Back in 2006, Korean car manufacturer Kia pulled a masterstroke: It nabbed former Audi design chief Peter Schreyer from Volkswagen AG. Now that four years have passed, Schreyer’s influence on Kia’s design teams can been seen in a lineup of elegant cars. In this article we will take a look at what to expect from Kia over the next few years.

Already on the road is the new 2011 Kia Sportage, and it presents a vastly more elegant look than the preceding model. Besides dripping with style, the Sportage is dripping with available features like a navigation system with Sirius traffic data, LED daytime running lights, heated and ventilated front seats, backup sensors, rearview camera, a panoramic sunroof, and push-button start. The standard 176HP engine will be joined by a turbo offering in the not so distant future.

Next up is the 2011 Kia Optima sedan. Dramatic styling propels this mid-sizer into the big leagues. Like its sister, the Hyundai Sonata, look for naturally aspirated, turbo, and hybrid variants. A configurator is already online for those of you who want to play with the sedan a little early. Could other Optima body styles such as a wagon or coupe be in the wings?

Hit the jump for the full read.

Kia Keeps ‘Em Coming With Swoopy Future Models originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 02:00 EST.

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With the Kia Rondo, it seems like it came in like a lamb and went out like a lamb. Nobody even noticed until someone sent in a tip to Autoblog. Even in its demise, Kia has been wishy-washy, simply stating that “Kia has not yet decided on a 2011 model, but the 2010 is still available in dealerships” even though the website makes it abundantly clear that the Rondo is gone in the USA, stating: “All good things must come to an end.”

Kia isn’t the only manufacturer with reservations about this segment in the United States. Chevrolet has recently announced that it will not bring its people mover, the Chevrolet Orlando, to the USA. When pressed for details as to why, GM staffers offered few concrete details and hinted that they felt it would not have competed well in the U.S. market. Do they mean the product or the concept?

Hit the jump to find out.

Kia Rondo’s Demise In USA: Can Small People Movers Sell Here? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 18 August 2010 18:00 EST.

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When Kia unveiled the Sorento at the Los Angeles Auto Show they announced it will be offered in only two trim levels: LX and EX. But today Kia added the third version: SX. This new version adds smart key with push button start, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, telescopic steering wheel, heated side mirrors, automatic up/down driver-side windows and privacy glass, leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, electrochromatic mirror with Homelink and a voice-activated navigation system with back-up camera.

For 2011, the Sorento CUV will be offered with a choice of two power plants, the first is a 2.4 Liter four cylinder that delivers 175 HP and 169 lb-ft of torque while a more powerful 3.5 Liter V6 making 276 HP and 248 lb-ft of torque, both coupled to Kia’s new six speed automatic transmission that provide the driver with effortless shifts.

Press release after the jump.

Kia Sorento SX originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 19 March 2010 20:00 EST.

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Forte Koup is by its essence one of the best model in Kia’s line-up. But Canadians will enjoy an even better package. The new R package will be available for either the SX or EX model.

The R package adds: a performance exhaust, AIM drop-in performance air filter, stiffer springs, a strut tower brace, but also front skirts, side sills and rear spoiler. The package is finished by 18-inch Europa wheels wrapped in Yokohama S-Drive rubber.

Sadly the package comes with no performance upgrade, but it still looks awesome.

Kia Forte Koup R-Package originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 18 March 2010 17:00 EST.

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Kia will unveil the next generation Optima sedan next month at the New York Auto Show. The new Optima is longer, wider and lower than before and features the same design language as the newly launched Sportage.

“The next generation Optima possesses the power to surprise,” says Peter Schreyer, Kia’s Chief Design Officer. “It’s a car that people will simply not expect from Kia – and that’s exactly what we set out to achieve.”

Press release after the jump.

Kia Optima originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 14 March 2010 07:54 EST.

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As evidenced by its not-so-subtle appearances in this new promo video, Kia wants us to think of one word when talking about the new Sportage: ‘wow’

For the most part, it’s hard not to agree with that; releasing one of the most entertaining promo videos helps a lot too. Combining colorful graphics with some pretty slick shots of the Tucson’s exterior and interior – we love the orange stitching on those seats – this promo video hits the mark in, well, ‘promoting’ the Sportage. Not to the full extent of ‘wow’, but close enough.

The Sportage actually shares its platform with its local Hyundai counterpart, the Tucson, so if you can attest to the overall package of the Tucson, chances are you’re going to feel the same way for the Sportage.

As it stands, the Sportage is set for a fall arrival in the US and similar to the Tucson, will also come with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with a later option for a smaller 2.0-liter variant.

Kia releases promo video for new Sportage originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 March 2010 11:30 EST.

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Kia is going full speed ahead with is new image. The Soul is erasing the memories of the soulless Rio, and now the Forte is adding style that the Spectra never had. The Forte has been on sale in other Markets sine August, and U.S. sales are now slated for this spring.

The 2010 Forte is being offered in three different trims: EX, LX and SX. Forte LX and EX are powered by a 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine, producing 156 hp and 144 lbs-ft of torque, that features Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) and multi-port electronic fuel injection. The SX features an upgraded 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine, also with CVVT, which delivers 173 hp.

Why are we excited about a new little Kia? Well, budget-friendly Kia seems to be starting to turn a corner. Its Euro-only Cee’d has been getting good reviews for style and performance. This Forte looks great inside and out compared to the Spectra it replaces, and so our hopes are high.

Press release after the jump.

Kia Forte originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 11 February 2009 16:00 EST.

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In 2008 at the New York Auto Show Kia unveiled the Koup concept. And only a year after, at the same show Kia brought the Forte Koup coupe, a model that stays quite faithful to the concept. The Forte Coupe will be offered in EX and SX versions, with prices starting at $16,595 and $17,695, respectively.

The idea for the car is simple: a sleeker coupe look for the sharp Forte sedan. That also means the engine lineup won’t change from the sedan. The Koup will be available with either a 156 hp 2.0-liter or 173 hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Both engines are mated to either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission.

Standard equipment includes: air conditioning, a driver’s seat height adjuster, adjustable rear seat headrests, tilt steering column, rear defroster, center console with dual cup holders, map lamps and variable intermittent wipers.

Press release after the jump.

Kia Forte Koup originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 8 February 2010 16:00 EST.

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When the entire auto industry convenes in Chicago next week for the Chicago Auto Show, Kia will finally be on the clock to lift the covers off of their new Ray concept car. But just like any car manufacturer that gets a kick out of teasing a lot of us with their still-to-be-unveiled vehicles, Kia decided to show us another teaser photo of the 2010 Ray Plug-In Hybrid Concept.

The photo, which shows the car’s front fascia and headlights, doesn’t reveal that much. But then again, that’s what teaser photos are all about, right?

As far as details surrounding the concept car are concerned, to the best of our knowledge, we don’t know a whole lot about it except that it looks edgier than just about any car Kia has come out with recently and solar panels just might be present on the roof of the Ray. Other than that, our best guess on the concept is as good as yours.

By our count, that’s two teasers Kia has released of the Ray concept – one of which looked more like a digital rendering than an actual photograph. The good news is, we won’t have to wait long to see the official concept break cover in Chicago next week.

Hopefully by then, we’ll have more answers than questions regarding Kia’s new concept car.

Kia releases second teaser image of the 2010 Ray Plug-In Hybrid concept originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 4 February 2010 09:00 EST.

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