GreenerCars ratings of the most environmentally friendly cars, the latest Toyota Prius Prime SE plug-in hybrid tops the list of greenest cars, although it's something of an anomaly, because battery-electric EVs follow it in spots two to five. Of the top 10 vehicles in the ratings, six are electric and four are hybrids: Rank Make & Model Powertrain Green Score MSRP Estimated Annual Fuel Cost* 1 Toyota Prius Prime SE PHEV 71 $32,975 $529 2 Lexus RZ 300e EV 67 $55,150 $651 3 Mini Cooper SE EV 67 $30,900 $747 4 Nissan Leaf EV 66 $28,140 $741 5 Toyota bZ4X EV 66 $43,070 $689 6 Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV 64 $43,690 $741 7 Hyundai Elantra Blue Gas Hybrid 64 $26,250 $864 8 Hyundai Kona Electric EV 63 $34,050 $695 9 Toyota Camry LE Gas Hybrid 63 $28,855 $907 10 Kia EV6 EV 63 $43,975 $689 11 Toyota Corolla Gas Hybrid 62 $23,500 $944 12 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV 62 $41,650 $737 *ACEEE analysis using EIA data of annual cost—from gasoline, electricity, or a combination—of driving 15,000 miles The ACEEE also compiled two other vehicle rankings: the so-called “Greener Choices” and the “Meanest List.” The Greener Choices list includes a variety of high-scoring conventional vehicles, and the Meanest List identifies the worst-performing mass-market models. Finishing first in the “greener” list — which the organization says is about cars “available nationwide with among the lowest environmental impacts” — is the Honda Accord Hybrid. As far as the “worst-performing mass market” vehicle, that dubious distinction goes to the $184,000 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63. “ItÂ’s important for automakers to keep expanding affordable EV options rapidly so that the benefits of EVs are available to drivers across a wider spectrum of incomes as we transition away from cars that burn gasoline,” said Peter Huether, ACEEEÂ’s senior transportation research associate and lead researcher for the GreenerCars rankings. “For drivers whose needs are not met by todayÂ’s charging infrastructure, many efficient and affordable hybrid options are available.” Just over half the cars on the 2024 Greenest List start at under $35,000, including four EVs and three gas hybrids.