Honda Shines, Toyota Falls in Latest IIHS Crash Tests

The 2013 Toyota Camry sedan and Prius v hybrid (above, right) failed a new crash test by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that simulates a frontal impact overlapping a small portion of the car — say, piling into a tree from your left headlight. IIHS announced today its test of 18 model-year 2013 family cars. It's the largest yet for the so-called "small overlap" frontal test that many luxury brands failed in August 2012.

At the other end, the Honda Accord sedan and nearly-defunct Suzuki Kizashi (above, left) earned IIHS' top score, Good; 11 other cars — including the Accord coupe — earned Acceptable ratings. The IIHS rates cars Good, Acceptable, Marginal or Poor. Of the 18 cars tested, the Toyotas scored Poor, but the Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu and Volkswagen Jetta sedan scored Marginal.

July's Fastest and Slowest Selling Cars

Who says old cars won’t sell? July's fastest sellers include newbies like the redesigned Nissan Altima and two Hyundai Elantra additions — the coupe and GT hatchback — but a number of cars that have been on the market a year or more are flying off lots. The year-old Volkswagen Passat, our Best of 2012 car, averages just five days to sell. The Kia Soul, which went on sale way back in spring 2009, takes just a week to sell. The Hyundai Tucson, Kia Optima and Subaru Outback are also among July's fastest sellers, and all of them are at least 2 years old.

On the newer side, the Dodge Dart and Scion FR-S are off to a fast start. The Scion marks its second month in a row among the fastest sellers. Other repeat performers include the Cadillac XTS and Ford Escape (second month each), Hyundai's Veloster and Accent hatchbacks (third month), Soul (fourth month) and Toyota Prius c (fifth month). The Subaru Impreza has the longest tenure here, having been among the fastest monthly sellers since just after it hit dealerships in November 2011. July marks the Impreza's eighth consecutive month.

Kia Stands by 10-Year Warranty

Kia is on a roll with strong sales, but it aims to stick with its vaunted 10-year warranty. Executives at the Korean automaker stood by the 100,000-mile powertrain policy — mirroring Hyundai's defense of the same warranty last year amid questions as to whether it was still necessary.

"We continue to get the cross-shopping set," said Tom Loveless, Kia's U.S. sales chief. "Customers who are continuing to purchase other brands who are coming to Kia expressly for [the warranty] ... actually make the decision to purchase because of the warranty coverage. I see no reason to change. It's part of the Kia recipe."

Manual Transmissions Fading Out of Midsize Sedan Lineups

Soon a majority of mainstream midsize sedans will have standard automatic transmissions and no manual transmission option.

It's been a long time coming. The stick shift has stuck around longer on midsize sedans than on other body styles, probably due to the broad appeal of the segment; these cars still make up the most vehicle sales in the U.S. The manual-transmission option also allowed marketing departments to advertise the highest fuel-efficiency figures and the lowest base prices, which were usually found on the manual-equipped models.

Top 10 Underappreciated Cars and Trucks

Good products usually sell themselves … but not always. We've assembled here a list of cars and trucks that should be more popular than they are. In some cases the sales figures aren't bad, but in none of the cases below do the sales match our assessment of the cars' relevance or excellence. That usually means car shoppers can find a bit of a deal, too. Here are our Top 10 Underappreciated Cars and Trucks in no particular order.

Sorento, Optima Sustain Kia's Steady Growth

As bigger brother Hyundai takes center stage with the media and the public, Kia's blossoming is just as impressive, if not as acclaimed. Kia — which, in Korean, means "to arise or come up out of Asia" — is a dark horse in the auto industry. The carmaker was one of the fastest-growing brands in 2011, and its market share has grown for 17 straight years. "Our goal is to make 2012 our 18th consecutive year," says Tom Loveless, chief of sales at Kia.

The driving forces behind the company's growth are the Kia Sorento, Soul and Optima, according to Loveless. The pace has only picked up in recent years since the Korean automaker built its first U.S plant in 2009.

The Georgia assembly plant builds the latest generation of the Sorento, currently the carmaker's best-seller. Late last year, a $100 million expansion allowed the plant to build 360,000 vehicles a year. That will allow Kia to build 50% of the cars it sells in the United States domestically by the end of 2012, according to Michael Sprague, chief of marketing at Kia.

Kia Adds SX Limited Trim to 2012 Optima

Kia's new Optima trim might look familiar — it was introduced to more than 100 million people during the Super Bowl. The top-line SX Limited is a new addition to the Optima lineup for 2012. It joins the base LX, midlevel EX, sporty SX and Hybrid trims.

Building off the turbocharged Optima SX trim, the SX Limited uses the SX's 274-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Unique features include a chrome-accented spoiler, lower doorsills, red front-brake calipers and 18-inch chrome wheels. Trim-exclusive colors include Ebony Black, Snow White Pearl and Titanium Metallic.

Cars.com Reviews the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid

The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid is as capable as any other midsize hybrid on the market, according to Cars.com Managing Editor David Thomas. The hybrid componentry works seamlessly, but you sacrifice a lot of trunk space and the car costs $8,000 more than a gas-powered Optima, Thomas says.

2012 Kia Optima Hybrid Review

Recall Alert: 2006-08 Kia Optima, 2007-08 Kia Rondo

Kia is recalling two of its vehicles to address issues related to a faulty driver-side airbag mechanism, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On certain 2006-08 Kia Optima midsize sedans and 2007-08 Kia Rondo hatchbacks, the supplemental restraint system's clock spring contact assembly may become damaged over time. If this occurs, the driver-side airbag electrical circuit may malfunction, preventing the airbag from deploying when needed. In the event of a malfunction, the airbag warning lamp on the instrument panel will illuminate.

The recall affects Optimas built from Sept. 29, 2005, through Jan. 29, 2008, and Rondos made from Sept. 13, 2006, through March 21, 2008. (You can find the vehicle's build date on a label affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.) A total of 145,755 vehicles are being recalled.

Kia will notify owners in March, and dealers will replace the clock spring assembly for free. Owners can call Kia at 800-333-4542 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Naughty or Nice: Ergonomics

What good is a touch-screen if it’s out of arm’s reach or a radio volume knob positioned on the far side from the driver? Poor ergonomics make for frustrated drivers. Well-designed ergonomics offer comfort and ease of use while taking advantage of the technology in today's new cars. Some automakers have nailed this execution, while others leave us scratching our heads: Why should it take more than one step to turn on the heated seats?
 
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