Kia (16)
Despite what you might have read lately, the fact is that not everyone needs an SUV.
Every car has its purpose and audience, and while subcompacts are far from the biggest segment in the auto world, they do serve a purpose.
Many people don’t have families to lug around, rarely carry passengers in their vehicles and don’t need a lot of cargo space. Others just need something with decent gas mileage to get their to work and back. For these groups of people, something like the Kia Rio, a small and affordable subcompact sedan, is right up their alley.
I recently spent time in a 2018 Rio, and I’m back with a full report on what it has to offer.
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Being upfront, I will say this: The Rio is a small vehicle. If you go in expecting that, you won’t be disappointed. If you’re looking for extra-roomy seating or lots of storage room, you’re going to want to look in larger classes (though you can fold down the back seats to increase storage space).
This might work as a second car in many households. The going-to-work car, which sits next to the family SUV in the garage. Or it could be the only car for someone who travels solo more often than not. Even in the subcompact class, competitors have the Rio beat in storage capacity.
The exterior design is nothing that jumps out at you as special, but it’s not unattractive at the same time. The Rio is very low to the ground, pretty wide for the segment and a bit longer on the latest remodel. The Interior design on my test vehicle was surprisingly upscale and plush (leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, high-quality and comfortable seating materials), and it was an EX trim line, the highest offered on the Rio.
The Rio, by the way, is available as either a hatchback or a sedan.
Rare is the vehicle that’s hard to fit into a specific box … but the new Kia Niro is one of those vehicles.
The Niro is in a category with few direct competitors, if any. It’s a hybrid, which can be described perhaps as a wagon, perhaps a hatchback, and perhaps a small SUV/crossover, or some sort of combination of those options.
There are some vehicles out there which may be cross-shopped -- i.e. the Ford C-Max hybrid wagon, the Toyota RAV4 hybrid, the Prius hatchback and the Honda HR-V -- but none of those is an exact fit to what the Niro offers.
I recently spent some time in a Niro Touring model and I’m back with a full report on what it offers.
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The Niro walks a fine line between categories, but is mostly wagon-like in its exterior look. It’s not the most attractive vehicle you’ll find, but not one that will cause you to avert your eyes either.
The big hit in the design is its roomy interior. It’s essentially a small SUV with room for five, 2 up front and 3 in back, and everyone can be comfortable. There’s a decent amount of storage room, especially with the rear seats folded down, but it trails other vehicles in total real estate for storage.
Unique vehicles are hard to find, but the Kia Cadenza is a unique vehicle in a couple of ways.
First, it’s a full-size sedan; and there aren’t many of those left for sale.
Second, it’s an attempt by a non-luxury brand (Kia) to create a vehicle that’s designed in a luxurious way to compete with the luxury models.
I recently had a chance to get behind the wheel of a Cadenza, and I’m back with a full report on what it offers and who might want to give it a look. (Note: I tested a 2017 Cadenza, but the 2018 model has only minor changes)
The midsize sedan is a key battleground for hybrid vehicles, with everything from the Fusion and Malibu to the Camry and Accord and Sonata in the mix. But there’s another contender that saw some major upgrades for the 2017 model that is looking to stake its claim -- the Kia Optima hybrid.
I recently spent some time in an Optima hybrid and I’m back with a full report.
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The exterior of the Optima is one of the better looks in this class, in particular if you opt for the all glass panoramic roof. The interior can also be one of the most well-appointed for the class.
Dual-zone auto climate control with rear vents is standard, and you can opt for leather trimmed seating, heated and ventilated front seats, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and heated rear seats.
Space inside the Optima hybrid is about standard for the segment, and rear passengers will be comfortable. Five can be seated without any complaints.
16-inch wheels come on the base model, but you can upgrade to 17 inches.
Cars come in all shapes and sizes, and serve various purposes.
And while all the hype is about larger vehicles these days, for people who don’t need much cargo space and are seeking a commuter car, there are a lot of options in the subcompact category -- including the 2018 Kia Rio, which I recently had a chance to test.
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The 2018 Kia Rio is a little sedan, by all measures (as the term subcompact would clearly indicate). The back seat was nearly non-existent (only small children will fit comfortably), and my head was near the ceiling (I’m six feet tall). The vehicle is made for single people who don’t carry a family around, or families who need a second, smaller car for getting to and from work.
On the plus side, I was very impressed with the sharp red and black color scheme in my test model, which featured quality and comfortable leather seating. There was lots of hard plastic in the Rio, as can be expected in the class, but the seats themselves are impressive for the class.
The exterior didn’t stand out much in the class, and mostly blended in.Space is also an issue, not only for passengers but also for trunk space, which is limited. You do, however, get the choice between four-door and five-door (hatchback) offerings.
Despite the continuing rise of SUVs, to many carbuyers a sedan is still what they crave. So automakers can not afford to ignore this segment.
Kia recognizes that, and has paid close attention to its recently redesigned Optima sedan, which is larger than its compact Rio and Forte options, but just shy of the full-size Kia Cadenza sedan.
Kia needs to turn heads if it’s going to take a bite out of the top sellers in the segment. I recently spent some time in a 2017 Optima, and I’ll let you know how it holds up.
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Standing out in this segment is hard, but Kia puts in a strong effort, particularly on the interior. You’ll find high-end stitched leather seating offered, and an overall roomy and comfortable interior that borders on a luxury feel.
The trunk space is quite generous, rear legroom is strong for the class, and front seats provide comfort even on long rides.
On the exterior it’s a decent effort too, though probably not best in class. I like the front of the vehicle and its grille and headlight design, but the remainder of the vehicle sort of blends in with the competition.
If you read the news on automobiles these days, you would think compact cars are on the way out. It’s true that many small car models are disappearing, but at the same time the segment is not going away anytime soon.
There will also be a certain number of people (even in the bigger-is-better U.S.A.) who aren’t going to succumb to SUV mania like all the rest of us have (over 60 percent of 2016 auto sales were trucks or SUVs).
For this smaller-is-better crowd, there is still plenty of variety in the segment to choose from -- including the 2017 Kia Forte -- which i recently had the chance to test to see how it ranks against its many compact car rivals (think Civic, Corolla, Focus, Mazda3, Cruze, Jetta, Impreza).
My first thought: Another hybrid? Do we really need that?
But wait. This one looks different … It’s a crossover, has decent passenger room and actually has a little speed. And it’s affordable.
Okay, Let’s talk about it.
The Kia Niro is the vehicle in question here. As Kia and Hyundai make an increased push in the green car market, they have unveiled some new models for 2017, and the Niro is one of the bigger launches (along with the Hyundai Ioniq). I recently spent some time in a Niro and I’m back with a full report.
1. STRONG FUEL ECONOMY
This is the key to a successful hybrid. If it’s not there, they won’t sell.
The numbers are in, and they are impressive: I averaged 48.6 mpg during my time in the Niro.
Official numbers are 49 highway, 52 city, 50 combined -- and I’m sure those can be met or beaten if you drive the vehicle with the goal of maximizing that number.
It is worth noting that the mpg numbers shrink a bit on top trim level of the Niro (40 city/46 highway on the Touring model).
Personality goes a long way in life.
It’s how salespeople get you to buy things you don’t need, it’s why comedians often date supermodels, and it’s why vehicles like the Kia Soul have a following.
As it applies to automobiles, personality -- in my view -- means you’re doing something different designwise than the rest of the competition. That’s increasingly rare in the automotive world lately -- as it’s easier to play it safe than take a risk.
But if you’ve ever seen a Kia Soul and then looked at all the other compact SUV options on the road, you know they have being different down to an art form.
The question is: Is being different equivalent to something you would want to drive, or is it just for show. I recently spent some time in a Soul and I’m back with a full report.
The Cadenza seemingly came out of nowhere in 2014 -- It was Kia’s attempt to show itself as capable of producing a sedan that could compete in the entry-level luxury segment (what I like to call “luxury lite”). At the time, when I tested the original, I thought it was a bold splash, but needed some refinement and improvements to truly compete.
Here we are in 2017, and that refresh has arrived.
The Cadenza sits somewhere between a midsize sedan and a large sedan, but the new model moves it more toward the large side of that argument.
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Kia, the South Korean automaker that was initially scoffed at by car buyers, has had an incredible couple of decades, with constant growth throughout and a march toward respectability. I recently tested out one of their latest offerings, the 2017 Kia Sportage, and I’m back with a rundown of the key things you need to know about this crossover offering from the upstart automaker.
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It is, in fact, sporty:
Many vehicles that label themselves as SUVs (sport utility vehicles) are anything but sporty. But thankfully that wasn’t the case here, as the 2017 Sportage is quite impressive in this regard. To be frank (and subliminally quote Shania Twain), most crossovers of this size don’t impress me much with how they perform. But this is one of the few exceptions to that rule in the class.
Kia has been poking its nose into the luxury vehicle marketplace in recent years, first with the 2014 Kia Cadenza, and now with the even more impressive 2015 K900 full-size luxury model.
I recently spent some time in this new ride, which is making a bold march in Kia’s effort to battle established full-size luxury sedans from automakers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and others, and I’m back with a full report.
Kia Motors America announced that U.S. News & World Report has honored the K900 flagship sedan and the 2015 Soul with “Best Cars for Families” awards in the Luxury Large Car and Hatchback categories, respectively. U.S. News Best Cars, the automotive channel of U.S. News & World Report, has published rankings for new vehicles sold in America since 2007, and the awards continue each vehicle’s string of recent accolades from respected organizations such as Robb Report, Cars.com and others.
“Having the Soul and K900 named to U.S. News and World Report’s ‘Best Cars for Families’ list demonstrates how far the Kia brand has come in terms of quality, safety, packaging, and amenities,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of sales and marketing, KMA. “The entire Kia model line – including our iconic urban passenger vehicle and luxury flagship sedan – offers a winning blend of sophisticated design and user-friendly technology with a consistent emphasis on value.”
Minivans are less plentiful than they once were but they’re not dead yet, even in the age of SUVs.
Chrysler, Honda, Toyota and Nissan are still in the game, as well as another competitor many may not know about -- Kia, which still puts out a Sedona minivan each year and has revamped it for the 2015 model year.
I recently drove a 2015 Sedona, and I’m back with a full report on what you can expect from this family-focused vehicle and how it compares to other minivans on the market.
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