2015 Kia Soul EV: Best Car To Buy 2015 Nominee

The fourth of our five nominees for Green Car Reports' 2015 Best Car To Buy award is the new 2015 Kia Soul EV.

It's the Korean maker's first-ever electric car sold in the U.S., and an adaptation of the popular compact "tall wagon" that was entirely redesigned for the 2014 model year.

With a lithium-ion battery pack slightly larger than the 23 or 24 kilowatt-hours used by most compact battery-electric vehicles, the Soul EV earns a rated range of 93 miles from its 27 kWh.

That's toward the top of the range, especially for electric cars under $40,000.

The electric traction motor that powers its front wheels is rated at 81 kilowatts (109 horsepower) and produces 210 pound-feet of torque. Kia quotes acceleration from 0 to 60 mph of less than 12 seconds--hardly Tesla-level acceleration--while the top speed is limited to 90 mph.

The Soul EV carries a base price of $34,500, with a Plus trim level that adds leather seats with heating and ventilation for the driver and front passenger, projection-style fog lamps, and power-folding exterior mirrors, among other features.

The Kia Soul EV base model includes navigation, a rearview camera, and UVO EV Services, which let owners to monitor the battery's state of charge and find nearby charging stations, as well as use a smartphone app to preset charging times remotely.

Lease rates on the 2015 Kia Soul EV start at $249 a month for 36 months, with $1,999 due at signing, for the base model.

Note that the $249 monthly lease rate includes the $7,500 Federal tax credit, lowering the cost. (Buyers or lessees are still responsible for applying to receive a California purchase rebate of $2,500 on their own, however.)

We'll have a full drive report on the Soul EV shortly. Our editor Bengt Halvorson spent more than a week with the electric car, using it in a variety of circumstances in and around Portland, Oregon.

The Soul EV, incidentally, is the sole non-Japanese electric car to offer a CHAdeMO DC quick-charging port, which is fitted as standard equipment to every electric Soul sold in the U.S.

That enables the car to recharge to 80 percent of battery capacity in 30 minutes or less at more than 500 CHAdeMO quick-charging stations nationwide--including a number on the Electric Highway that connects Oregon and Washington states.

The first 2015 Kia Soul EV was sold earlier this month in California.

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2014 Kia Optima Blind-Spot Detection Commercial -- Looking Out

Whatever You Do, Don't Call It a Minivan

Here's a tip: Never refer to Kia's all-new 2015 Sedona as a minivan in front of Kia marketing folk. As was quickly and frequently pointed out to me at the vehicle's launch in Palo Alto, California, the Sedona isn't a minivan; it's a Multi-Purpose Vehicle, or an MPV. Kia's reasoning? Well, the new Sedona isn't all that mini (they're right; it's massive), and it combines the practicality and utility of the old Sedona minivan with the sportiness and look of the Sorento CUV. Whatever Kia calls it is irrelevant because in a class that's shrunk from more than 13 to just 5 models in the past 15 years, the new Sedona is a breath of fresh air.

The most striking thing about the new Sedona is how handsome it looks inside and out. Sensitive to the public's perception of minivans, the Peter Schreyer-penned Sedona is probably the most attractive minivan on the market, with a big, bold CUV-ish nose and sporty design lines paired with an upscale interior on top SXL models.

Kia may have designed the Sedona to appeal to CUV buyers, but those expecting the Sedona to drive like anything but a minivan are in for a bit of a disappointment. That's not to say that's a bad thing -- the Sedona rides comfortably, handles well for its size, and gets moving quick enough for most buyers thanks to Kia's familiar 3.3-liter V-6, which was tuned to make more midrange power in the minivan.

The Sedona's direct-injected V-6 is mated to a six-speed automatic and produces 276 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. That's good for an Odyssey and Grand Caravan-tying 7.9-second 0-60 mph run and a 16.1-second quarter mile with an 89.2 mph trap speed. In the important 60-0 mph stop test, the Sedona managed to rein in its hefty 4,764 pounds in just 122 feet. That excess mass should hurt Kia when it comes to our figure-eight test, but surprisingly the Sedona wears its weight well, lapping the figure eight in 28.0 seconds at a 0.70 g average, making it the second-quickest full-size minivan around the figure eight, with the Toyota Sienna just edging it out with its 27.9 second at 0.63 g performance.

The one performance figure where the Sedona gives up much to its rivals is fuel economy. Because of different equipment levels and power steering mechanisms, the Sedona's fuel economy numbers are all over the map. Base 2015 Sedona L, LX, and volume EX models come with hydraulic power steering, giving them an EPA rating of 18/24/20 mpg city/highway/combined. The Sedona SX and Sedona SXL, like our tester, get electric power steering racks but not the same fuel economy numbers. The SX gets the best EPA numbers of the lineup with an 18/25/21 mpg rating, while the Sedona SXL gets a rather poor 17/22/19 mpg, thanks to the added weight of its dual sunroofs and other luxury touches. In our Real MPG testing, the Sedona SXL achieved 17.3/23.8/19.7 R-MPG, which is slightly better than its EPA rating.

But performance isn't the name of the game for minivans -- interior amenities are, and the Kia Sedona SXL delivers there in spades. With some 45 percent of minivans purchased by empty nesters, the Sedona SXL aims to win over aging baby boomers with a truly luxurious cabin and features more frequently seen in luxury sedans than in minivans -- excuse me, MPVs. Take its second row "First Class" captain's chairs. Inspired by the first class cabins designers frequented on flights across the Pacific to Seoul, the SXL sports first-class-inspired second row seats. These seats slide fore and aft and side to side, recline, and feature both an airline-inspired pillow headrest and a fold-out footrest. They may not be S-Class-comfortable, but they're pretty damn great -- babes and baby boomers alike will love these seats. Although the second row is great, the third isn't. While rivals feature uncomfortable but usable seats in the third row, sitting in the Sedona's third row feels like squeezing in back of a coupe, with the SXL's second sunroof eating up most of the headroom in back.

Speaking of seats, where the Sedona shows Kia's relative inexperience compared to the likes of Chrysler and others is in their folding mechanisms. With much effort, the third row folds to make a flat load floor. With even more effort, the second row captain's chairs "Slide-N-Stow" up against the front seats, like a high school senior clinging to his prom date. Those lounge seats are also maddeningly complex to use -- not to mention incredibly cumbersome. Complicated seats aside, the Kia Sedona's interior is a genuinely nice place to be. The CUV-ish interior design looks and more importantly feels upscale with high-quality Nappa leather, a neat two-tone color scheme, and a driver-oriented dashboard, complete with Kia's killer Uvo infotainment system.

Price-wise, Kia covers the gamut from cheap family transportation to luxo-hauler. The 2015 Sedona starts at a reasonable $26,795 with each trim level spaced out from the next one by $2,000-$4,000. Our top-of-the-line Sedona SXL tester started at $40,595 and came equipped with the only available option on the SXL, the technology package, which for $2,700 includes xenon headlights, lane departure and forward collision warnings, surround view cameras, and radar cruise control. With the tech package, the as-tested price for our Sedona was $43,295, which is comparable to a loaded Chrysler Town & Country or Honda Odyssey.

Though the Sedona might not be the game changer Kia hopes it'll be, the Sedona is a refreshing breath of fresh air in a stale segment. With the new Sedona, Kia shows car buyers the benefits of the Pixar approach, developing a product that's just as appealing to adults as it is to children. With a wide lineup spread and plenty of features for parents, empty nesters, and children, buyers will likely find much to get excited about with the new Sedona -- just as long as they don't call it a minivan.

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Kia is Getting Warm in its Quest For a Hot Hatch

Kia has decided it’s time to dip its toes into the hot-hatch waters, and take on the legend that is the Golf GTI, now in its seventh incarnation. So can the pro_cee’d GT with its 1.6-litre turbo engine kicking out 201bhp, while taking you to 60 in 7.4 seconds, and on to a top speed of 143, and giving 38.2mpg, take on the ‘Daddy’ of hot-hatches? Oh and it only costs £19.995.

On paper it doesn’t quite stack up to the GTI’s stats, but you have to remember this is Kia’s first attempt and going punch for punch with the GTI would be a first round knock-out. What Kia has done is create a ‘warm-hatch’ to test the waters before jumping in the deep end.

From the second you set eyes on the GT you tell this car mean business, the company has taken the already sporty looking cee’d and given it a few styling tweaks to make it look even sportier, thankfully Kia didn’t go too far and I think the looks of this car spot on.

There are some nice little touches, like the red stripe across the bottom of the front grill – the original Golf GTI had a red outline around its front grill. You also get 18-inch alloys, red brake calipers, dual exhaust and ‘ice cube’ LED daytime running lights.

Things don’t get any worse on the inside, as you would expect from Kia you get a whole lot of kit for your money – way too much to list – let’s just say if you can think of it, it’s probably there.

One thing that is missing from the ‘base’ model is sat nav, which you get if you pay an extra £2,500 for the Tech pack which includes xenon lights, heated seats and sat nav. One surprise on the inside is the Recaro seats; yes a Kia with Recaro seats.

Not everything on the inside is perfect though – you can see where costs have been cut, for the most part the plastics and finish are great, but in certain places they have reverted to type.

Kia seems to have raided Peugeot’s parts bin from the 80s, with a single strip clock and info screen on top of the dash just in front of the windscreen in a nice orange colour. But overall the cabin isn’t a bad place to sit. The seats are comfy and nicely supportive; the rear passengers get a good deal of space thanks to the long wheelbase and there is a decent size boot for car of this class.

Let’s get to the point of a ‘hot hatch, how it drives and goes. For a first attempt it’s a very good one. Put your foot down and the initial getaway isn’t going to set any records, but once it gets into its stride, the mid-range power is surprisingly good from the 1.6. Show it a nice B-road, and as long as you don’t push it too much, it handles them with aplomb. As soon as you start to push it a little too hard you get a fair bit of understeer, but back it off by 10% and the chassis and suspension do a great job of putting smile on your face.

 

The engine is probably the weakest point of the GT, when you rev it to the 6,000rpm limit, where you get the full 201bhp it does sound a bit harsh. At town speed there does seem to bit a slight touch of turbo lag when you request full power.

What Kia has created is a warm-hatch not a hot-hatch, but it has all the power and poise you would ever want from a ‘hot-hatch’ if you keep it at 90%, at a fraction of the cost, plus there is Kia seven-year, 100,000 mile transferable warranty for your peace of mind. Kia really does have the power to surprise.

Statistics

Price: $19,995

0-60 mph: 7.4

Max speed: 143

CO2 (g/km): 171

Combined mpg: 38.2

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New Kia Optima confirmed for 2015

Kia will take a fresh swipe at the new Ford Mondeo, VW Passat and Vauxhall Insignia when it launches an all-new version of the Optima less than a year from now. It will feature a sharper design, higher-quality interior and the option of diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and we had a chance to poke around the production car at Kia’s new Namyang design centre, near Seoul.

Although no photography was allowed of the new car, we can reveal that design sticks closely to the current, post-facelift model (pictured) with a wide ‘tiger nose’ grille connecting up to the headlights either side and large wraparound taillights at the rear. The petrol model features more aggressive, sharper intakes in the front bumper, while the hybrid models get a blanked out front grille that opens when cooling is required. Softer curves in the front bumper, special wheels and a wider rear bumper to help reduce aerodynamic drag.

New Kia Optima: interior and tech

The interior quality has taken another leap forward, one of Kia’s main focuses for all its new models, with leather seats and a new larger, widescreen display installed in the centre of the leather-wrapped dash. Matt black switchgear arranged in horizontal rows is reminiscent of BMW’s latest cabin design, which is no bad thing.

No detailed specifications were made available, but bosses confirmed that an model featuring a development of the current 1.7 CRDi diesel engine will be offered, along with a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid a little later in the life cycle. And Kia is targeting a class-leading electric-only range with the plug in, according to its head of overseas marketing, Spencer Cho.

“Look at the Soul EV, apart from the Tesla it has the longest range of any of its competitors,” he said. “In the same way we are trying to extend EV range for plug-in hybrids, too.”

Cho also revealed that a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain is under development, and an Optima estate is under development especially for the European market.

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Auto Review: Kia Sorento – The All-Weather Utility

One of the best things about a manufacturer doing an extensive overhaul of a popular model is what happens in the years of production immediately following the new edition's release. With all the changes that take place during such a renewal, the engineers and designers have a chance in the next model years to fine-tune some of the changes, and address things that got overlooked during the redesign process. The Kia Sorento Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) had numerous changes for the U.S. 2014 model, and for 2015 the vehicle continues to receive both fine-tuning to the chassis and technological tweaks. This makes the Sorento as state-of-the-art as any vehicle in the class, and a very tempting target for buyers in the Northeast (especially with winter approaching, when the value of a CUV with optional all-wheel drive is as clear as ice). When you add the lure of several different trim levels to choose from and some very well-appointed cabins to coddle your passengers, the result is a very competitive vehicle in a hotly-contested class.

The Sorento SX we tested rides on a 106.3-inch wheelbase, which puts it in the midsize category for SUVs and allows for three-row seating (although two-row seating is available in other trim levels). Some trim lines come with a 2.4-liter Inline Four with 191 horsepower, but our SX was endowed with a 3.3-liter V6 engine with 290 horsepower. Both drivetrains are channeled into a six-speed automatic transmission, and all models are available with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Our tester had the latter drivetrain, which includes a locking center differential button for when the going gets extra messy. As with all CUVs, the Sorento's driving dynamic make it feel like a tall sedan more than a sport utility with decent suspension compliance and good steering response. The Sorento has Electric Motor Power Steering, and the SX also had the "FlexSteer" system that allows the driver to tune the steering to one of three modes: Normal, Comfort and Sport. The unibody construction is sufficiently stout to keep the Sorento quiet at speed, while delivering a solid feel even over rougher roads. As with others in the class, handling is closer to sedans as opposed to the SUVs of the past.

Kia has been one of the better manufacturers in terms of combining the latest touch-screen telemetrics with traditional knobs and switches to produce a logical, easy-to-master control suite. The interior of the SX is a great mix of materials that combine with the comfortable leather seats to give the Sorento a quality feel, and the second-row seating is likewise a decent place to spend log trips. The third row is quite reasonable for kids and even works for adults for short stints. The only trick is getting back to the third row, for access is a bit tight.

The 2015 Kia Sorento SX AWD is EPA rated 18 MPG city/24 highway and has a base price of $38,300. With freight and handling, our final sticker came to $39,195.

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