2011 Kia Sportage SX Turbo Review & Test Drive

‘ECONOMICAL HIGH PERFORMANCE AND VERSATILITY’ 

The all-new Sportage SX takes the model up a notch with eye-catching exterior styling, a more powerful four-cylinder turbo engine, and unique interior options.  As part of Kia’s design-led transformation, the Sportage has become a strong player within the Kia line-up, offering surprising power and class-leading fuel economy.

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Is Kia Working On A V-8, Rear Drive Sports Car?

In the automotive world, the summer months can easily be referred to as the “silly season.” There aren’t any significant auto shows going on, and most manufacturers avoid summer releases of product. If you cover news from the auto industry, this time of year leaves you scrambling for things to write about; after all, how many times can you cover the latest Consumer Reports trends, or J.D. Power rankings, or FBI crime stats? Read more…

Can Kia Save Its Soul?

Kia’s funky urban utility vehicle, the Soul, was introduced to the market in 2009, late to the party started by the Scion xB and the Nissan cube. To make up lost ground, Kia launched an ingenious marketing campaign featuring hip-hop hamsters, and suddenly Kia’s box-on-wheels was everywhere. To keep it fresh, Kia released a series of limited production “special editions”, like the Soul Denim and the Ghost Soul, but these were largely paint and trim packages. As cool as the Soul was, it lacked power and suffered from less-than-optimal fuel economy, so the company routinely lost buyers to Nissan and Scion. Read more…

Is Kia Working On A Mazda MX-5 Rival?

When it comes to manufacturing products, it’s best to not under-estimate the Koreans. As a Hyundai insider once told me, they’re the only people of the planet who can make the Japanese look like slackers. Just look at Hyundai and Kia if you need proof; two decades ago they were the butt of jokes, but today they’re on fire. The Hyundai Elantra is kicking ass and taking names in the compact car segment, and their Sonata is doing the same in the midsize class. Kia’s Optima and Optima Turbo are poised to give Hyundai a run for their money, and it looks like Hyundai is positioning Kia as a younger, more sporting brand. When Kia says they’re looking at building a rival to Mazda’s MX-5, I believe they’ll succeed where others have failed. Read more…

2011 Kia Optima EX Review & Test Drive

‘MORE THAN WHAT YOU BARGAINED FOR’

The all-new 2011 Kia Optima EX is the first Kia that I have tested and photographed and I must admit that I am very impressed with the overall package.  The styling is unique,   performance is excellent, fit, finish and attention to detail inside the cabin is first rate.  All this at a very reasonable price of $22,495.00 in base trim, and $26,745.00 nicely loaded with some features not available from the competition.

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2011 Kia Sorento EX V6 AWD Review & Test Drive

Kia, just like their counterparts at Hyundai, is doing big things. Not only in the division of cars, but also in the department of CUVs, or what some refer to as cross-over utility vehicles. For 2011 the new Kia Sorento has been fully redesigned now having more driving characteristics of a car versus a truck.

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Super Bowl Car Ads: I’d Score It Kia 1, Chevy 0

Let’s face it: if your team isn’t playing in the Super Bowl, half the game’s entertainment value is going to come from the ads. Every single advertiser pulls out all the stops to film a budget-blowing spot for the Super Bowl, because it ensures they’ll get their product in front of millions of beer and hot-wing fueled television viewers. Short of staging your own halftime “wardrobe malfunction”, there’s no better way to build brand awareness than with a Super Bowl ad that stands above the rest. Read more…

2011 Kia Optima: That’s A Kia?

Have you ever had that second glance at a car once you found out what it was leaving you in total disbelief?  That’s the way I feel about the new 2011 Kia Optima. It is almost too good to be true in terms of what most automotive enthusiasts think of Kia vehicles. Kia has arrived at the party a little late but boy do they know how spark up a conversation.

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