2014 Kia Soul Base on 2040-cars

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Hyundai sees tough year ahead, plans to introduce 13 new models

SEOUL — South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group predicted another year of tepid car sales growth on the back of a slow 2018, saying trade protectionism adds uncertainty and major markets such as the United States and China remained sluggish. In his first New Year address to employees, group heir apparent Euisun Chung said Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Motors would complete a restructuring of South Korea's second-biggest conglomerate, which is widely expected to pave the way for him to formally succeed his octogenarian father as head of the group. The complicated succession plans come as Hyundai contends with a bunch of problems that have cost it market share in China and the United States and stalled its rise up the ranks of global automakers. It missed a boom in sports utility vehicles (SUVs), faces potential U.S. tariffs and a U.S. investigation over how it handled a vehicle recall, and lost ground in technological advances such as self-driving cars. "Business uncertainties are heightening as the global economy continues to falter. Walls of protectionism are being constructed around the world," Chung, 48, told hundreds of employees at the group's headquarters in Seoul. "Internally, we face challenging tasks such as stabilizing business in major markets like the U.S. and China, while simultaneously enhancing our responsiveness to drive future growth." Hyundai and Kia — together the world's fifth-biggest automaker — set what they called a "conservative target" of 7.6 million vehicle sales in 2019, a 3 percent increase from the 7.399 million vehicles sold last year. The 2018 sales fell short of the group's target of 7.55 million vehicles, marking its fourth consecutive annual sales goal miss. The duo sold 7.25 million vehicles in 2017. Morgan Stanley expects global auto production to fall 1 percent in 2019, the first drop in nine years. In that environment, the group said it would launch 13 new or face-lifted models in 2019, including a premium Genesis SUV, the big Hyundai Palisade SUV and the Sonata sedan. "Hyundai will be launching new models, but competitors will be also doing so, making it difficult for Hyundai to increase shares in the sluggish markets in China, U.S. and Europe," said Sean Kim, an analyst at Dongbu Securities. Hyundai shares ended down 3.8 percent and Kia slumped 2.7 percent, while the wider market <.KS11> was down 1.5 percent.

Kia bringing Habaniro concept to New York Auto Show

Hyundai and Kia have a full docket planned for the New York Auto Show. We know Hyundai's bringing the Venue subcompact crossover for "urban entrepreneurs," Kia will debut a compact crossover originally conceived for the Indian market. and across the luxury aisle, Genesis will pull covers off an electric show car and the U.S.-market G90. Seems Kia has something else besides: Just Auto says Kia's NY debuts will include the Habaniro concept, and Carscoops caught a photo of it in a NY show newsletter. The misspelling of Habanero, from the same company responsible for the Sorento and Mohave, must be intentional and might make family ties to the Kia Niro. Just Auto says the small, squat crossover is about the size of the Niro, yet the zesty Habaniro concept separates itself from the tapioca Niro in numerous ways. The barricade front end dispenses with the brand's tiger nose grille in favor of a stylized brace that connects both fenders above a husky skid plate. A thin LED breaks into several angles across the fascia to break up the expanse of black brace and banded grille. Based on the front end alone, we wouldn't be surprised if the Habaniro ended up in the next " Tron" franchise installment. Whereas the Niro's a four-door, the Habaniro concept believes three doors is enough, the passenger portals on the side featuring flush door handles that span the door shutline. The glasshouse is cut short aft of the doors to make room for a red slash running from roof to wheel well, a graphic that reminds us of the 2013 Peugeot 308 R concept. From there, cue the requisite enormous wheels, clad in beefy all-terrain rubber. Also notice the lack of side mirrors. We can't wait to find out what this is about. Just Auto had one last tidbit on the compact Kia crossover we knew about before. The name Tusker has been mooted as the global moniker, it seems Trazor could also be in the running. The new offering will slot in below the Sportage and Niro, above the Soul.

Kia previews new minivan ahead of New York debut

Kia has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, but the Sedona has hardly been representative of that maturation. Known in some overseas markets as the Carnival, Kia's current minivan was introduced 2006, withdrawn from US showrooms at the end of 2012, then reintroduced again a year ago. Despite the product renaissance, however, the Sedona is essentially the same dated vehicle it has been for eight years now, but Kia is intent on replacing it.
We've been seeing spy shots of a new Kia minivan for several months now, and broke word a couple of months ago that the finished product would be unveiled in New York this month. Now Kia has not only confirmed the new Sedona's imminent arrival, it has released this teaser image to keep us on our toes.
The teaser shows a vehicle more or less in line with what we'd expect of a modern Kia, tabbed grille and all. This view suggests fewer design cues from the KV7 concept have been carried over than was previously thought, but we'll need to see the entire vehicle to know for sure. Kia isn't saying much about its "all-new midsize multi-purpose vehicle" in the press release below at this point, revealing only that it "will challenge the segment and will offer the functionality to transport as many as eight passengers and their belongings while also serving as a purposeful offering for adventure seekers."