Kia Replacing Amanti with Cadenza

It’s the end of the Kia Amanti as we know it. Production of Kia’s largest sedan has officially ended, but that doesn’t mean there’s no future in large Kia sedans. Up next is the new Kia Cadenza, much prettier than the car it’s replacing, due to be released in the States sometime in the next twelve months or so.

The large sedan is generally intended to appeal to folks with a desire for luxury, but Kia has always prided itself on offering quality vehicles for more reasonable prices. That was the plan for the Amanti, but due to some criticism about the look and feel of the vehicle, the Korean car company felt inclined to innovate a little, with what appears to be very solid results. … Continue Reading

Chicago Kia Soul snares Popular Mechanics award

One of the hippest cars on the road, who’s already taken home four plus automotive awards, has stolen another title: 2010 Automotive Excellence Award by Popular Mechanics. This youthful, urban ride is the 2010 Kia Soul.

“Popular Mechanics is a well-respected publication and to achieve this accolade from them is both a testament to the Kia brand and the all-new Soul urban passenger vehicle,” explains VP of Kia Motors, Michael Sprague. Coming to decide on which 10 vehicles would receive this prestigious title, members of the Popular Mechanics editing team test-drove a ton of new cars and trucks, ranking each by performance, relevant features/ technologies, and innovation. But really, how can you resist the toy-like size, upgrade options, and quirky styling of the 2010 Kia Soul? … Continue Reading

Kia Sedona offers big space for big families

Who ever thought a minivan could be luxurious? Well, the Kia Sedona may just do it.

Just recently I found out I’m going to have my fourth daughter in a few months and my husband and I decided it’s time to upgrade to a minivan to fit the whole clan. We started test-driving minivans like the Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna and weren’t really falling in love with anything. A couple weeks ago my sister suggested we stop at Waukegan new car dealer Classic Kia.

We went and test-drove a Sedona van at the new and used Waukegan car dealer and ended up driving off the lot in it about an hour later. What really sold us was the space. Having a larger family, there’s just always more “stuff” everywhere, and if we couldn’t fit everyone and everything in the Sedona, we have a problem. … Continue Reading

Escape from Hamsterdam

I’m thinking about purchasing a Kia Soul. I visit the Kia website and make my way to the page dedicated to the hip, urban ride. I start to customize one, thinking of the essentials and not-so-essentials that I absolutely must have.  Then, I’m carefully hovering over a very important button. A “buy now” button? No, even with Kia purchasing a new car isn’t that streamlined. Rather I’m taking great care over a button called “Launch”. I’m ready. I press it quickly and firmly. And my hamster is propelled 21 feet through the air, with the aid of a couple of surfboard-topped Souls.

OK. I’ll tell you what I was doing. Or if you look below, I’ll show you.

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Kia Venga shown ahead of official Frankfurt debut

Excitement from this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show is reaching the U.S. in abundance. While I wasn’t fortunate enough to attend this year, I’ve been keeping up with the reports, and I have to say that this year has been jam-packed with extraordinary innovations from some of the world’s top manufacturers.

One item that caught my attention was a delightful Kia preview. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Kia’s mix of class and style, and I’ve been looking for something new and big from these guys for a few years now. At this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show, Kia unveiled its 2010 Venga, an MPV that makes its mark in a young automotive segment.

… Continue Reading