KIA's SEMA 2016 Teaser Video Has Us Excited For 2030

According to a recent KIA Motors America press release, the brand plans to have a fully autonomous vehicle on the road by 2030. In their SEMA 2016 teaser video, you will find the “Soul First Class”, an upscale inter-city vehicle that the company says allows business travelers both work and relax as they venture to out-of-town meetings and other destinations.

This custom-built vehicle features rear-facing seats, no steering wheel (say what?!), and a wide array of luxury enhancements, which includes:

• A 40-inch flat screen is connected to premium-level speakers throughout the cabin
• A custom motorized center console reveals two tablets, which are used to control the vehicle
• White and gray leather upholstery with diamond stitching and white and gray wood flooring to match
• PPG Lux Blue exterior paint
• Modified upper and lower grilles with LED lighting
• Aerodynamic 19-inch Rotiform Monoblock CCV wheels

 Sounds pretty awesome if you ask us.

Check out the exclusive first-look video above and keep an eye out for this futuristic KIA at the 2016 SEMA Show!

Also, be sure to stop in Jim Butler KIA in Chesterfield, MO to check out the 2016 KIA Soul... You’ll have to drive it yourself though!

KIA's Advanced Safety Features

We’ve all been there, right? It’s easy to get distracted while driving (especially when our favorite songs come on the radio) and that’s why many KIA vehicles offer a range of safety features to help act as your extra eyes for the road. Though this video showcases the KIA’s Emergency Braking feature, the brand offers much more than that. Some of the safety features offered on select models include:

Rear Cross Traffic Alert:

Using sonar sensors as you reverse, this system will give an audible warning when it detects an obstacle behind the vehicle.

Autonomous Emergency Braking:

This feature utilizes a camera, which is mounted on the windshield of the car. The camera senses the lane ahead and if you happen to depart from it, it warns you to take control of the car again (as featured in the video above).

Tire Pressure Monitoring:

This feature monitors the air pressure inside the tires of the car and will alert you if there is any under-inflating tire. The alert will also indicate exactly which tire needs more air.

Emergency Stop Signal:

When this system is in use, abrupt braking while driving triggers fast blinking of the brake lamp to alert the vehicles behind you of any danger.

Forward Collision Warning:

With this system, a camera monitors the distance between your car and the one in front of you. If the distance becomes excessively short, you will be alerted.

Blind Spot Detection:

This system sends both visual and auditory signals to help warn you of objects that are located in your blind spot.

Check out these latest safety features on the all-new KIA lineup at Jim Butler Kia in Chesterfield, MO!

Welcoming The 2017 Kia Niro

The 2017 Kia Niro has made its official arrival to Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis, MO and we can’t wait for you to come check it out. Referred to as a “hybrid utility vehicle”, the Kia Niro is the perfect combination of a hybrid-electric car and CUV. Add this to an impressive design and enjoyable driving experience, and you can’t ask for much more.

“The Niro hits the sweet spot by offering the best combination of outstanding mpg, an engaging driving experience, utility, and most importantly, a stunning design that doesn’t shout ‘hybrid’”, stated Orth Hedrick, vice president product planning KMA. “The subcompact CUV market continues to be one of the fastest-growing segments in the world, and the Niro offers a uniquely alluring yet practical package that consumers haven’t seen before.”

The interior is spacious and an elevated seating position provides a clear view of the road and easy entering and exiting. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on the Uvo platform. Safety technology includes blind-spot warning with rear-traffic alert, adaptive cruise and lane-departure warning.

As far as power goes, the gas engine paired with an electric motor produces 146 horsepower and has an estimated fuel economy of 50 mpg combined.

To check out the all-new 2017 Kia Niro for yourself, be sure to stop by and give it a test drive at Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis, MO!

The Turbocharged KIA Soul

Within a new hamster commercial, which was released in May, Kia hinted that they would soon be rolling out a turbocharged version of the Kia Soul sometime later in the year. Fast forward to today and we finally get to take our first look at the Soul Turbo, which is in the form of the European-market Soul SX.

The exterior and interior have both been given slight updates that indicate a quicker Soul. The front bumper has been given a larger grille, offering a more aggressive look and the side sills are a little bit wider. Additionally, this Soul offers 10-spoke, 18-inch wheels, red accents, a Soul badge and a twin-tip exhaust, all exclusive touches.

As far as the interior goes, the vehicle features black cloth and leather upholstery with orange stitching and of course, the flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Under the hood of this bad boy, you will see a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, which you may recognize if you’re familiar with the Veloster Turbo and Elantra Sport. It produces about 201 horsepower and according to Kia, will travel 0-62 mph in 7.8 seconds, while topping a speed of 124 mph.

The final US spec version has yet to be revealed, but it shouldn’t be too much longer. In the meantime, stop by Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis, MO to check out our 2016 Kia Soul!

2017 Kia Sedona Awarded Top Safety Pick+ From IIHS

The 2017 Kia Sedona, Kia’s very popular minivan, has earned itself a Top Safety Pick+ Award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). As the highest award from the IIHS, a Top Safety Pick+ title is awarded to vehicles that earn “good” ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. Additionally, the vehicle must earn an “advanced” or “superior” rating for front crash prevention.

Contributing to this award is the Sedona’s addition of its optional automatic braking technology, technology that uses sensors to detect when other vehicles or obstacles may be ahead and automatically reduces the speed of the vehicle. This technology boosts the minivan’s front crash prevention rating from basic to superior.

Additionally, on the IIHS track tests at 12 mph and 25 mph, the Sedona equipped with the new front crash prevention system avoided collisions. This system also includes a forward collision warning component that meets the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.

Want to check out the Kia Sedona for yourself? Right now is a great time to save on one of the 2016 models! Stop by Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis, MO to give it a test drive!