Kia Track'ster Concept: Photo Gallery

In terms of design, Kia put the pedal to the metal, literally, with its debut of its Track'ster concept. Building on the heavy-metal theme it used during its recent Super Bowl XLVI ad, the automaker hired a Motley Crue cover band to welcome the concept to the Kia stage at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. They were loud; so was the concept’s bright orange paint.

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The Track'ster concept takes the Soul's looks to new extremes with exaggerated, enlarged wheel arches, a lowered stance and carbon-fiber exterior trim. Though Kia says it'll never be produced, Kia can always dream.

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.

Kia Track'ster Concept at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show

• Looks like: Soul's portlier, menacing cousin
• Defining characteristics: The body is low and long, with eye-catching Whiteout White and Inferno Orange paint colors and flared, sculpted front wheel arches
• Ridiculous features: Taillamps that appear to be set into the rear glass
• Chances of being mass-produced: Not a chance

Although most people already consider Kia's boxy Soul to be bold-looking, the automaker is ramping things up with a new Soul-based concept. The Track'ster takes the Soul's looks to new extremes with loud orange paint, exaggerated and enlarged wheel arches, a lowered stance and carbon-fiber exterior trim.

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"The idea was to make the Track'ster tough looking, like a bulldog. But the car had to be approachable as well. We wanted to base the car in reality so people instantly knew it was a Soul, but with a lot of attitude," said Tom Kearns, chief designer for Kia Motors America.

Kia Teases Track'ster Concept

Is Kia's hamster-mobile getting some attitude? According to Kia, the Track'ster concept is its idea of what a performance-inspired Soul would look like. "The idea behind Track'ster was to build a thought-provoking concept about what the Soul could someday be," Kia said in a press release.

Kia released a sketch showing an aggressive, two-door version of its boxy compact hatchback. The automaker plans on showing off the concept at the Chicago Auto Show next week. Check back with us on Wednesday for more from the show. 

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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Naughty or Nice: Key Fobs

The holidays are upon us, and we've decided to spotlight the year's best and worst in the car world over the next 12 days. We're looking at automakers that wowed us, along with those that earned our collective ire.

We begin with the vastly overlooked key fob.

2012 Toyota Camry Earns Five-Star NHTSA Rating

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its first batch of 2012 model year ratings this month. Under the stricter guidelines, only three 2012 models — the Chevrolet Camaro, Cadillac CTS and Toyota Camry — have earned five-star composite scores from the safety agency. In fact, as we previously reported, the Camaro is the only vehicle to earn a perfect rating across the board since the new guidelines took effect for the 2011 model year.

NHTSA’s composite scores are composed of five-star ratings for frontal, rollover and a combined side pole and barrier tests. The side pole test, which is new, simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.

The redesigned 2012 Camry earned a five-star overall rating, getting four stars in the frontal test, five stars in the side-crash test and four stars in the rollover test.

Kia GT Concept: Photo Gallery

Kia's GT Concept is a look at what a rear-wheel-drive luxury car from Kia could look like.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

The carbon-fiber wheel accents, front styling and interior are pretty wild for a production car, though the GT Concept's overall exterior design doesn't appear too far-fetched for a future Kia sedan.