Kia Telluride Deemed By Business Insider as “Absolute Best on the Market”

A sense of Deja Vu occurs when you are in a place you feel you have been before or witnessing an event that you feel you have already seen. This is the sense that Matthew DeBord of Business Insider encountered when he buckled into the brand new Kia Telluride last week. Two years before, he had the good fortune of being able to test drive a brand new Kia Stinger, and immediately told his cohorts he had just driven the “Car of the Year”.

His prediction was true, and just a year later the Stinger did take that honor. After driving our prized Kia Telluride, he said that in an SUV-crazed USA, this is one of the best contenders out there, period. His testing model was loaded up with many technology features, and he enjoyed the opportunity to drive the luxury-rich SX trim. He immediately enjoyed the power of the naturally-aspirated V6 and the smooth shifts that the 8-speed transmission offered up. Matthew goes as far as to say here that not many people buy an SUV for looks, but still has A massive love for the way in which the Telluride immediately presents itself as sharp, and still fits right into the suburban commuter category.

Once you have your hands on the multifunction steering wheel, you gain access to Kia's suite of semi-self-driving function, which stacks autosteer on top of adaptive cruise control and an entire other assortment of driver-assist features. When Matthew put the “smart” cruise control to the test, he deemed it just as good as anything else on the market, including Tesla Autopilot. The Telluride easily glided into curvy segments of the freeway during action and did a great job of relieving some stress on his 5-hour drive at hand.

When a loyal customer is approaching us here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis asking which incoming vehicles are most practical for their next purchase, space usually resides at one of the highest slots on their wish list. Maximum cargo capacity within the Telluride is almost 90 cubic feet, and this is one area where Matthew really commends our brand for stepping it up in all ways. He put the Telluride to the test during a drive from suburban New Jersey to Pennsylvania to pay a special visit to the C.F. Matin and Co. guitar factory.

After this journey, he simply lamented: “Kia, I gotta hand it to you: You're killing it, and the Telluride is the latest victory”. It was also held in high regard that the basic trim levels still offer a V6 and All-wheel-drive, deeming anyone capable of handling what Missouri weather doles out. The infotainment system offered up an old-school feel that was welcome, yet still does the job of integrating device-paring, Bluetooth, and navigation. Opting for a crossover instead of a minivan offers plenty of advantages, and this 3-row champion is as clandestine and surprise-prone as the Rocky Mountain township it was named for!

Kia Optima Could Likely Adopt K5 Namesake in the U.S.

Design sketches that previewed the updated Optima's look were spotted all over the web during November and October, but the brand-new Optima won't be officially released until 2020. As all of us here on sales and service staff at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis were surfing the web to find the latest news about new releases, we came across this piece from Motor1.com that poses an interesting question: there may be a chance that it may not be called the Optima after all. Officials from Korea have claimed that the company is dropping the Optima nameplate, as reported in TheKoreanCarblog.

In the Optima's place, Kia may use the K5 nameplate worldwide for this savvy and sensational sedan. It was learned recently that the company filed was granted a trademark for the “K5” term in the United States 7 years ago, and refiled for the same trademark this fall. The U.S. Patent and Tradmark Office granted the company the wordmark in November. Just this past week, the company filed a trademark in Korea for a stylized new logo with red or black text similar to what is found on the Imagine by Kia concept.

What is a bit more solidly known about the upcoming Optima/K5 is that it does officially go on sale in the South Korean market this month, and we would expect early 2020 to be the time to  see it in the States. Engine options should be similar to what is found on the Sonata: Hyundai's product incorporates either the 2.5-liter engine that cranks out 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque or the more powerful turbocharged 1.6-liter engine, putting out 180 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.

As we say on our official website regarding this car: “So Much Yes”. It will be a car that fully allows the driver to experience perfect performance levels, and was engineered for prime efficiency from day one. Available heated and ventilated front seats add even more comfort, and the optional two-tone black and red leather interior for the SX adds a vibe of ultra-modern swank while still evoking practicality. The front styling will feature the signature tiger-nose grille, and available LED headlights that deliver a dazzling style as well as futuristic-feeling illumination option.

Don't forget to check out the available gloss-black rear spoiler, mirrors, and sport side sills with black accent trim, plus 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels that cloak the Optima in individuality. Advanced High Strength Steel greatly increases the rigidity of the body,  while hot – stamping of components in 16 key stress points works overtime to boost body structure for a ride with less noise.

Motor Trend Provides Holiday Close-up on Kia Seltos and Sportage Traits

The 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show was the scene of many surprises and visually stunning treats, and our 2021 Kia Seltos enjoyed its premiere there looking rugged and ready to roll anywhere! Sitting just below the Sportage the Seltos is targeted to buyers who are looking for a vehicle that meets the needs of an urban dweller, or busy recent graduate. As many customers are coming in to see here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis which would be the ultimate holiday surprise, they are known to ask us about the very specific differences between the two, and so we wanted to lay out a few features that stand out on each to help those making a purchase as the Motor Trend Staff did on their blog.

 Appearances are Everything: These two vehicles have pretty large differences in exterior styling: The Sportage has a bit of a polarizing presence, with high-mounted headlights and rounded stature. The smaller Seltos may seem a bit boxier at first like the 3-row Telluride, and the Seltos has a more muscular stature compared to the Sportage's smooth, rounder lines.

Interior Space: One would think at first look that the Kia Sportage would have more interior space after seeing its large appearance. The Seltos actually offers more maximum cargo capacity than the Sportage and has 62.8 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded. The Seltos also boasts more headroom both in front and second row.

Power Potential: The Kia Sportage offers more power when it comes to engine options: The available 2.0-liter turbo-four in the Sportage cranks out up to 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, making it one of the more powerful compact SUVs on the market. The most powerful option for the Seltos is an optional 1.6-liter turbo-four with 175 hp and 195 lb-ft.

All-Weather Drivability: The 2021 Seltos will offer all-wheel drive standard on every trim besides the S, which sees front-wheel only. On the larger 2020 Kia Sportage, all-wheel-drive is an extra even on the more powerful turbocharged version. If you plan to be driving in an area that happens to see its fair share of winter, the Seltos may be your practical choice.

Rear Suspension Options: The Kia Seltos offers two suspension setups depending on the allotted drivetrain. If you have front-wheel drive, the option is a torsion beam rear suspension. Models equipped with all-wheel drive feature a more complex independent multilink layout. In comparison, every 2020 Kia Sportage gets independent rear suspension regardless of which drivetrain is present.

Tech Talk: The 2021 Kia Seltos receives the latest version of Kia's multimedia system, sporting a 10.25-inch touchscreen. It also gets the quickest version of the interface to date, and now features a split-screen function for more specific customization. The Sportage uses a slightly older version with a smaller 8.0-inch touchscreen, without as much opportunity to modify. If technology is one of the largest deciding factors regarding your purchase, the Seltos would be ideal for your purchase! 

Forbes Covers Kia Soul EV Makeover: Now Flaunts Double the Power

Peter Lyon of Forbes Magazine stated in his latest article that his first drive of the Kia Soul EV delivers “considerable punch and poise” for its price and that he was still heavily impressed after he sampled some of the latest and greatest. The Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model 3, and Porsche Taycan had already filled slots in his busy itinerary for the month, and one of his first sources of excitement was the fact that the new Soul EV now boasts twice the power output of the outgoing electric version, up from 109 hp to 201 hp while torque rises from 210 to 290 lb-ft.

The electric powertrain is taken from the inverter, motor, and batteries from the Niro EV, and placed into a more stylish and economical package. Now seeing its third generation a full decade after the original, It's more visually appealing with softened edges and a silhoutte that is a bit more gradual visually. A better sense of style is also accomplished with slim wraparound LED front lights providing 16 combinations of color and a sense that more close attention has been paid to design as the model is now increasing in importance and current relevance.

What all of us on sales and service staff at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis believe is that the largest highlight of the now improved Soul is its heightened range. The model is now slated to cover up to 280 miles on a single charge, and if you can find a 100kW quick charger, you can charge a battery around 40% in just 40 minutes. The key component to these extra miles is the newly fitted 64kWh liquid-cooled battery pack. These extras alone take the 0 – 60 mph times down from 9.7 to 7.2 seconds, and improve freeway driving stance drastically.

The Forbes testing team claims that the EV really excels on the road, with a firm and comfortable ride and “effortless” direction changing. Very responsive and grippy braking and an aggressive acceleration with Sport mode add a few extra layers of fun to the daily drive. Infotainment arrives through a 10.3-inch touchscreen which is very user-friendly, and the dash  provides a range indicator and other data such as outside temperature. When you finally get some downtime and are able to valiantly escape the cubicle with a few friends, we'd recommend the sound mood lighting system: the extra pulsing lights around the cabin really up the ante for a fun night out. We will keep you posted here on the blog as to what other publications and experts have to say about the Soul, and we fully endorse it as the perfect kilowatt-driven Christmas gift!