2014 Kia Cadenza Sx Limited on 2040-cars

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Kia teases e-AWD Soul concept for Chicago

Kia let slip just a few days ago that it is preparing an outdoorsy concept based on one of its most popular models for the 2015 Chicago Auto Show. After a brief wait, we are getting our first look at an unnamed e-AWD concept – or at least the front third of it. By all accounts, it looks to be rough and tumble version of its popular Soul compact. Beyond some tougher looks, the concept will get some extra oomph from an electric all-wheel drive system. Plus, to fit its inspiration of letting city dwellers go on off-road adventures, the styling wears a few tweaks from Kia's California design studio. The teaser shows off black body cladding around the lower air dam and wheel wells. The headlights also appear blacked-out with white trim around them for contrast, and the orange highlights in the wheels provide some visual pop. We're curious to see if Kia will do anything else for this Soul concept's design and how much power the electric all-wheel drive system adds. With the way the teaser image is tightly cropped, it could be a different bodystyle altogether, from a convertible to a pickup. All will be revealed when the concept is unveiled on Thursday, February 12, at the show. For the moment, we're just happy it appears that Kia is finally formally entertaining the idea of an AWD Soul. Kia Motors America will unveil an advanced and capable electric all-wheel drive (e-AWD) concept vehicle at the upcoming Chicago Auto Show. This bold off-roader was conceived by Kia's California design studio and built for city dwellers seeking the ultimate urban escape. Intended to enable a wide array of outdoor activities from skiing and snowboarding, to camping, hiking and mountain biking, this rugged runabout captures the essence of adventuring at higher elevations with the promise of surefootedness in the wild. Kia's newest concept will be revealed on the Kia stand Thursday, February 12 at 9 AM. See you there. News Source: Kia Design/Style Green Kia Crossover Hatchback Concept Cars Hybrid

Best sport sedans for 2022 and 2023

SUVs dominate the car industry at every size and price level, but some people still prefer the looks, and more importantly, the performance and comfort, of the traditional sedan. With a lower ride height, lighter weight and generally smaller size, they often are much more fun to drive, and can even be more comfortable. Sport sedans of course lean harder on the performance side of things, and are among the best options for sheer speed and fun, thanks to those inherent characteristics. We've rounded up the ones in the segment that do the sporty dance better than any others in 2024 to give you a handy guide when you're shopping for one of your own. You'll find a wide array of cars here including gas, electric and hybrid powertrains. They'll have manual and automatic transmissions and drive the front, rear or all four wheels. Technically a few hatchbacks have slipped in, but they're close enough in look and feel that we wanted to include them. And excluding them means you might miss out on some of the best-driving options available. You wouldn't want that, would you? Alfa Romeo Giulia Why it stands out: Punchy four-cylinder; astounding power from Quadrifoglio; light and nimble character; awesome shift paddlesCould be better: Clunky infotainment; sub-par switchgear Read our Alfa Romeo Giulia review We start this list with one of the most predictable inclusions: the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Yes, it's a stereotype that the Italian sport sedan is fun to drive, but the fact is, well, it is. The Giulia comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 280 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful four-cylinders in the segment. It's paired with a snappy and smooth eight-speed transmission and either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.  The engine is lively and torquey, if a little short of revs, and the chassis feels super-light. The steering is eager and the car jumps into corners. We also highly recommend getting a version with the enormous and superb aluminum paddle shifters that make clicking through gears much more entertaining. And on the topic of the interior, it's attractive, but the various switches and knobs feels a little cheap, and the infotainment system is clunky. Of course there's also the incredible Giulia Quadrifoglio at the high end. It gets a Ferrari-derived twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 making 505 hp, and it's rear-wheel drive only.

2019 Kia Forte revealed | Bigger interior, Stinger-ish styling and 35 mpg

Even though it was updated for the 2017 model year, Kia has decided the time is right to completely redesign the Forte compact sedan. And the end result is a generally handsome car that looks more exciting in some ways, but less so in others. The front of the car is easily the highlight. It pulls from the sensational Stinger for its angrier headlights with aggressive "X" motifs, along with big side intakes and a more shapely grille. The lower grille is very wide and looks menacing in black. Some added creases to the hood and fenders also provide a muscular look absent on the rounded current model. What's disappointing is that the Forte's sides are rather boring. The only visual interest in the slab flanks are the soft shoulder line under the windows, and a crease at the bottom. Even the window line is a simple straight line, unlike the line on the current model that plunges low at the front and sweeps up to the back. Fortunately the tail brings back a modicum of style with nicely detailed lights, complete with a full-width section, and a nicely flared out rear bumper. The new Forte is also a bit larger than the old model. It's 3.2 inches longer, and 0.7 inch wider. Kia says this provides the Forte with more passenger space and cargo space. Specifically, the trunk is 15.1 cubic feet, which is 0.2 cubic foot larger than the current model. Kia hasn't announced whether a hatchback will be offered with this new generation. Besides the extra space, the Forte's interior is much more attractive than the monochrome cocoon of the current model. It has more contrast in materials and colors, and a trim, wide-looking dashboard. It also features a standard 8-inch touch screen infotainment system. Wireless charging, a 320-watt Harman Kardon sound system, and some additional driver aids will be available as options. Kia has only revealed one engine for the new Forte. It's a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder, now featuring a cooled exhaust-gas recirculation system. It makes the same 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque as the current Atkinson-cycle model, but Kia is expecting it to get notably better fuel economy. The final numbers have yet to be revealed, but Kia is targeting 35 mpg combined. For reference, the current Forte economy king is the automatic-equipped Atkinson-cycle car that gets 32 mpg combined, along with 29 mpg city and 37 on the highway.