By Katherine Helmetag

Atomicalex

The Subaru Brat and the Isuzu Amigo suffered similar and ignominious fates: they failed in the market. You decide about the future of the Kia Soulster, an open-top version of the Kia Soul. More pics after the jump.

Continue reading "Kia Soulster" »

The Kia Rondo is what 20 years of evolution would do to the Mitsubishi Colt Vista, the smallest car ever to seat seven or sleep two. It’s deja vu all over again – the Rondo keeps the flexible seating along with the Vista’s minimal (read: zero) cargo space when all seating is deployed. That being had, the Rondo is far from the bottom of my rental ride ranking – it handled some miserable winter weather well and seemed less top-heavy than the Dodge Caliber in town. Yeah, the dash is a vista of hard plastic, but it’s got these cool little windows where the sail panels should be that improve visibility a lot. The powerplant is uninspiring, and the transmission is nothing to write home about, but both are adequate. So don’t complain if the rental lot is out of Versas – you won’t love the Rondo, but you definitely won’t hate it, either.

By John Coyle

Editor

So, like 15 minutes ago, Kia was more punchline than car company. And while there are probably plenty of people who still think that’s true, I’m not among them. Parent company Hyundai has proven it can build solid, reliable cars for years now—my little sister and Mom both love their Hyundais—which leads me to believe that Kia’s quality isn’t far behind. Also, it’s pretty clear Hyundai is positioning Kia to be the Scion of the family, because they’ve mandated that all Kia brass get neck tattoos and facial piercings. Kidding. Sorry. But from the set-up they had at SEMA—a skater, an artist custom painting Vans, a ton of custom parts—it’s clear the company is gunning for Toyota’s little brother. Don’t miss the video of the freestyler doing a burly spin—read: burly spin—and check out a bunch of pics from the booth after the jump.

Continue reading "All Up In Their Booth: Kia at SEMA" »

Tonight, I’m headed to Oregon for a friend’s wedding. And while I know that it will be a good time, I can’t say I’m terribly stoked about the fact that it involves camping. I swear, if I spend another weekend sitting on the ground in the freezing cold, I’m never going outside again. Anyway, here’s the news:

• In wake of the fiscal foundering of American automakers, it’s interesting to see that one manufacturer made more money than it was expected to. Way to go Kia! The power to surprise indeed. Auto Observer
• It’s been clear that GM just isn’t feeling Hummer anymore, and it looks like the relationship could be over sooner rather than later. Final words from the General, "It’s not me, it’s you." And to think, we thought those two kids would last forever. Automotive News
• Will Audi make the next-gen TT mid engine? The rumor mill says that whether it happens or not depends on the Porsche brass. My gut says they won’t like the idea, but hey, I’m generally wrong. World Car Fans
• Times are tough all over. Well, not really. New York’s private Monticello Motor Club—set to open Sunday—has seen so many well-heeled folks wanting to join that it has raised the membership fee from 100 grand to 125 grand. Wow, it must be cool to be rich. Reuters
• To state the obvious, most cars come with a windshield, but Ariel offering one on it’s Atom is big news. It doesn’t look bad, but I think I’d rather just wear a helmet. Motor Authority

Beginning today, drivers in California and Washington who want to yak on the phone will have to use a hands-free device. Since almost nobody in Seattle can drive even when all their attention is focused on the road, I think this is a good idea. Unfortunately, the law ignores the fact that drivers are more distracted by the conversations they’re having more than juggling the phone. Nice try, legislators. Here’s the news:

• Tesla has announced it will release an all electric sedan for under 60K. While I like the idea as much as anyone, maybe the company should finish up the Roadster before it starts hyping another ride. I’m not hating, just saying… Jalopnik
• New spy photos of Jag’s XK-R have been released, and it looks like the already pretty kitty is going to be drop-dead gorgeous when it hits showrooms. But can I make one request? How about a six-speed manual option? World Car Fans
• Need any more proof that American’s are shunning gas guzzlers for more fuel-efficient rides? Ford’s SUV sales fell more than 54% last month. Wow, that’s ugly, but if you can afford the gas, it’s a great time to buy an Expedition. Freep
• Hyundai and Kia are on the way up! Sales of the sister companies vehicles have put them in the top five for global sales. For those who can remember the Excel, that’s big news. Motor Authority
• After years of being relegated to odd hours on channels far north of the regular networks, MotoGP will be shown on CBS and NBC. It’s about time! Motorcycle News

One of the more colorful automotive execs of the past few years has just popped back into the headlines. Len Hunt, formerly of Volkswagen of America and of Kia Motors, has apparently joined the Gallup Organization, now known as Gallop, Inc. VW owners fondly recall Hunt as a guy who posted on VWVortex and did burnouts in the parking lot at the Auburn Hills, MI headquarters building. At Kia, Hunt built on his reputation of customer focus and his desire to bring people product that they will buy. I had the privilege to talk to Hunt a few years back as part of a marketing program for the current Passat model, and he was every bit the entertaining British wit he’s reported to be. Hopefully he’ll continue to inject flair and fun into the auto industry from his new perch.

While I don’t like to think about anyone getting laid off, I still think it’s kind of funny that Hummer might get shut down. Of all the vehicles on the road, they have to be some of the dumbest. Anyway, here’s the rest of the news:

• Oh. My. God. F1 boss Max Mosley—AKA: Nazi orgy guy—survived his vote of confidence today! The German’s are pretty pissed, but apparently their protests weren’t enough to compel the other countries to vote him out. Wow! Associated Press
• In exchange for building the Volt in Detroit, the General is asking for Motown to give it a break on taxes. This seems like a no-brainer to me, hopefully the city government agrees. Detroit News
• Last month, total Ford sales fell 16%, while sales of trucks and SUVs dropped a whopping 40%. That’s got to hurt. Freep
• According to AutoPacific’s new survey, Cadillac owners are the most satisfied auto customers in the nation. Finally, so good news for GM! GM Fastlane
• KIA did a bang-up job at the 24-hour Nürburgring race. Not only did the pro_ceed the company fielded not have any mechanical issues. It also won it’s class and drove back to Milan after the race. Bravo! World Car Fans 

Ok, obviously I pushed you people too far. But I have to say, this was one of the more interesting and amusing Showroom Showdowns from the perspective of the guy who has to go through and read/count all the comments (me). Over half of you voted neither, and many of you were quite passionate about it. To quote maffew, "NONE OF TEH ABOVE…. would rather rock a moped with a milk crate bungee corded to the front, pulling a bicycle trailor full of the kids I dont have…."

Chevy barely edged out the Kia in the vote, but I can’t declare it a winner. Some people scolded me for not selecting the Aveo sedan, but the sedan is priced over $12k. And some of you wished I’d picked different econoboxs all together, like the Yaris, but that wasn’t the point–I wanted the cheapest, crapiest cars I could find. And a few brave Aveo and Rio owners wandered into the fray to try to defend their modest vehicles—kudos to you guys. There also seemed to be a strong sentiment that econoboxs have gotten worse over the last 10 – 20 years. Several people mentioned how their old Festivas, CRXs and Geos get significantly better mileage, while also being a lot more interesting to the average enthusiast. Heads up auto manufacturers, there is definitely an opportunity here.

This week’s shitbox Showroom Showdown is all about being practical and economical. These were the two cheapest four door vehicles I could find on Edmunds–both cars list for less than $11k. I was expecting better gas mileage, but I guess mid to low 30s on the highway isn’t too horrible. And because this edition is all (or mostly) about price, let’s say that if you go with the Chevy, you get to sink the $650 you save into your project car. So, which would you choose, the Korean Chevy or Duran Duran edition Kia?

Have you ever hopped in your car, only to discover it wasn’t yours? When I was in college, I jumped into a Honda that wasn’t mine, and my Mom just did the same thing yesterday with her Hyundai. Funny stuff. Anyway, here’s the news:

• Even though there were screams of protest from Porsche purists upon its release, the Cayenne has been a financial boon for the company. So it makes sense to make a crossover. Right? Check out these shots of it testing at the Ring. AutoExpress
• Given that SUVs are selling for peanuts, it’s not a huge surprise that Korean manufacturers Kia and Hyundai are dropping plans to introduce a pickup. With gas prices climbing steadily, they’ll probably want to keep making all the small cars they can. Automotive News
• If your GPS is good enough, getting lost is already a thing of the past. But now you can even download the positions of traffic cameras and known speed traps, so it might just keep you from getting popped for speeding. Pretty cool. Wired
• Motorcycle riders in Louisiana will no longer have to wear helmets, as the law is being repealed. The really interesting thing about this story? It says that less than half of states require them. In a nanny state like the US, I’d figure that number would be higher. KFDM News