The 2017 Kia Niro Takes Home Guinness World Record Title

The 2017 Kia Niro, which isn’t set to arrive until early next year, is already breaking records with its performance capabilities. The crossover hybrid vehicle has recently taken home a Guinness World Record title for the lowest fuel consumption driving across the United States from coast to coast (hybrid car) with an astonishing 76.6 mpg.

“We’re extremely pleased with the Niro’s record-breaking performance,” stated Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning KMA. “We set out to build a vehicle that offers real-word utility, great looks and fantastic mileage, and setting the Guinness World Record title confirms our achievement.”

Wayne Gerdes of Carlsbad, California and Robert Winger of Williamsburg, Virginia trekked a total of 3,715.4 miles from Los Angeles City Hall to New York City Hall in the Niro EX on just 48.5 gallons (4.1 tanks) of gas.

Pretty amazing, huh? Be sure to be on the lookout for the 2017 Niro, which should be rolling into Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis, MO in the first quarter of next year!

6 Winter Weather Driving Tips To Keep You Safe This Season

Winter is making its way here, and we all know that with the turn of the season comes the snow. In a perfect world, we can enjoy the snow from the warmth of our home… but we don’t live in a perfect world and there will come a time when we all end up having to drive in it. Driving in snow can be dangerous and our team at Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis, MO wants you to get where you’re going safely. Check out the tips below for driving safely in wintery conditions:
 
Clear snow and ice off of your car before driving
 
Clearing any snow from your vehicle is a very important step to take before you head off. Snow on your windshield blocks your view and creates blind spots. If you leave snow on the roof of your car, it may slide down and block your view while driving or fly off and create trouble for the drivers behind you.
 
Reduce speed
 
Though it goes without saying, tires do not have as much grip of the road in icy and snowy conditions. Slowing down gives you more control and more time to react if slippage occurs, and should things go wrong, a reducing your speed lessens the impact.
 
Accelerating, braking and turning should all be separate actions
 
Braking while turning or accelerating while turning are two things that will lead to disaster in snowy conditions. Slowly apply the brakes while the vehicles is going straight and very gently accelerate when making the turn. Remember: Gently.
 
Longer braking distance
 
When driving in winter conditions, always keep your distance from the vehicle ahead of you and apply the brakes much earlier than you would in dry conditions. Use less pressure on the brakes than you normally would, as locking your brakes will cause the vehicle to slide or skid.
 
Steer into a skid
 
If the rear of the vehicle does happen to begin sliding during a turn, do not panic. Let your foot off of the accelerator and steer your vehicle in the direction of the slide. By doing this, you remain in control.
 
Just because the road looks clear, doesn’t mean it's clear
 
Just because a road looks clear of snow does not mean that it is clear of danger. Black ice, a layer of ice on the road that is typically mistaken for wet pavement, is often found on bridges, overpasses and shaded parts of the road. According to one study, trying to stop on black ice takes nine times longer than normal, so you truly have no room for error if you come across it. Remember that if the road is wet and temps are below 32 degrees, freezing will occur and the possibility of black ice increases.

Kia's First-Ever Sports Saloon: The 2017 Kia GT

If this isn’t a teaser, we don’t know what is! Kia’s next big thing is on its way and we are as eager as ever to get behind the wheel. What is this “next big thing”, you ask? The 2017 Kia GT- AKA the brand’s first sports saloon. And considering the timing of the released video, it is likely the vehicle will be making its debut next month at the Detroit Auto Show.

Though Kia has released very little about the GT, we do know that this car is focused on driver enjoyment and will reach speeds up to more than 150 mph. It has been caught testing multiple times in Nurburgring and is expected to be positioned at the top of Kia’s range.

We’ll keep you posted with more details but we don’t expect to see the Kia GT roll into our showroom until after summer of 2017!

In the meantime, stop by and see us at Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis, MO to check out our current Kia lineup!