Georgia Town to Become 'Kia-ville'

The small town of West Point, Ga., was in the process of dying after it shed its base of textile jobs in the ‘90s. Now that Kia plans to open a plant there, the town is experiencing a renaissance.

After receiving $400 million in tax breaks and other economic incentives, Kia will build a $1.2 billion plant on 2,200 acres of former cattle farms. The plant, located roughly 80 miles south of Atlanta, has already hired 500 workers, but plans to employ 2,000 more by the time the plant opens. Several Kia suppliers will need 7,500 more people to meet demand created by the new plant. The plant will build the Kia Sorento SUV, and residents have already dubbed the town “Kia-ville.”

Last year, we wrote about the hope and potential devastation that automobile manufacturing can bring to small-town communities, using Indiana as an example. Building cars is a unique type of economic lifeblood, and one only needs to look at West Point to see why: The Kia plant has 43,013 applications already, with 75% coming from Georgia, 20% from Alabama and the rest from auto workers across the country, including Michigan, according to the plant’s director of human resources, Randy Jackson.

While obviously not all of those applicants will get a job with Kia, West Point will gain an estimated 20,000 jobs in the next five years thanks to the factory. The city is seeing its first new subdivision in 25 years going up, and local businesses have reported a strong uptick already.

Yet the industrial Midwest is the perfect example of why towns built around one employer stand to suffer the most in hard times: The pain of towns and cities across Michigan, Indiana and Ohio serve as a testament to just how quickly boom can turn to bust.

Town Hits Economic Jackpot to Become 'Kia-ville' (CNN.com)

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Weekend Athlete Hits the Elkhart Lake Triathlon in a 2009 Kia Sedona

It’s summer, and that means it’s time to switch to triathlons, camping and trail-running. The Weekend Athlete feature is also changing things up, adding a more real-life, real-use look at whatever car — sometimes, gasp! rentals — I’m taking on my adventures.

Destination: Racing the Elkhart Lake Triathlon

Car: 2009 Kia Sedona

Distance: About 338 miles

The Trip: I’ve done this triathlon several times over the past few years, and it might just be my favorite because it gives me an excuse to take a long drive in the country on one or two lightly traveled roads. The racecourse is also super-fun, with good hills.

My bike obviously comes along, and because it’s early in the year the wetsuit does too. I like to stay up in Wisconsin the night before, so I bring more gear than normal: Food, extra clothes, etc. To my mind, all of this means that it’s the best triathlon to test a car. (In a weird coincidence, the first time I did this race I had a Kia Optima sedan.)

Reader Review of the Week: 2010 Kia Soul

“Soulman” from Erie, Pa., was looking at a used Scion xB before deciding to spring for a new 2010 Kia Soul for only $1,000 more. How did the decision work out for him? He’s found a lot he likes about the Soul, but also discovered the car is not without its flaws. He explains why he chose the Soul and what he thinks Kia could do to improve it. Check out Soulman’s review, then post your own review here.

2010 Kia Forte Sedan Priced at $13,695

Kia’s newest compact car will cost $13,695, making it the least-expensive compact sedan on the market, replacing the 2009 Kia Spectra.

Competing with vehicles like the Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cobalt and Nissan Sentra, the Forte has a base MSRP that’s about $1,000-$1,500 less, on average, than the rest of the segment.

There’s really no content sacrifice at that price, either. Standard features include a CD stereo, MP3 jack and USB input. Bluetooth is also standard on all trims, which is rare for this class.

The Forte comes in LX, EX and sporty SX trim levels. Move up to the EX or SX trim, and you get power windows, keyless entry, air conditioning, a six-speaker surround-sound audio system with steering-wheel controls, and cruise control. The SX comes with a bigger engine and a sport-tuned suspension.

Standard safety equipment on all Forte models includes stability control, antilock brakes and active front head restraints.

Fifteen-inch wheels are standard on the LX, while the EX gets 16s and the SX has 17s.

The EX also comes with an optional Fuel Economy Package that adds a five-speed automatic transmission and low-rolling-resistance tires that help the Forte achieve 27/36 mpg city/highway, for a class-leading 30 mpg combined fuel economy.

Full pricing is provided after the jump:

2009 Kia Soul Video

What makes the all-new 2009 Kia Soul so cool? That’s the question Cars.com’s Kelsey Mays asks in his review. Could it be the back-lit speakers that pulsate with the music? Or maybe the low price tag? Mays goes in search of answers in this video, while lucky viewers get a taste of his musical inclinations.

2009 Kia Borrego: Spring Break Part 2

The 2009 Kia Borrego definitely had a big leg up in the technology department over my aging 2004 Sedona. Our spring break tester came with a navigation system and both USB and auxiliary input jacks for MP3 players. Given that I’m a true iPod nut, this was great news.

NBA MVP LeBron James Gives Away His Kia

When Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James won his first NBA Most Valuable Player award this season, he also won a free Kia Borrego. This is somewhat akin to the local Subway offering you free sandwiches for a month after being elected president of the United States.

Not to knock Kia, but its cars are more likely to be the vehicles of NBA fans than of NBA players, who are well known for their extravagant taste in cars. Perhaps that’s why Kia, the sponsor of the award and an NBA partner, usually gives the vehicle directly to a charity of the award winner’s choice.

Last year’s MVP, Kobe Bryant, donated his brand-new Kia Borrego to the East L.A. Boys and Girls Club. This year’s Defensive Player of the Year, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, has already announced that his Kia will go to the Orlando Day Nursery. James will give his SUV to the Akron Urban League.

Even though Kia would certainly love to see James behind the wheel of a Borrego, giving the car directly to charity avoids headaches for sports agents because of possible conflicting endorsement deals. We’d also guess the Borrego would cramp his style a bit. James arrived at the MVP award ceremony driving a Ferrari amid a police escort. We assume this is his Ferrari 430 Spyder, which cost more than $200,000 before it was customized to fit the NBA player’s tall frame. Check out the video of him taking delivery of it below.

NBA MVPs Don’t Keep Cars (CNBC.com)

Recall Alert: Nearly 140,000 Kia Vehicles

Kia has issued a recall for 139,844 Kia vehicles from the 2006 and 2007 models years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Affected models include the Amanti, Rondo, Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, all of which could potentially have been built with damaged stop-lamp switches.

This could result in the brake lights not illuminating during braking, or continuing to illuminate after the brake pedal has been released. Also, the shifter may jam in the Park position, the electronic stability control light may illuminate the “ESC Off” indicator, and depressing the brake may not deactivate the cruise control. Any of these malfunctions could create a dangerous driving situation.

Dealers will replace the stop-lamp switch free of charge. Owners can contact Kia’s customer center at 800-333-4542 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.

2009 Kia Borrego: Spring Break Part 1

In one of the Suburban Dad’s annual traditions, spring break is time for a family vacation. This year, we headed to Southern California for a week and lined up a brand-new 2009 Kia Borrego as our mode of ground transportation.

As a longtime Kia driver (I bought my Sedona back in 2004), I was eager to try out the 2009 Borrego and see how Kia’s entry in the three-row SUV segment compared to the Sedona as a family-hauler. The Borrego feels fresher in many ways, but in crucial areas my wife, kids and I definitely prefer the Sedona.

First off, I loved the look of the Borrego. Painted a dark blue, it says truck-based SUV in a way that will definitely appeal to a lot of men, though my wife liked it, too. Inside, the interior is attractive, with soft-touch surfaces in and around the dash. The leather seats were very comfortable and supportive, and visibility was great.

Through Ian's Lens: 2010 Kia Soul

In spite of dreary economic times, some car companies are manufacturing cars that look and feel cutting-edge. Spending money to make your wheels flashy may become a thing of the past for some car buyers, but now manufacturers are highlighting inexpensive cars with quality parts that create an aftermarket look and feel without the extra cash. Enter the 2010 Kia Soul, a boxy, four-door SUV-meets-hatchback that’s pitted itself against the Scion xB and the new Nissan Cube. The Soul is designed for young, hip twentysomethings, and it’s priced to sell.

The headlights and taillights are exceptional. The lamps and turn signals were plucked straight off a concept car and plopped right onto this production model. The taillights are tall, narrow triangles, while the headlights are multi-angled and covered in enough chrome to make an aftermarket light kit look like a flashlight.

The design aspect that most gives the Soul its edgy character is the shape of the car itself. The Soul’s outer shell has a rounded nose, matched with harsh window accents and sloped body lines. Its flat roof accentuates the angle of the front grille and windshield, while the flat back makes the rounded wheel wells look as if the car is moving while it’s standing still. It reminds me of a shopping cart being propelled at an insane speed down a hill.

Let me know what you think in the comments section below. As always, feel free to use the full-screen mode on the photo browser.