However that may soon change if Kia decided to import their latest version of the Kia Optima … also known as the Kia Magentis in some markets.

The Kia Optima … or Kia Magentis is set to make it’s debut next month at the New York International Auto Show.

“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.”

Kia says that the Optima “exudes an athletic confidence from every angle and shutline – its raked roofline, the high and pronounced shoulder line of its sculpted flanks and its extended wheelbase are complemented by boldly flared wheelarches and a shallow glasshouse that create a saloon with a muscular and self-assured stance.

“The striking visage of the Optima features a new interpretation of Kia’s bold ‘tiger’ family face that’s edged by piercing projector headlamps.

“Longer, wider and lower than before, the Kia’s coupe-like profile is enhanced by the sweeping chrome arc that flows from A to C pillar, a distinctive design motif that visually lowers the car further still and enhances its cab-backwards proportions.”

While Kia’s press release tends to be more than a little lyrical about the new design there is now doubt that the new Kia Sportage is stylish and in line with the design that seems popular for the current crop of small SUVs.

While the new Sportage is longer, lower and wider than the model it replaces Kia has still managed to increase the ground clearance and perhaps give drivers an even better driving position.

The photos released by Kia show the new Kia Sportage as it will comply with European specifications but Kia does plan on having it available in showrooms around the world later this year. It will be available with diesel or petrol engines but Kia is still to release details on what capacity those engines will have.

UVO provides voice- and touch-activated experiences for simple management of music files and hands-free mobile phone operation. Co-developed with Microsoft® and based on Windows Embedded Auto software, UVO is an easy-to-use, hands-free solution that allows drivers and passengers to answer and place phone calls, receive and respond to SMS text messages, access music from a variety of media sources and create custom music experiences.

Understanding drivers want and need intuitive controls, Kia Motors and Microsoft® designed UVO to enable a new level of voice recognition through Microsoft® speech technology. UVO users will be able to access media content and connect with people through simple, quick voice commands without having to navigate through menus.

By supporting complex grammar, UVO needs only short voice commands to connect drivers and passengers with their desired functions. An interactive system, UVO responds to inquiries such as ‘What’s playing?’ and provides audible answers and related functions, helping to keep drivers’ eyes safely focused on the road.

UVO also brings advancements to in-car technology through an immersive user experience. The interface features a 4.3-inch, full-color display that provides detailed information on media content, phonebook data and vehicle information; the screen also doubles as a rear-view camera when the shifter is put in reverse. UVO is an open platform that seamlessly integrates with a wide variety of mobile phones, music players and other devices, making it easy for drivers to quickly pair devices.

“UVO powered by Microsoft® is a breakthrough for in-vehicle infotainment that helps allow drivers and passengers to safely and easily use all of their personal technologies to create personalized in-vehicle communications and entertainment experiences,” says Michael Sprague, Vice President, Marketing, KMA. “Collaborating with Microsoft®, Kia Motors is able to offer drivers an experience that will provide our cars with a clear competitive advantage.”

“We are very excited with the customized approach Kia Motors is bringing to in-car infotainment,” says Kevin Dallas, General Manager of Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Business division. “Kia’s UVO system demonstrates how the power of Windows Embedded technology can keep consumers connected to the devices, information and entertainment that matters to them most.”

Based on the award-winning Windows Embedded Auto platform, UVO can be updated easily as new consumer devices continue to be introduced to the market.

UVO will debut this summer in the all-new Kia Sorento and will be extended to additional Kia vehicles as part of the brand’s technological evolution. Kia Sorento, Soul, Forte and Forte Koup already come standard and at no extra cost with Bluetooth® wireless technology connectivity, iPod®/MP3/USB connectivity, and a three-month SIRIUS® satellite radio subscription.[1]

UVO will be shown for the first time at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 7-10, in both Kia Motors and Microsoft® booths; representatives from both companies will be on-hand for demonstrations.

Key features of UVO, powered by Microsoft®:

• Advanced Speech Recognition: Intelligent Microsoft® speech technology is trained to the system operator’s voice, creating a personal profile and allowing for up to two different voice profiles in various languages. Support for large grammar commands and faster response time means the content is delivered when you ask for it. Kia Motors’ UVO system is the first in-vehicle solution to integrate full Microsoft® speech engine technology.
• Natural Interface Advancements: A full-color, easy-to-use in-dash monitor allows occupants to quickly scroll through media and mobile device content through intuitive voice and touch-screen commands.
• Custom Media Experiences with MyMusic: UVO’s ‘Jukebox’ function features a 1GB hard drive for media storage, allowing users to rip music from CDs or an MP3 player into personal MyMusic folders and store up to 250 songs sorted by title and/or artist – all through voice commands. The system can shuffle through an MP3 player or AM/FM and SIRIUS® radio stations and instantly identify what’s playing all through simple voice commands.
• Rear Backup Camera: When the vehicle is put in reverse, a built-in rear backup camera uses UVO’s in-dash display to provide clearer images of the environment behind the car assisting the driver to identify certain objects that otherwise may be difficult to see.
• Ability to Continuously Update Features and Services: Based on a flexible Windows Embedded Auto platform, updates and services can be delivered in a number of ways (over-the-air, over-the-Web) for Kia to continue to provide a superior user experience after the system enters the market.

[1] The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such marks by Kia is under license. A BLUETOOTH® Wireless Technology-enabled cell phone is required to use BLUETOOTH® wireless technology. Ipod® mobile digital device connectivity requires Kia accessory cable, sold separately. iPod is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. Sirius®, XM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. and its subsidiaries. SIRIUS® radio requires a subscription, sold separately, after 3-month subscription included with vehicle purchase. Not available in Canada, Alaska and Hawaii.

Kia is currently testing a Borrego (not available in Australia?) they call they Mohave FCEV powered by a hydrogen cell and plans to put the vehicle into small-scale production in 2012 with full production starting in 2015.

The current test vehicle will run at speeds of up to 160kph and can travel around 600km on one hydrogen charge. A refill takes just five minutes and that’s definitely a point in favour of hydrogen vehicles compared to the recharge times for electric vehicles.

The hydrogen Borrego isn’t cheap though … Kia expects the vehicle to arrive in the showrooms in 2012 with a price tag of around $US50,000.

Kia have produced this short video that clearly explains how they will use hydrogen power and, if you can look beyond the hype, it’s really worth watching.

I’ve had this photo sitting on my laptop’s desktop for nearly a year now … that’s how long ago Kia released the Soul’ster concept vehicle. It’s nothing all that special … it’s only a Kia Soul with the back altered to turn it into a very small ute … but lots of people in the United States want to see it released.

Over there the experts all believe that the Kia Soul’ster would be a big seller in what they call the micro truck market but oddly Kia seems a little hesitant to produce it. Right now there is another car maker who is looking very seriously at bringing their own micro truck to the US market so Kia just might miss their big chance.

Here in Australia the Soul’ster might be quite popular in some areas but perhaps not north of Brisbane. On the Fraser Coast the local Kia dealer doesn’t seem to have ever had a Kia Soul in stock so I guess the demand for the Kia Soul’ster is not going to be that great.

The announcement comes on the heels of being named ‘Car of the Month; for August by the same consumer resource for its attractive styling, value and extensive list of class-leading features.

The editors at NADAguides.com carefully review the vehicles previously chosen as ‘Car of the Month’ to select the most deserving ‘Car of the Year.’ To be eligible, vehicles must be new for the model year and have a combination of impressive styling, fuel efficiency, low price point and cost of ownership.

“Not many cars can boast a full package when it comes to design features, price, performance and fuel economy, but the Forte leaves a lasting impression with all that and more,” said Michael Caudill, automotive expert for NADAguides.com.

The NADAguides.com ‘Car of the Month’ program aims to provide consumers with useful commentary, information and reviews on available new cars, trucks and SUVs, and showcases vehicles that offer impressive fuel economy, safety features and amenities.

The complete list can be found at www.nadaguides.com.

In Australia the Kia Cerato comes in two trim levels … the S and the SLi … and there’s also a Kia Koup available

When you cut through all the marketing hyperbole that you find in press releases from Kia you end up a four-door sedan powered by a 3.5-litre V6 with quad-overhead cams driving a 6 speed auto box that also offers a sequential manual mode. The fuel economy isn’t wonderful with a combined figure of 9.36L/100km and 223g/km of CO2.

Did someone miss the memo about cutting fuel consumption and emissions?

The Kia Cadenza will come in two trim levels with the top of the range bells and whistles including dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, RPAS reversing sensors, a reversing safety camera with interior mirro display screen and a powered extension for the dirver’s seat cushion.

Other “sophisticated” bibs and bobs include a ‘welcome’ system that turns on the exterior puddle and interior light “to greet the car owner”; an interior mood lighting strip that runs across the dashboard and all around the door trims to “creat a warm ambiance within the vehicle” and an additional large mood lamp that runs down the centre of the cabin ceiling.

Fortunately there’s no mention of lava lamps.

The first public sighting of the vehicle will be at next month’s Riyadh Motor Show and the Cadenza will go on sale in what Korea calls the “General Markets” (that includes Australia) in March next year.

On the heels of being given a ‘2010 Automotive Excellence Award’ by Popular Mechanics, named to TIME.com’s ‘Most Exciting Cars of 2010’ list and being named one of ‘10 Great and Safe Rides for Teens’ by AutoWeek magazine, the Kia five-door was one of only five small cars to earn the organization’s top honor for earning ‘Good’ ratings – the highest achievable – in frontal, side, rear and rollover impact crash safety tests.

“Since its launch in March, Soul has lived up to its tagline of being Kia Motors’ affordable halo vehicle by winning numerous awards and consistently being a media and consumer favorite,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing of Kia Motors America (KMA).

“Soul being honored with a ‘Top Safety Pick’ for a second time solidifies it as a top contender in its segment as a vehicle that offers consumers the entire package.”

Ratings from the Institute are based on results from frontal, side and rear impact crash tests and, for the first time, a good performance in a roof strength test to measure protection in a rollover also was required to win. Each vehicle’s overall evaluation was based on various measurements specific to each crash angle and overall impact on crash test dummies inside the vehicle at the time of collision.

All vehicles must have electronic stability control available to be eligible.

Expect to see more Asian manufacturers adding production capacity … or moving production capacity … to the United States in the next year or so as the US dollar continues to struggle against other currencies. Honda is one that has found that it could be cheaper to produce cars for various markets in the US than at home in Japan.

And expect to see those plants going up in the southern states for that’s where labour is cheaper than in the traditional automotive manufacturing states where the UAW has a grip on the labour market.

Kia Motors America is jumping into motorsports with a Kia Forte Koup (the Forte is sold in Australia as a Cerato) and the slogan “One Hot Ride” … and in racing trim it certainly does look hot.

Kia have joined forces with the Kinetic Group to build the race car and run it in the Grand Am Koni Sports Car Challenge Series … a series that Kia felt best matched the demographics of their target market.

The series includes a wide variety of vehicles from manufacturers in the US, Europe and Asia and uses weight and intake restrictions to provide a level playing field for all entrants and this car will run in the Street Tuner Class.

So the next time you pull up at a set of lights and find a Kia Cerato alongside give it a little respect … it’s not just a great small car for oldies like me but it can get out there on the race track and put down some hot laps too.

I mean who thinks of a car when you see KND-5 … you could be excused for thinking that we were talking about a robot instead of Kia’s upcoming luxury motor vehicle. But then what robot comes with a heated steering wheel, powered extendable seat cushions and ventilated front seats?

And of course a car that comes with all those goodies is going to have to have something special in the way a name and so we have the Kia Cadenza.

Unfortunately we won’t see the Kia Cadenza in Australia for some time yet. It’s first overseas appearances will be at the Saudi Arabia,Kuwait and Dubai international motor shows in the next couple of months.

Till then we have the photo … and the video

Kia has come up with new and very different way of saving fuel and even the name is a little unusual. Called Idle & Stop Go – or ISG for short the system will soon begin to appear in Kia’s European small car the cee’d.

It represents another step in the Korean Corporation’s continuing and massive investment in eco-friendly technologies for the future. Intensive R&D programs are developing hybrid, fuel cell and electric vehicles for volume production in the next decade.

Hyoung-Keun Lee, Senior Executive Vice President and COO of the International Business Division, said, “The new Kia cee’d ISG models confirm Kia’s commitment to creating more environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient production models without losing sight of customer expectations for Kia cars to feature a sporty design, fun-to-drive performance and a strong appeal to the young-at-heart.

Kia’s innovative ISG system automatically switches the engine off when the car is stopped in traffic and restarts the engine instantly when the driver wishes to move again. In typical city driving conditions, with heavy traffic and constant stop-start motoring, the ISG system dramatically cuts fuel consumption and emissions by up to 15%. In everyday mixed driving over town, country and motorway routes, the officially measured fuel saving is 6% on the combined cycle.

As part of the ISG system for cee’d, a new “smart” starter motor is linked to an upgraded ECU, which monitors the car’s status at all times. When the car comes to a stop, such as at traffic lights, the ECU uses information from various other control systems around the vehicle to decide if switching the engine off is appropriate.

A new “smart” high-efficiency alternator suppresses electric power demand during acceleration and recharges the car’s battery during deceleration. As a fail-safe if the car’s battery power drops below 75% of maximum for any reason, or there is insufficient energy available for the next start-up, the system will abort its Idle Stop & Go program.

While the car is stationary, if the clutch pedal is depressed, the engine is instantly re-started automatically so there is no delay in setting off as the engine re-starting process is accomplished in the time it takes the driver to select first gear.”

“In Europe, the Kia cee’d has rapidly established itself as a genuine rival to class-leading vehicles in the C-segment” enthuses Mr Panu Vainamo, General Manager Marketing, Kia Motors Europe. Now, we are proud to transfer some of the “green-performance” features shown on earlier Kia concept cars into our 2009 production models. The ISG innovation will maintain the cee’d as a highly competitive challenger in its class, with a CO2 rating from just 137 g/km.”

The new ISG-equipped Kia cee’d cars will also benefit from a new-generation, lighter weight manual gearbox which more than offsets the small extra weight of the ISG system components. Made in Europe, this new five-speed transmission weighs 5 kilos less than the previous unit and features a new selector mechanism. Gear-changing forces are reduced, reverse is synchronized with fifth gear for easier selection and the overall “feel” of the transmission is significantly improved.

In Europe, Kia cee’d ISG cars will be available with a choice of 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre gasoline engines and the three cee’d family bodystyles – five-door hatchback, five-door sporty wagon and three-door pro_cee’d.

Pricing and availability for Kia cee’d ISG models will vary across Europe to suit individual market conditions. Later during 2009, similar ISG technology will also be made available for the 1.6-litre diesel Kia cee’d and ISG technology appear on other Kia models in 2010 and beyond in numerous markets outside of Europe as well.

 

Kia Motors Corporation has confirmed that its all-new production model, the Kia Soul, will be marketed globally with a choice of three highly efficient engines (depending on individual markets), when it goes on sale in early 2009.

The most powerful engine will be a 2-litre gasoline unit.  A smaller capacity 1.6-litre gasoline engine will be offered in most countries, alongside a 1.6-litre diesel engine featuring a VGT (variable geometry turbocharger).

Both the 1.6-litre, four cylinder, 16-valve DOHC power units are based closely on engines fitted to the hugely successful, European-built, Kia cee’d.

Kia has also confirmed that the new model, which will be available exclusively as a five-door hatchback with front-wheel drive, will have an overall length of 4,105 mm, and a 2,550 mm wheelbase. Height will be 1,610 mm and width 1,785mm – excluding door mirrors.

To be manufactured in Korea from November 2008 for overseas markets, the Kia Soul will defy conventions and appeal especially to the young and the young-at-heart – whatever their age.

Kia Soul is not a replacement for an existing vehicle and is destined to play a unique role within Kia’s global product line-up.  Kia Soul will provide a creative platform for buyers to individualise and match their car to their own personality.

The World Premiere of the Kia Soul will be celebrated on 2 October 2008 at the Paris Motor Show.  The exciting new Kia model is scheduled to go on sale in Europe during February 2009, with sales in the USA and remaining overseas markets beginning in April 2009.

General Motors experienced a 37% drop in the sale of SUVs and vans in the United States during May and, when you consider that GM makes more money from the sale of SUVs than it does from conventional vehicles, it’s no wonder that GM is re-thinking its future strategy.

GM did have a team of engineers working on developing fuel-saving technologies for their SUVs with a view to introducing them by 2012 but no more. The team has been dispanded and re-assigned to other projects and General Motors may soon be making changing it’s focus from SUVs to more fuel efficient cars.

Volkswagen is also experiencing some problems in what it describes as “a difficult market environment”. While sales are surging in China they are falling when taken on a worldwide basis. VW reported a drop in of 0.8 percent in worldwide sales in May.

Kia on the other hand reported a 16.5% increase in worldwide sales during May with large increases in all markets. Most noteable were a 56.8 percent increase in sales to China, an 8.8 percent increase in sales to Europe and an 8.6 percent increase in sales to North America.

The Kia Borrego features a body-on-frame construction and will have seating for up to seven occupants. The Borrego will be powered by a V6 and, in some markets, a V8 will be offered as an opption

The Kia Borrego is named after a bighorn sheep native to California.

With its broad stance and low profile, Kee is a new interpretation of the 2+2 coupe, with a simple yet distinctive outline thanks to its long sweeping bonnet, slightly lengthened cabin with striking graphic treatment, sculpted flanks and strong lines.

Kee lays down very clear indications of how future Kia vehicles should look and displays elements that its creators will transfer to future Kia products. Presented as part of the strong frontal design with its distinctive headlamps and eye-catching LED cluster, the new style grille will become the new ‘face of Kia’ across our product range.

Inside, Kee looks and feels like a true sports car. The cabin is designed for maximum focus on driving. Clustered directly ahead of the driver, the main dials and controls are simple and straightforward, utilising Kia’s new standard red-orange illumination.

Behind the square-bottomed steering wheel are paddles to shift the six-speed semi-automatic sequential gearbox. Instead of a standard gear stick an ergonomically designed lever sits atop the milled aluminium centre console and requires only a nudge forward or backward to select the desired drive mode. And the top of the computer mouse-like lever flips up to reveal the electronic starter button.

All the main interior surfaces are covered in semi-suede microfibre materials and the body-hugging sports seats use a hard-wearing but distinctive metallic-finish silver cloth. And continuing the real-life functionality of Kee, the rear of the 2+2 cabin is sufficiently spacious to allow two adult passengers to travel on individual seats in the back of the vehicle whenever necessary.

The design team has concentrated on producing a realistic sports coupe. Every element of its design is clear, easy to understand and to use. All the main controls are fly-by wire, but their feel in operation has been created to deliver a sense of traditional operation. For example, the toggle switches mounted on the dashboard – echoing the DNA of generations of sports cars – let you navigate intuitively through the interface menu of the info-media center.

Kia Kee – Technical Specifications

Length 4325 mm

Width 1860 mm

Height 1315 mm

Wheelbase 2675 mm

Tyre size 245/40 R20

Engine V6 2.7-litre MUE-II

Maximum Power 200 ps

Transmission Six-speed automatic

It seems that high temperatures in the engine bay have caused some fan blades to become brittle and break. Kia will replace the faulty fan blades free of charge.

Kia has released another teaser photo of their new 2+2 sports coupe and has announced that this new coupe will incorporate “a host of elements that will become the new face of Kia right across our product range”.

Just what those elements are will have to remain a ’secret’ until Kia unveil their new sports coupe at the Frankfurt International Motor Show on September 11.

But times change, pain in your hip pocket can cause you to make decisions that reflect on your manhood and your patriotism and now we’re beginning to see change in the buying habits of Australian motorists … and the local manufacturers have been caught flat-footed.

Sales of Imported Cars Surge
In the period January to June this year – at a time when new car sales were increasing substantially – less than 20% of cars sold were actually built in Australia. Ford and Mitsubishi were the hardest hit as Australian car buyers looked overseas for their next new car.

Sales of light and small cars continued to climb as did sales of smaller 4WDs. Sales of small 4WD models are up by over 18% while sales of big 4WDs have dropped by over 13%.

And this trend will only continue to become stronger. The strong Aussie dollar means that imports from overseas are cheaper, the rising cost of fuel – tipped to be $100 a barrel by year’s end – will reinforce the appeal of smaller cars and another rise in interest rates tipped for August will further impact on the sales of big cars.

Manufacturers’ Response
And where are the manufacturers in all of this. Toyota is doing very well with it’s Aurion and Camry models but Holden has the VE Commodore with a fuel consumption that hasn’t improved in years. Ford has a new Falcon coming out next year that is just another big car and Mitsubishi is revamping its 380 – a car that hasn’t sold well in the past and probably never will.

It seems that there’s just more pain on the horizon for the local manufacturers. Admittedly Ford has announced that it will begin production of the Ford Focus here in Australia but that won’t begin to happen till 2011 – the first smalal car to be built in Australia since 1999 – and you might be forgiven for wondering if, in today’s ever-changing world, Ford Australia can last that long.

Meanwhile more and more small cars are coming in from overseas as savvy manufacturers take advantage of the Australian car makers inability to respond to market trends and things are only set to get worse for the big car makers when Kia launches it’s new cee’d range later this year. Trendy economical small cars like the Kia cee’d hatch and cabrio will become even more appealing to Australian car buyers.