According to Kia, the 2010 Rondo will still be available at showrooms, but there has been no confirmation of a 2011 model for the U.S. market.
The Kia Rondo website currently greets visitors with a message indicating its demise:
“Thank you for inquiring about the Rondo. As the saying goes, ‘all good things must come to an end.’ But with endings, come new beginnings…”
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Cars and hip hop seem to go together very well, especially in recent commercials like the rap for the 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan. Kia hasn’t been a stranger to utilizing hip hop either, as they’ve relied on an urban vibe for commercials promoting the Soul crossover (see below).
Now, Kia of Australia is also eager to get involved in the hip hop marketing game for the new Sportage. The new ads feature old school 1980s rappers Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio. While the commercial is not quite as eye-catching as rapping hamsters, as in the American Soul commercial, it’s still plenty entertaining. [click to continue…]
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At the Paris Motor Show next month, Kia will debut an all-new concept car called the Pop Concept. The Pop Concept is a battery powered, all-electric commuter vehicle.
The design of the Pop is certainly eye-catching. Overall, the vehicle is ultra small and features a wedge-like shape. The doors bulge, or pop, along the roofline and the interior has a three-seat layout which seems to deliver a surprising amount of space, despite the car’s small dimensions. [click to continue…]
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The longest-running nameplate in the Kia lineup—the Sportage crossover—is now also the latest to go through the automaker’s comprehensive redesign program. Slated for a July release, the 2011 Sportage offers more of everything compared to its predecessor, including more value.
The new Sportage shows off a striking exterior design, with a distinctively aggressive grille and front fascia, a high beltline, streamlined flanks, and athletic wheel arches. That flowing sheet metal wraps around an inviting, cockpit-style cabin that offers an optimum mix of comfort, style and versatility—along with a serious dose of advanced technologies. Notably, they will include Kia’s Microsoft-powered UVO in-vehicle connectivity system. Standard on EX models, UVO will allow Sportage drivers and passengers alike to make and take phone calls, send and receive SMS text messages, and play music from a wide variety of digital sources, all with hands-free functionality. [click to continue…]
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One of the key features of the Edmunds.com auto resource is that it allows everyday drivers to write their own reviews, providing the kind of insight that can only come from living with a vehicle in everyday, real-world conditions. That’s why it’s so impressive that the Kia Forte was ranked the No. 1 “Sedan Under $15,000″ on the website’s “Consumers’ Top Rated for 2010″ list. The ratings were based on each vehicle’s performance in a wide range of different categories, and the Forte was designed to excel in all of them.
Exterior design? The Forte was called “undoubtedly one of the best-looking small cars on the market.” [click to continue…]
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What’s in a name? Well, considering the latest blitz of commercials for Kia’s new models like the Sorento, a name is a pretty big deal. But Kia execs are reportedly considering changing the names of U.S. models to feature alphanumeric identifiers.
Already some Kia models feature alphanumeric names, such as the K5 (aka Kia Optima) in South Korea. While having a seamless naming convention for products could arguably increase the strength of a brand, the risk is that such a dramatic change could result in confusion among consumers. But, with Hyundai/Kia’s recent objective of moving up-market, it would be following in the footsteps of other brands like Infiniti and Acura that have also ditched popular names for more simple alphanumeric creations. [click to continue…]
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The Kia Sorento has been winning customers at a record rate lately, and it’s no surprise why. The fun-to-drive crossover offers an ideal mix of style, versatility and efficiency. And now it can offer something else: Certification as a “Top Safety Pick” from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). The honor is given only to vehicles that get the highest possible ratings in IIHS crash testing for front, side, rollover and rear-impact protection. while also offering electronic stability control.
Helping to achieve that recognition is a full complement of standard Sorento safety equipment, including front, front-side and side-curtain airbags, front active headrests, antilock brakes, electronic stability control, and electronic brake-force distribution, which automatically optimizes the Sorento’s braking capabilities based on road conditions, vehicle speed and vehicle load. [click to continue…]
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The unmistakable Kia Soul has been seeing some big-time momentum lately, both in the news and in the marketplace. First, recent weeks have seen Kia’s self-styled Urban Passenger Vehicle get named one of “The Best Family Cars for 2010″ by a joint panel of experts from Parents magazine and the automotive researchers at Edmunds.com. Then, Kia released the fourth and final of its 2010 special editions of the car—the Ghost Soul—to the usual high demand from customers. The latest buzz comes from Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com, which just put the Soul among the ranks of its “Top 10 Coolest New Cars for Under $18,000″—for the second year in a row.
“Soul continues to draw more customers into Kia showrooms because of its cool factor and overall value package,” said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing for Kia America. “It’s reassuring to know one of the largest and most credible automotive consumer sites recognizes Soul for all it has to offer to a wide array of consumers, including design, practicality, technology features, fuel economy and the Kia brand’s core, standard value package.” [click to continue…]
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After turning out three very popular special editions of its 2010 Soul, Kia decided to add a little extra spirit to the fourth and final one. The Ghost Soul, haunting local dealerships now, comes after the earlier Ignition Soul, Denim Soul and Shadow Dragon Soul.
The Ghost is chock full of goodies on the inside, featuring a premium sound system—including pulsating speaker lights that beat with the music—black leather-trimmed and heated seats, and chrome and metallic accents throughout its interior. On the outside, the supernatural Soul wears a Ghost-specific light-gray blue paint job set off by subtle gray strip on the side, as well as a full sport body kit. Other exterior highlights include a rear spoiler, front fender vents, moonroof, fog lights and black 18-inch alloy wheels. [click to continue…]
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You never know who’s going to want a little Soul in their lives, especially when it’s a Kia Soul. The funky hatchback has been embraced by critics and the culture-conscious both since its launch, and now Kia’s “urban passenger vehicle” is getting hugs from a new source: Parents magazine and the noted auto observers at Edmunds.com have teamed up to name the Kia Soul to the “Best Family Cars for 2010″ list.
Deemed a “worthy choice for young families,” the Soul also was lauded for its unique mix of practicality on the inside and inimitable style on the outside. Of course, with that “practical” interior also offering goodies like a premium sound system with door-mounted speakers—and pulsating lights—the Soul delivers the best of both worlds. [click to continue…]
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