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Kia Soul EV spied, shows over 250-mile range

The upcoming Kia Soul EV has been spied again at the Nurburgring. This time, it was wearing substantially less camouflage, revealing a shape very similar to conventionally powered Kia Soul prototypes. We also get our first look at the compact hatchback's interior. The interior reveals that the Soul EV should have impressive driving range, too. We'll get to the design aspects of this prototype in a moment, but first we want to address the car's range, which is shown on the infotainment display. It clearly shows that this car had 92 percent of its charge remaining, with an estimated range of 437 kilometers, or about 271 miles. That's a lot of range, and it's also in keeping with the European range estimate for the Hyundai Kona Electric, which was 292 miles. We don't expect quite that much range in the U.S., since the Kona is rated for 258 miles under EPA testing. But this makes us think the Soul could have roughly the Kona's U.S. range, which would be impressive. This could also suggest that the Soul EV will have the same 201-horsepower electric motor as the Kona and the Kona's cousin, the Niro EV. It isn't just range that's revealed with this prototype. This example gives us the best look we've had yet at the little electric. It shows us that the Soul EV shares the same boxy shape, boomerang-shaped taillights, and full-width headlights of the gasoline models. There are some unique deviations, though. While the wide headlight section is the same shape as the internal combustion model, it actually appears to house the main illuminating lights. The other version puts the lights for forward illumination lower in the front fascia. On the Soul EV, these lower light pods are still there, but they appear to be for accent lighting, maybe turn signals or possibly fog lights. The large lower grille of the gasoline Soul is also virtually gone except for a small opening at the bottom. It will be interesting to see what Kia does with all this extra space. The interior is an evolutionary take on the current model. The biggest difference appears to be a revised infotainment system with a wider screen and buttons placed underneath, rather than on each side. This being the EV model, it has a little rotary knob for shifting rather than a lever, and the instrument panel shows a speedometer and a dial that provides power information. The doors seem to have some interesting metallic trim with swoopy patterns.

2014 Kia Sorento

For most new car shoppers, three-row crossovers are little more than a way for the family-minded to avoid succumbing to the minivan stigma. Admit it - the only things that differentiate most larger CUVs from minivans are their lack of sliding side doors and - on most of them - the option of all-wheel drive. Having blossomed into a popular segment with thicker profit margins, though, automakers have plenty of incentive to keep their offerings fresh, and that's exactly why Kia is presenting its 2014 Sorento so soon.
At first glance, the crisply styled utility vehicle seen here appears to be nothing more than a mid-cycle refresh - and not a particularly extensive one, at that. But that's not the case at all. Despite looking very similar to the second-generation vehicle that came on the scene for the 2010 model year, this is an all-new Sorento. Or, more precisely, it's about 80-percent new. Kia says less than 20 percent of the parts have been carried over from the 2013 Sorento, and that's a pretty typical amount for an 'all-new' vehicle generation.
Since we've yet to spend quality time with the "Made in the USA" Sorento for more than a short First Drive in Arizona last February, we snagged the keys to a 2014 model in the all-new SX Limited trim level for a lengthy backroad sojourn from Florida to South Carolina.

2014 Kia Optima Hybrid shows its freshened face

Think back to the 2013 New York Auto Show, and you'll recall that the already attractive Kia Optima midsize sedan was re-schnozzed for the 2014 model year. The hybrid version was left alone, visually, though its powertrain was updated to provide more oomph and slightly better fuel economy. And now, the whole thing comes full circle - the fresh-faced 2014 Optima Hybrid is making its debut here at the Chicago Auto Show.
The new look is really the only news here, with a reworked front fascia that combines restyled Hybrid-specific LED lighting elements and new enhancements that Kia says improves aerodynamics. A similar touch-up has been given to the rear end, and new 16- and 17-inch wheel designs are also available.
Under the hood, the Optima Hybrid's powertrain is unchanged, the four-cylinder gasoline-electric system still putting out a combined 199 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy is also unchanged for 2014, with the LX model estimated to achieve 36/40/38 miles per gallon (city/highway/combined), and the higher-grade EX estimated to net 35/39/37 mpg.