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Kia's Intelligent Manual Transmission — here's how iMT and clutch-by-wire works

When Kia introduced the facelifted Rio for Europe a few weeks ago, the press release briefly touted a clutch-by-wire six-speed manual transmission that would improve gas mileage and reduce CO2 emissions. A new press release provides details on the Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT), which we find a surprising avenue of innovation designed just for mild hybrids. Traditional and dual-clutch automatic transmissions, thanks in part to more gears and programmed repeatability, already perform better than human drivers shifting for themselves in metrics including gas mileage. Kia's head of powertrain in Europe said the automaker developed the manual just because "European drivers in particular still love changing gear for themselves." With the pressure on budgets and on standard gearboxes even before the current travails, this seems a benevolent gesture. The traditional linkage from clutch pedal to gearbox goes AWOL in the iMT, sensors on the pedal lever controlling clutch actuation electronically. And an iMT-equipped Kia can take over control of the driveline even when the vehicle is in gear. For example, when a driver takes his foot off the accelerator as he approaches a stoplight, the iMT tells the mild hybrid system to turn off the engine, as it disengages the clutch. Normally, many drivers use coasting in gear in this situation as a way to slow the car without pressing the brake pedal. Kia's system has "the open clutch limiting deceleration and allowing the car to make the most of its kinetic energy," which will mean rethinking one of the finer points of transmission use. If the driver presses the accelerator or brake during the coast, the integrated starter-generator (ISG) restarts the engine. Assuming speed hasn't dipped too low for the chosen gear, the iMT engages the clutch and the driver resumes in the gear the Kia was left in. The hybrid system supplies a boost to get engine revs back up to speed in order to avoid bogging. If vehicle speed is too low to avoid bogging in the current gear, the iMT will disengage the clutch so the car effectively restarts in neutral while in gear, and the driver adjusts.

Minivan Mania | Autoblog Podcast #675

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and West Coast Editor James Riswick, and this week, it's (almost) all about vans! James recently wrote a head-to-head comparison of the 2021 Toyota Sienna and 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, and he talks us through the results. John recently reviewed the 2022 Kia Carnival, which is replacing the Kia Sedona. After discussing the minivan field as a whole, our editors identify some reasonable minivan alternatives in the SUV and crossover realms. Moving along, they talk about driving the long-term Hyundai Palisade and the new Mitsubishi Outlander before discussing their favorite highlights from the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show. Autoblog Podcast #675 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Minivans! 2021 Toyota Sienna vs 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid 2022 Kia Carnival The rest of the field Ute alternatives Cars we're driving 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander 2021 Hyundai Palisade road trip Shanghai Auto Show Lincoln Zephyr Toyota bZ4X Honda SUV e:prototype Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2019 Kia Niro EV First Drive Review | How to have fun in a practical EV

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The Kia Niro EV rounds out the Niro trio, and is the most impressive on paper. With the same 64-kWh battery and 201-horsepower electric motor as the Hyundai Kona Electric, it's rated at 239 miles of driving range between charges. Granted, 239 miles is less than the 258 miles the Kona EV gets on paper, so we were eager to see what the differences were between the similar EVs. After spending an icy, frigid weekend driving (and falling in love with) the Hyundai Kona Electric around Michigan we hopped on a plane, and headed to Santa Cruz to try out the 2019 Kia Niro EV (and to escape the cold). With a longer wheelbase and greater overall length than the Kona, the Niro EV offers a little more rear legroom — about three inches extra. As a 6-footer, I didn't find it uncomfortable to squeeze in behind an even taller driver. This bodes well for those of us with car seats we need to install in the back of our EVs. The Niro EV also boasts more luggage space than the Kona, with 18.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats, and 53 cubic feet with the seats folded down. We were impressed by the large rear opening and the spaciousness of the cargo area. The driver's seating position took a lot of adjustment to get comfortable in, a problem we didn't have in the Kona. No matter what we did, we felt like we were sitting too high up in the vehicle, but eventually it began to feel natural as our focus shifted from the interior around us to the road in front of us. Still, every time we got back in the car, we felt the need to try to improve the seating position. At least the seats were comfortable and supportive. Thankfully, Kia didn't go overboard with the styling of the Niro EV, and that goes for the interior, too. The oddest thing is the big rotary gear selector. While it looks like it would be in the way of the cupholder, it didn't interfere with grabbing our coffee, and it's more intuitive to use than the Kona Electric's separate PRDN buttons. The rest of the interior is about what you'd expect. There's a lot of plastic, a center stack that's maybe just a little too busy with buttons and controls, a well-incorporated touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster. It's quiet when you turn it on and begin to drive away, as you would expect. Listen carefully and you'll hear the spacey hum of its pedestrian warning system at low speeds, which shuts off as you approach 20 miles per hour.