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.
Kia’s GT Concept is the Korean automaker’s first concept to use rear-wheel drive; a configuration used almost exclusively in higher-end luxury sedans. Kia is gunning for those luxury brands with the GT Concept, saying this concept is a look into its future showroom. The GT Concept looks the part with coupe-like rear similar to the Audi A7.
More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
Kia’s European design team is responsible for the GT Concept. They kept Kia’s front tabbed grille used in the current lineup but everything else looks one-off. The wheels are pushed forward to give a sporty appearance while the swept windshield, roofline and rear fenders give the GT an aggressive profile.
With seating for seven and a low starting MSRP of $21,250, the 2012 Kia Sorento is on a lot of parents' must-see lists when car shopping. Despite its less-than-ample legroom in the second and third rows, the Sorento did well in our Car Seat Check. One knock against it, though, is it doesn't have any tether anchors in the third row, so a forward-facing convertible car seat can't be installed there. That could frustrate a family with three or more kids.
For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.
Cars.com's annual popularity award is back. We have found the 10 most popular new-car models that shoppers are not only searching for on Cars.com but are contacting dealers about. These models also receive positive consumer reviews.
This fervent interaction delivers a top 10 that might surprise some enthusiasts, but probably not the people who buy and sell cars.
Voting for this year’s Shoppers' Choice awards will be conducted entirely on Facebook, so go vote, share it with your network and get your favorite car the shiny trophy when it's announced Jan. 10 on the eve of the Detroit auto show.
Shoppers' Choice finalists (in alphabetical order):
Chrysler’s pair of near-identical minivans — the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan — as well as the Chrysler-built but Volkswagen-branded 2012 Routan have been named Top Safety Picks in the minivan category by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The trio join the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.
To earn the award, a vehicle must earn the top rating of Good in front, side, rear and rollover crash tests. The vehicle also must be equipped with electronic stability control, which is standard on all 2012 vehicles.
The vehicle also must pass the institute’s roof-strength test. To pass, the roof must withstand a force equal to four times the vehicle's weight before it caves in five inches. Ratings for the Town & Country, Grand Caravan and Routan are based on a roof-strength test conducted for the Town & Country alone. The Town & Country can withstand 4.51 times its own weight.
When the redesigned 2012 Kia Rio sedan hits dealerships early next year, you'll plunk down another $1,105 for the base model compared with last year's Rio, but you'll get more standard safety and convenience features in return. Kia announced today the Rio sedan will start at $13,400, which undercuts the Rio5 hatchback by $200. The price excludes a $750 destination charge.
That gets you a stick-shift Rio LX sedan with standard air conditioning, power mirrors, a USB/iPod-compatible CD stereo with steering-wheel controls, a height-adjustable driver's seat, airbags aplenty and an electronic stability system — a decent haul for an entry-level sedan. Last year's Rio started at $12,295 but lacked air conditioning, the stability system or steering-wheel controls. Nissan's stick-shift Versa starts at $10,990 with standard air conditioning, but it sacrifices USB audio, steering-wheel controls and a bit of passing power — still a better value, if you want to shift your own gears.
The automatic Rio LX costs $14,600, or another $1,200. That extra cost beats automatics in the Versa (a ridiculous $1,770) and Accent ($2,750, packaged with other features) but still runs steep. The Ford Fiesta, redesigned Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Chevrolet Sonic offer standalone automatics that range from $725 to $1,195.
“ClaytonS” from Cheyenne, Wyo., so far has no regrets with his 1-month-old 2012 Kia Sedona EX minivan. The reader gives kudos to the Sedona for its powerful engine and quiet ride, as well as its unexpected convenience and safety features for the price, like a backup camera. Continue reading the full review to find out more. Once you’re done, write a review about your own car here.
Cars.com's editors continue to dissect some of the most popular car segments in the country. We've tackled midsize sedans, compacts and small crossovers, but what about the vehicles of choice for people needing three rows of seats? The three-row crossover/SUV segment is booming with the entry of the redesigned Ford Explorer and Dodge Durango. However, tried-and-true picks like the Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot and Chevy Traverse held their own in our competition. We even threw in the smaller Kia Sorento. Oh, and they all had to be priced under $37,000 as-tested.
See which one wowed our editors and our real-life test family.
Kia announced pricing today for its redesigned 2012 Rio hatchback, which will start at $13,600, excluding $750 for destination.
That starting price undercuts other subcompact four-door hatchbacks such as the 2012 Toyota Yaris ($15,140), 2012 Ford Fiesta ($15,500), 2012 Chevy Sonic ($14,635) and 2011 Honda Fit ($15,100). The model is also $1,495 more affordable than the outgoing 2011 Rio5, which starts at $15,095. The 2012 Hyundai Accent hatchback, a kissing-cousin to the Rio, starts at $14,595.
The 2012 Rio5 will be available in LX, EX and SX trims. The starting $13,600 price gets you a 138-horsepower four-cylinder engine, six-speed manual transmission, air conditioning, rear wiper and washer, 15-inch steel wheels, rear spoiler, stereo with USB port and satellite radio. The LX with a six-speed automatic transmission starts at $14,700.
Kia is recalling 10,631 2007-08 Kia Sorento SUVs because of a potential defect with the front passenger airbag sensing unit, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
On some models, built between June 12, 2006, and Nov. 27, 2007, the passenger-side airbag sensing system, which turns off or on the airbag deployment depending on the passenger’s weight, may misclassify an adult as a child and turn off the airbags. If the system is turned off during an accident, the front passenger will not have airbag protection in some frontal collisions, increasing the risk of injury.
Kia dealers will update the sensing unit’s programming free of charge. The service update is available immediately. Owners can call Kia at 800-333-4542 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.
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