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Kia (Page 21)

Kia

In this section of Torque News you can find the latest news from Kia and news about Kia vehicles. Keith Griffin is the Hyundai/Kia news reporter at Torque News and can be followed on Twitter at IndepthAuto.

Kia became a company in the 1940s but didn’t sell its first car in the U.S. until 1992. It now sells in over 180 countries. Since joining forces with its Korean rival Hyundai in 1998, Kia models have come a long way from what they used to be and are now well-designed vehicles with the latest the industry has to offer.

The combined Hyundai – Kia operation is the fifth largest automaker in the United States. Kia has a manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia where it produces three models: the top-selling Telluride CUV, Sorento CUV, and the new K5 midsize sedan. It also ships vehicles for sale in Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean and Pacific nations.

Here’s a little bit of trivia for you. The word “Kia” is derived from the Chinese characters Ki, meaning to “arise or come up out of” and a, referring to Asia. So when put together, Kia means to “arise or come up out of Asia.”

Kia’s extensive lineup includes sedans and SUVs of all sizes, hatchbacks, a minivan, an all-electric model, hybrids and plug-in hybrids, a quick and sporty four-door hatchback, and a large and very luxurious sedan.

Unlike Hyundai’s more conservative lineup, Kia offers sportier designs and driving dynamics. The quick Stinger GT and Forte GT are fun-to-drive examples while models like the Optima, Sportage, and Telluride offer sleek and sporty looks.

The Telluride, K5 and Forte models are some of the brand’s top sellers. Other models include the Soul hatchback, the Niro hybrid SUV, the Rio, the Sedona minivan, and the Niro EV. The Stinger is Kia’s rear-drive sports car and the Cadenza and K900 big sedans are the brand’s luxurious offerings but have some of the poorest sales in the lineup.

New models include the big three-row Telluride SUV, the compact Seltos SUV, the the Soul EV, and the sporty K5 that replaces the Optima for 2021.

Below is a list of Kia’s models with starting prices (excludes delivery charges):

  • 2021 Kia Seltos – $21,990
  • 2021 Kia Soul – $17,490
  • 2020 Kia Niro – $24,590
  • 2020 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid – $29,400
  • 2021 Kia Sportage – $23,990
  • 2021 Kia Sorento – $29,390
  • 2021 Kia Telluride – $31,990
  • 2020 Kia Rio – $15,850
  • 2021 Kia Forte – $17,890
  • 2021 Kia K5 – $23,390
  • 2021 Kia Stinger – $33,090
  • 2020 Kia Cadenza – $37,850
  • 2020 Kia K900 – $59,900
  • 2020 Kia Niro EV – $39,090
  • 2021 Kia Soul EV – Discontinued?
  • 2021 Kia Sedona – $30,400
By Keith Griffin on March 17, 2012 - 4:52PM
Folks who live within driving distance of Cape Coral, Fla., located just west of Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast, should head over to Fuccillo Kia of Cape Coral for a shot at winning a new house and Kia Soul.
By Don Bain on March 16, 2012 - 12:18AM
Kia Motors America (KMA) has been shown to have achieved "the biggest improvement in adjusted CO2 and fuel economy performance from Model Year (MY) 2009 to MY 2010," raising fuel efficiency by 11.6 percent fleet-wide and lowering greenhouse emissions by 10.1 percent overall.
By Patrick Rall on February 29, 2012 - 1:40PM
There was a point in the not-so-distant past where buying an affordable compact 5-door meant that you were sentenced to a bland, amenity-free driving experience but the 2012 Kia Rio 5-door is a great illustration of how much you can get for your money in the modern compact segment.
By Patrick Rall on February 28, 2012 - 1:03PM
The automotive world has known for some time that the Kia brand was planning to launch a rear wheel drive luxury flagship sedan but today, the Korean automaker posted the first official images of the new Kia KH Concept on their company Facebook page – giving us a look at what will likely sit atop the Kia lineup in the next year or so.
By Patrick Rall on February 28, 2012 - 1:02PM
By Keith Griffin on February 18, 2012 - 12:50PM
The Kia cee’d, which has enjoyed success around the world but has not been branded for the North American market, will make its second generation debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show with strong influences from the Kia Forte that was introduced this past fall in the U.S.
By Anthony Faccenda on February 18, 2012 - 11:30AM
Hyundai and Kia are being sued by Paice LLC, who claims that the automakers violated patent laws by using the company's 1994 patent for hybrid technology. Paice was famously involved in an eight-year long battle with Toyota from 2002-2008 over the same allegations.
By Don Bain on February 14, 2012 - 7:38PM
The 2012 Kia Soul Red Rocks, seventh in a series of special editions of the popular car with the viral hamster commercials, is named for the Jurassic Red Sandstone that crosses the southwestern U.S. from western Kansas, through Colorado and Utah.
By Keith Griffin on February 13, 2012 - 10:03AM
Kia has released unexpected sketches of what it says will be its all-new flagship sedan with some distinct design flairs that show the Korean automaker is working hard to come out from the shadow of its parent company.
By Adam Yamada-Hanff on February 9, 2012 - 5:19PM
There were many automakers with smart and funny commercials on Super Bowl Sunday. Kia managed to be a cut above the rest with its commercial featuring the Motley Crue, Chuck Liddell, and Adriana Lima.
By Anthony Faccenda on February 8, 2012 - 2:09PM
The racing-inspired Kia Track'ster, an AWD 250-hp concept vehicle, was unveiled today at the Chicago Auto Show.
By Patrick Rall on January 23, 2012 - 11:39AM
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Kia Motors have announced a recall of over 145,000 Rondo minivans and Optima sedans over a concern that they may have been equipped with a faulty airbag component that could cause the airbags not to deploy in the event of an accident.
By Keith Griffin on January 9, 2012 - 11:42AM
The first Korean electric vehicle is going to have its North American debut tomorrow. Two things are surprising about that. It's not the Korean company you think and the debut location is not at the North American International Auto Show.
By Katherine Tompkins on January 5, 2012 - 4:01PM
Kelley Blue Book's editors name their choices for quality used cars.
By Adam Yamada-Hanff on December 31, 2011 - 11:39AM
Kia has announced the company's first electric vehicle, the Kia Ray. This marks an important milestone not just for Kia, but Korea as as a whole, since this will be Korea's first electric vehicle to hit the market.

By Keith Griffin on December 11, 2011 - 11:06AM
WardsAuto is out with its Ward's 10 Best Engines for 2012 and it's a great list with diverse technology that points the way to how engines are evolving in the American marketplace but it's good to see good old American grunt like that offered in the Ford Mustang Boss 302 isn't overlooked.
By Adam Yamada-Hanff on November 21, 2011 - 11:59PM
A day after Black Friday 2011, when the nation is searching for doorbuster deals and discounts on Thanksgiving weekend, Kia has found a clever way to bring people to its booth at the 2011 LA Auto Show by showcasing the custom golf-themed KIA Soul and female golf star, Michelle Wie at it's booth.
By Keith Griffin on November 10, 2011 - 9:12PM
Automotive Leasing Guide's three year study of perceived quality bodes well for Ford, Kia and Hyundai who prosper but shows impending doom for smart, Scion, Mini and Mitsubishi who all plummet from 2008 to 2011.
By Adam Yamada-Hanff on November 3, 2011 - 5:40PM
Kia has announced that it plans to build a third manufacturing plant in China. This is in order to meet increasing demand in the country and to maintain its sales momentum in the Chinese market, which has been strong.
By Adam Yamada-Hanff on October 30, 2011 - 10:48PM
Kia has been making significant advances and developments in alternative-powered vehicles. This includes development into hydrogen fuel-cells, hybrids, and fully electric cars. Other automakers should take note, and follow in Kia's lead.
By Keith Griffin on October 25, 2011 - 10:05AM
Fresh on the heels of the unveiling of the 2012 Kia Rio 5-door, the price for the 2012 Kia Rio sedan has been announced. In its most basic trim level, the Rio sedan will be available for $13,400 with a six-speed manual transmission.
By Patrick Rall on October 18, 2011 - 3:06PM
The 2011 SEMA Show opens exactly two weeks from today but the corporate teaser shots continue to flow, with the folks from Kia offering up a shot of their compact Kia Soul - giving us a glimpse at what to expect from the six sporty vehicles coming to the Las Vegas Convention Center later this month.
By Keith Griffin on October 15, 2011 - 9:28AM
Shopping in Paris is a fine art, which may explain why Kia is going upscale with its Picanto and selling it in a shopping mall in Paris. Befitting the bespoke nature of Paris, shoppers can customize their Picantos at the mall.
By Keith Griffin on October 12, 2011 - 11:51AM
The hot spot in the automotive world right now is the B class or sub-compact segment as most folks know it. Sweet in that hot spot is Kia with the 2012 Rio five-door hatchback currently in dealers and the four-door sedan that rolls out by year’s end. The base 2012 model has the same price as the 2011 model but much more value.