The new Kia GT is not far away

Do you recall the Kia GT Concept that was unveiled back in 2011? Well, the car is finally getting produced and it is projected to arrive later this year. The production GT is going to be huge when released because it is going to be Kia’s first performance-focused car.

In terms of design, the GT is already looking attractive and all that is left is for Kia to equip it with a powerful powertrain. The word is that the GT will be adopting a V6 twin-turbo engine that can develop 380hp to offer.

There will also be a base trim model that will rely on a 2L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that can generate up to 270hp. With such figures, the GT will be allowed to compete with the industry greats like the Ford Focus RS and Subaru BRZ.

This is the sort of figures which the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 fans would love to see on their cars. The unfortunate thing about the duo is that they only have 205hp to offer and it does not match their sporty looks.

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Review: Kia Forte gets sharp looks, more vroom

These days, the auto world is awash in compact cars at a time when consumers have switched their allegiance to crossovers and SUVs.

And the numbers show it: Overall, sales of smaller cars were down 6.9% so far this year through the end of August, according to Autodata. But one of Kia's entry, the compact Forte, bucked the trend. Its sales rose 23.2%.

That's impressive in a compact-car field dominated by some of the most famous nameplates in the auto business, starting with Honda's redesigned Civic and Toyota's sharp Corolla.

So Forte, a name that still doesn't exactly roll off car-buyers' tongues, has tried harder to play in the big leagues. Just like those other two models, Forte gets fresh looks. It now appears as modern as any car out there, although it doesn't particularly stand out. A bad thing? Not really. The looks are likely to stay fresh longer.

Also new in the 2017 Forte is a 2-liter, four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower that adds two more horses than the outgoing 1.8-liter engine and three more miles per gallon in city driving.

We found it to be no speedster, but it offered a comfortable amount of power for just about any situation.

The S sport version that we drove -- the mid-level trim line -- had what Kia said was a sport-tuned suspension and 16-inch alloy wheels. Had we opted for the fanciest EX model, we would have gotten an engine with 164 horsepower. The Forte EX would have come with standard leather seats, LED taillights and other goodies.

2017 Forte sedan from the rear (Photo: Kia)

With the $1,490 Technology Package, however, the S had some of the nicer touches. Our favorite most involved safety: the automatic braking system for emergencies, forward collision warning and lane-keeping assist. The 7-inch touchscreen is going to work with smartphones through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Just for fun, there are little lights that illuminate the undersides of the door handles at night. We liked that.

So in the end, the Forte is an all-around better car, but it caught in a competitive field where buyers have lots of good choices. Kia knows it, so the brand has taken it traditional route of finding a way of swaying buyers by undercutting the rivals on price. The Forte starts at $17,340, including $850 delivery charges. That's about $2,000 less than the cheapest Corolla at $19,365, or the Civic at $19,475, both including destination charges.

With its improved looks and solid features, the Kia would make a worthy choice.

What Stands Out

Looks: Sharper

Engine: New and smooth

Price: Cheaper than its two major rivals

2017 Kia Forte

What? A four-door compact car

When? In showrooms now

Where? Made in Monterrey, Mexico

How much? Starts at $17,340, including $850 in destination charges, S version is $20,050

How long? 14.9 feet

What makes it go? A 2-liter four-cylinder engine

How thirsty? Rated at 29 miles per gallon in the city, 38 mpg on the highway and 32 mpg overall

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Kia Motors posts 4.8% rise in global sales in August

Kia Motors Corporation announced today its August 2016 global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, recording a total of 224,533 units sold. This figure represents a 4.8% year-on-year increase compared to the same month of 2015.

In August, Kia posted year-on-year sales increases in China (59.2% growth with 43,091 units sold), Western Europe (16.1% growth with 26,820 units sold) and general markets (3.3% growth with 42,555 units sold).

                   
Cumulatively through the first eight months of 2016, Kia’s global sales totalled 1,938,113 units for a year-on-year increase of 3.0%. Western Europe (293,371 units sold), Korea (358,160 units sold), North America (492,007 units sold) and China (376,530 units sold) have seen a 14.7%, 7.7% 3.8% and 1.2% rise in sales, respectively.

Kia’s bestselling model in overseas markets during August 2016 was the Sportage compact CUV with 37,400 units sold. The B-segment Rio (known as ‘K2′ in China) was the second best seller with 33,762 units sold, while the C-segment Cerato (Known as ‘Forte’ or ‘K3’ in some markets), Optima midsized sedan and Soul urban crossover followed with 30,399, 19,804 and 16,635 units sold, respectively.

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Kia Motors builds Mexican production facility

Kia Motors officially completed construction of its new factory in Mexico, Thursday, to expand its presence in the North American car market. Korea's second-largest carmaker held a completion ceremony at the plant in Pesqueria, Nuevo Leon, participated in by 500 officials, including Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo, Mexico's Economic Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal and Nuevo Leon State Governor Jaime Rodriguez Calderon. "The new plant here in Mexico represents the next step in Kia Motors' ambition to become one of the world's leading carmakers," Chung said during the ceremony. "The innovative design and world-class quality of cars produced at the Kia Motors Mexico plant will be embraced by our valued customers not only here in Mexico but also in the Americas." Construction of the plant with an annual production capacity of 400,000 cars began in October 2014, and will boost Kia's global manufacturing capacity to 3.56 million vehicles. Kia Motors and its suppliers invested a total of $3 billion to build the carmaker's sixth foreign production base, and the plant went into partial operation in May assembling the K3 sedan, known as the Kia Forte in overseas markets. The plant is also expected to start producing the new fourth-generation Rio compact sedan by the beginning of 2017. An official said that the Mexican manufacturing plant will be Kia Motors' pivot to the Mexican and Latin American car markets. "A total of 1.35 million cars were sold in Mexico last year, the second-largest car market in Latin America, and the market volume is expected to reach 1.75 million by 2020," he said. "Due to its 20 percent tariffs imposed on import cars, however, Kia Motors has faced many sales difficulties in Mexico, but now we are ready to go." Kia Motors is aiming for a 5 percent market share in Mexico by 2020, while 80 percent of the facility's production is destined for numerous other countries in the region, including the United States and throughout Latin America where demand for Kia Motors' cars is expected to increase. Also, Kia Motors' new facility in Nuevo Leon will contribute greatly to the local economy by hiring a significant number of new employees. By the end of 2017, approximately 14,000 workers are expected to be employed at the factory and its suppliers. An official added that the new production facility will also invest approximately $1 million annually in corporate social responsibility initiatives for the region. These activities will include the donation of vehicles to public security organizations, support for low-income households and the creation of education facilities and scholarships. Source

Kia refreshes the Soul with dual-clutch gearbox

Kia's mini crossover will be receiving a powertrain update at the 2016 Philippine International Motor Show. 

The Soul will soon be available with a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox. According to Kia, the new gearbox will be able to handle higher torque figures while simultaneously deliver faster gear changes. When launched, it will replace the older 6-speed automatic transmission.

The engine, on the other hand, will still be the 1.6-liter CRDi inline-four. There is no word however if the turbo-diesel engine received a boost in power. To date, the 1.6-liter mill produces 128 PS and 260 Nm of torque.

The Kia Soul with the 7-speed dual clutch will be present at the World Trade Center in Pasay City from September 14 - 18.

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Kia develops new eight-speed auto transmission

Back in the day, not all that long ago, it was a pretty big deal having a four-speed auto available in a front-wheel drive car.

Now though we are looking at double that number of ratios becoming somewhat the norm.

Joining the eight-speed auto club will be Kia, the South Korean manufacturer this afternoon revealed details of a new eight-speed auto coming to an array of Kia front-wheel drive cars in the not too distant future.

Remarkably, Kia reckons the new transmission, which was developed in-house by the company, occupies the same space as a conventional six-speed auto, but weighs 3.5 kg less.

Kia tell us the new transmission will debut in the 2017 Kia Cadenza.

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Kia Motors America Announces August Sales

Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced August sales of 54,248 units, led by Soul and Optima. Sedona minivan sales more than doubled over the same period last year, and the Forte family of compact cars posted their best-ever August sales.

Kia Motors America Announces August Sales

"Despite signs that industry-wide sales may have peaked in 2015, Kia is up nearly four percent through August on the strength of double digit year-over-year increases for Rio, Forte, Sportage and Sedona," said Michael Sprague, chief operating officer and EVP, KMA.

About Kia Motors America

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2015, surpassing the 600,000 unit mark for the first time in company history. Kia offers a complete line of vehicles in the U.S., including the rear-drive K9001 flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle2, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona minivan, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States.  Kia's North American manufacturing operations include plants in West Point, Georgia*, and the municipality of Pesqueria in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

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	MONTH OF AUGUST		YEAR-TO-DATE
Model	2016	2015	2016	2015
Rio	3,325	1,734	22,024	18,796
Forte	8,307	6,862	71,352	57,912
Optima	9,470	13,980	80,317	106,584
Cadenza	272	322	3,363	4,021
K900	53	386	553	1,576
Sportage	6,888	5,749	57,228	34,996
Sorento	8,533	10,211	77,465	76,381
Sedona	5,147	2,545	34,304	26,825
Soul	12,253	17,108	95,938	99,069
Total	54,248	58,897	442,544	426,160