Kia Becomes First Korean Car Brand to Win Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Grand Touring Sport (GTS) and Touring Car A (TC-A) Manufacturer Titles

Parkway Family Kia is very proud of the fact that Kia Motors claimed the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Grand Touring Sport (GTS) and Touring Car A (TC-A) Manufacturer Championships at the series’ season finale this past weekend at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. On the strength of five pole positions, five race wins and 13 podium finishes during the 16-race PWC season, Kia Racing  and partner Kinetic Motorsports bested teams from Ford, Chevrolet, Porsche, Aston Martin and Nissan making Kia the first Korean brand to earn the coveted title of PWC Champion. “We congratulate the Kia Racing team and our partner Kinetic Motorsports on a fantastic season in which their hard work and dedication, along with the power, performance and reliability of our turbocharged Optimas, proved a winning combination amongst some truly world-class competition,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Kia Motors America.  “Everyone affiliated with the Kia brand, including our customers, our dealers, our team members at Kia Motors America and at KMMG, the U.S. plant where the Optima is built, should feel proud of this achievement.”In addition to their fast qualifying performances and victorious race results, Kia Racing drivers Mark Wilkins and Nic Jönsson combined to lead more on-track miles than any other manufacturer in the series this year. Wilkins, pilot of the No. 38 B.R.A.K.E.S. Optima turbo, finished the season third in the Driver Championship, scoring two wins and six podiums.  Jönsson, in the No. 36 DonorsChoose.org Optima turbo, finished the season seventh in the Driver Championship with seven podiums, including three wins.Adding to the championship-winning weekend was rookie Jason Wolfe, pilot of the No. 36 Richard Wolfe Trucking Kia Forte Koup, who scored four wins and 10 podium finishes in 2014.  Wolfe’s double-podium result at the Miller doubleheader – including victory in the final round – secured him the PWC Driver Championship in the Touring Car A (TC-A) class as well as Rookie of the Year honors.  Fielded by Kinetic Motorsports, the privateer effort also earned Kia a second PWC Manufacturer Championship. Kia and rival Honda Performance Development finished the year tied in points, but Kia took the title on the strength of its six wins to Honda’s five.  Along the way, Kinetic Motorsports was recognized for their excellence, professionalism and sportsmanship when their fellow TC-A competitors voted them “Crew of the Year.”PWC GTS rounds 15 and 16 at Miller Motorsports Park will be televised on the NBC Sports Network Sunday, September 28, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Highlights are available online at www.world-challengetv.com, and race fans can keep up-to-date with the team via the Kia Racing Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kiaracing and by following along on Twitter: @KiaRacing.x

Kia Soul getting turbo power, possible AWD

Parkway Family Kia realizes that it's been a long time coming, but it appears we might finally see a turbocharged Kia Soul next year. Kia officials reportedly confirmed the hotter Soul to Motor Trend recently, and also stated that the company is (still) investigating the use of all-wheel drive for the next generation of its boxy hatchback.

The turbo Soul will arrive with the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder found in the Forte, rated at 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. According to Motor Trend, Kia wanted to launch the hotter Soul this year, but didn't have the retuned steering or suspension calibration, as well as the larger brakes, ready in time. Transmission pairings weren't discussed, but Kia does mate both its six-speed manual and automatic units to the 1.6T.

As for all-wheel drive, this isn't the first time we've heard reports on this front, and it seems like a pretty natural fit, to us. Adding AWD would allow the Soul to better compete with vehicles like the Nissan Juke and the upcoming Chevy Trax and Jeep Renegade. But as of right now, a four-wheels-driven Soul hasn't been given an official go-ahead.

2015 KIA Forte Earns NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating

Kia Motors America’s (KMA) second-generation Forte compact sedan has earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) 5-Star overall safety rating1.  With its long list of standard safety features and extensive use of high-strength steel, the Forte sedan rated 5 stars in the side-impact test and 4 stars in the frontal and rollover tests.  Starting at $15,8902, the Forte offers sport-sedan styling with class-up amenities and appointments at a tremendous value.

“NHTSA’s recent 5-Star rating of the 2015 Forte reinforces Kia’s commitment to safety.  The Forte combines striking design, outstanding quality and the exceptional value our brand is known for with the security of knowing the vehicle you own has performed well in NHTSA’s rigorous crash tests,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning, KMA. “We are extremely proud of the engineering that went into the second-generation Forte, and NHTSA’s testing has validated that effort with this 5-Star rating.”

Enhancements to the 2015 Forte sedan’s structure include strengthened A-pillars and lower side sills, which helped the popular compact sedan earn the coveted 5-Star overall safety rating.

About the 2015 Forte
Available in LX and EX trims, the 2015 Forte offers fun-to-drive performance, cutting edge technology, several premium amenities and a choice of an efficient 1.8-liter engine (LX) or a more powerful 2.0-liter engine (EX). With an aggressive stance and broad shoulders, the Forte’s modern aesthetic was influenced by European sport sedan styling and penned at Kia’s U.S. design studio in Irvine, California. The Forte represents the heart of KMA’s small-car line-up, slotted between the Rio subcompact sedan and the best-selling Optima midsize sedan, the Forte easily accommodates five passengers and their belongings in the spacious and striking cabin.

The New Kia SOUL EV will plug into Sky DC Fast Chargers, EZ-Charge Network

Parkway Family Kia is waiting with anticipation as Kia gets ready to introduce its first plug-in vehicle to the US market, the 2015 Soul EV, it is also prepping some infrastructure improvements. The company announced today that it is partnering with Greenlots and ABB on offering Greenlots' Sky Smart Charging DC fast chargers at some West Coast Kia dealerships. Greenlots president Brett Hauser told AutoblogGreen that the program will expand to the East Coast in the future.

While we don't yet know all of the monetary details quite yet – Kia says that "pricing structures and incentives" for the new EV will be coming later this month – but it appears that Soul EV buyers will be able to access the EZ-Charge network and there will also be something called a Kia ChargeUp card available. The CHAdeMO-compatible Soul EV is due to arrive in the third quarter of 2014 and the Korean company has high hopes for the car in the US. Take a closer look at the car in this video and read the announcement below.

Greenlots is a San Francisco-based company that is trying to make vehicle charging as easy and open as possible. Last year, it helped with the installation of 13 DC fast chargers in the greater Vancouver, BC area.

Introducing the new Kia Forte!

The Kia Forte and Hyundai Elantra have long followed similar paths, with each available in a four-door sedan, a five-door hatch and (most recently) a two-door coupe bodystyle. The recent death of the Hyundai Elantra Coupe in the US may be threatening to change the narrative on these two affordable compact lines, of course, but the Korean two-doors have a lot in common under their distinct skins. Their most recent iterations came to market under the power of the same 2.0-liter, 173-horsepower four-cylinder paired with six-speed automatic transmissions and riding atop MacPherson strut front suspensions and torsion-beam setups out back. Each arrived weighing between 2,800 and 3,000 pounds and could be had in base form for less than $20,000. Considering this, the empirical performance stats figured to be similar.

There's an important distinction to be made, however. Rather than offer a simple two-door version of a four-door car, like Hyundai did with its Elantra Coupe, Kia has gone to lengths to craft a vehicle with its own unique attitude and attributes. Kia has embraced a sportier stance with its two-door Forte Koup, offering up a standard six-speed manual and going further in an effort to craft a more unique, aggressive coupe design.

That drive to be different was further accentuated last year, when Kia raided Hyundai's parts bin and plucked out the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder from the Veloster Turbo. The resulting car is decidedly different than any other Forte we've tested, while also feeling like a better all-around product than the smaller hot hatch it stole its engine from. To see just how much better, we drove the Forte Koup SX for a week and set about seeing how this enhanced model stacks up as a performance offering.

2015 Kia Rio Sedan

Kia Motors America’s 2015 Rio continues to offer spirited road manners, tremendous value and cutting-edge features.  The award-winning subcompact offers an abundance of standard amenities, safety features and outstanding interior space.  A combination of world-class styling and advanced technologies make the Rio line-up an exceptional value.

The Rio’s previous model included changes to the engine as well as the body and rear bumper, providing improved aerodynamics.  In 2014, Rio also introduced a revised smart key remote that offers a folding design for convenience and interior features including a new water temperature gauge and an enhanced leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Available in three trims – LX, EX and SX – the 2015 Rio is offered with a 1.6-liter GDI four-cylinder engine with the option of either a six-speed manual transmission (LX only) or efficient six-speed automatic.  Previously available on only EX and SX trims, the 2015 model now offers LX customers the option of a six-speed automatic transmission with an Active ECO system, which optimizes fuel economy when activated.  The Rio sedan produces 138 horsepower with a fuel economy rating of 27/37 mpg (city/highway)1.

A sport-tuned suspension, front ventilated disc brakes, 17-inch alloy wheels and paddle shifters, give the 2015 Rio SX a sporty feel.  Meanwhile, Rio EX and SX models offer a chrome front grille surround, power windows with driver’s one-touch auto-up/down, power door locks with remote keyless entry, cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls2, and a tilt and telescopic steering column.

Impressive technology features also come standard on all trims, including an AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio unit with SiriusXM Satellite Radio capabilities3, and auxiliary and USB audio input jacks for connecting MP3 players with full iPod®4 and MP3 controllability via the audio head unit and steering wheel-mounted controls.

Available packaging upgrades for the Rio LX include the Power Package (automatic transmission only), which adds power windows with automatic up/down functionality on the driver's window, and remote keyless entry.  For the EX trim, the available Convenience Package includes 15-inch alloy wheels, UVO voice-activated infotainment system, Rear Camera Display5, automatic headlamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power-folding side mirrors with turn signal indicators, front fog lights, dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors, and dual map lights.  An available ECO Package can be added to the EX trim when the Convenience Package has been selected, which adds Idle, Stop and Go (ISG) technology for enhanced fuel efficiency.  The luxurious Premium Package available on the SX trim offers a navigation system with SiriusXM Traffic3, push-button start with Smart Key, leather seat trim, heated front seats and a power tilt/slide sunroof, giving it an open, airy feel.

Kia Finally Reveals the All-New Sorento!

First photos of the all-new Kia Sorento released today confirm that the third generation of the popular SUV will feature a new look, with bold, swept-back styling and sophisticated surface detailing.

Longer, lower and wider, with an extended wheelbase, the new Sorento builds on the success of the outgoing model, delivering a premium look and feel, with more space and numerous innovative features.

With the brand's hallmark design features and a more mature appearance, the new model is instantly recognizable as a Sorento. The new look is an evolution of the current vehicle, incorporating fresh visual elements inspired by the Kia Cross GT concept that debuted at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, carrying over the long bonnet and the distinctive treatment of the wide D-pillars from the previous generation.

The exterior styling of the new Sorento was led by Kia's Namyang design studio in Korea, with significant levels of input from the brand's Frankfurt, Germany and Irvine, California design studios.

The front of new Sorento features a larger, more upright 'tiger-nose' grille, with a distinctive three-dimensional diamond pattern, and long, swept-back headlamps. The lower roofline, higher beltline and more muscular, rounded shoulders at the rear give the car a dramatic appearance.

The sleeker look is enhanced by an increase in length (+95 mm to 4,780 mm)* and a 15 mm reduction in height (down to 1,685 mm), while the 80 mm longer wheelbase (now 2,780 mm) ensures more passenger space in all three seat rows.

Soon-Nam Lee, Vice President of Overseas Marketing, Kia Motors Corp., said, "While we have retained the name based on the tremendous success of the outgoing model, the all-new Sorento has been completely redesigned and re-engineered, and promises to surprise customers with its thoroughly updated styling, a host of new convenience and safety technologies, as well as enhanced space, driving comfort and handling response."

The all-new Kia Sorento will be showcased in Korea in late August and make its European premiere on Thursday 2 October at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.