2021 Kia Seltos Post Victory Spin Via Motor Trend: “Red Hot in the Style Department, Most Precise Steering out There”

The subcompact SUV segment has surely been on fire for the last five years, and our prized 2021 Kia Seltos is on the national list but is a bit larger than some in the group. Very attractive looks and a roomy interior are two characteristics that set it apart a bit from the pack, with some of those peering over the fence in terms of the competition being the Chevy Trailblazer, Toyota C-HR, Ford EcoSport, and Nissan Kicks.

Motor Trend's Miguel Cortina had a chance over the past week to test a Seltos SX with the 1.6-liter turbo and was pleased right off the bat with the way it handled around the track. Sporting a shared platform with the smaller Soul and Kona, the Seltos has longer proportions that allow for a roomy cargo and cabin area. Drawing a direct comparison to the popular Honda HR-V, Miguel reflected that the Seltos has slightly more cargo room, thanks to the versatile cargo floor, which can be lowered to gain valuable volume. Some of the largest points scored for practicality was regarding the rear seats: besides folding nearly flat, they recline for a more comfortable position during a long haul.

The suspension is well-tuned to absorb most bumps and ruts, and on twisty roads, it doled out very low body roll and high-end grip. This troupe drove the Seltos with the independent rear suspension, which now only comes standard in the all-wheel-drive model, front-drive Seltos models come with the torsion beam suspension. They felt that the 1.6-liter turbo was punchy and adequate for city driving, and were impressed by the 7.3 seconds it took to get to 60 mph, impressive for any Subcompact number.

Road test editor Chris Walton described the Seltos as “surprisingly quick”, and appreciated its very smooth manner of upshifting and straight-line acceleration abilities. Normal, Sport, and Smart are the available driving modes, and Sport is where you really get to let out the naturally-aspirated aggression. It offers up a perfectly stiff and weighted feel, and the Smart mode is a clever combination of both that senses whether you are in a conservative, sporty, or aggressive driving mode. The 10.3-inch screen is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with high ease of use and quick response rate. The UVO Link on board is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so you can request from Alexa to handle climate control settings.

Many of the features where Motor Trend felt Kia really upped our game were interior related. Three USB ports, heated front seats, a wireless phone charger, and a Bose premium audio system connected to ambient lighting are all amazing features for the price. Styling, size, and practicality all make the Seltos a great choice, and with all-wheel-drive offered below the Sportage, all of us here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis have noticed that this is a huge draw. The crew from Motor Trend claimed in conclusion that we are doing a bang-up job with our new products and that the strong value factor continues to deeply impress!!

Motor1.com Claims 2021 Kia Sorento Brandishes “Great Levels of Space, High-Quality Cabin”

The brand new Sorento now sits at the heart of our comprehensive line-up here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis, and many review teams have greatly admired its high-tech cabin and modern exterior design. Emilio Herrera, Chief Operating Officer for Kia Motors Europe, commented that “The Sorento's evolution over the last 18 years echoes that of the Kia brand as a whole. It is an important model for Kia, particularly now that it also represents the first use of electrified power in our flagship SUV.” This in-depth look from Motor1.com provides some great information about specs and photos of this awesome incoming vehicle.

The Sorento's redefined exterior design boasts sharper lines, high-tech details, and proudly long proportions, that now give it a mature presence. Once inside, the cabin has not been skimped upon and boasts premium-quality materials along with the best in infotainment technology. The new Sorento is the first generation of the model to now receive an electrified powertrain. This “Smartstream” mill is the result of a combination of a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline direct injection engine with a 1.49-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack and 44.2 kW electric engine. Output is ranked at 227 horsepower, and 258 lb-ft of torque, and is sent to all 4 wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission as well as a transmission-mounted electrical device.

Make sure to fully explore the different trim levels and options for the new Sorento: some of the optional equipment are very useful elements such as forward collision and avoidance assist, blind-spot view monitor, surround-view monitor, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go-function, and blind-spot collision-avoidance assist. The new smartstream electrified powertrain provides the ability to offer greater fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and higher performance than models before it. This is going to be Kia's most high-tech car ever, thanks to its extensive connectivity, driver assistance, and infotainment offerings.

When you see the Sorento coming, the front has seen gradual evolution with a new interpretation of Kia's “tiger nose” grille, with a wider shape wrapping around each side's integrated headlamps. The new model has seen its proportions adapted to make it appear longer and retains the characteristic wide D-pillar and distinctive wheel arches that have been definitive of all three Sorento models. We love how the trim on the sporty lower rear bumper now draws attention to the dual tailpipes, and there is a skid plate that adds to a rugged SUV stance.

Special attention has been given to the cabin design, which is much more intuitive and tech-oriented than before. It still holds the quality of spaciousness and versatility that the Sorento has enjoyed over the years, and customers will no doubt enjoy the twin digital displays in the dashboard. They are located clearly within the driver's sightline, and provide the user with an authentic wide-screen experience. Ask us about the available Mood Lighting system: it creates soft ambient downlighting from under the door trim, evoking an upscale feel and a more defined sense of space.

The Car Connection After 2021 Kia Seltos First Drive: “Brims Style and Verve”

Aaron Cole is the fearless and driveshaft-focused Managing Editor of The Car Connection Blog, and all of us here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis have valued his opinions and information regarding numerous things car-related. His first thoughts regarding the 2021 Kia Seltos were that it “Piles on style like fresh Wranglers, hard-wearing felt Stetsons, and shined up East Texas belt buckles”. His initial test drive was in the hill country outside San Antonio, with plenty of cedar elm, fresh air, and shiny new high school football stadiums!

The Car Connection crew did have lots of love for the Kia Soul, due to its funky style and sensible arrangement of usable space. Since the Soul didn't have all-wheel drive, this is where the Seltos can largely and proudly fill that gap. It stretches seven more inches from bumper to bumper, resulting in 26.6 cubic feet of cargo room (compared to the Soul's 24.2 cubic feet) and nearly one more inch of rear-seat legroom than the hatchback. The magazine's editor is 6-foot-3, and he was able to very comfortably sit behind a driver of similar size while enjoying ample shoulder room and rear seats that recline a few inches for better long-haul comfort.

The base engine for the 2021 Seltos is a 2.0-liter inline-4 that cranks out 146 horsepower, is mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission, and is the one the testing crew here preferred. It is available in the S AWD or EX configuration, and the option higher up the ladder is the 1.6-liter Turbo-4 that makes 175 horsepower and is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. The troupe averaged about 27.3 mpg combined in the turbo-4 Seltos, and after a bit more time spent on the outskirts of San Antonio, they felt that the steering feel was softer and does a better job of leaning into corners.

As far as the all-important highway drive, the winning quality as far as this group was concerned was the quiet ride and the 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The top-of-the-line Seltos SX gets a wide 10.3-inch version and premium audio, another asset defining its comfort factor as a place to feel as if you are unwinding instead of knocking out the normal stressful deadlines of everyday life. Practicality and open space were highlights during the multiple drives, and this is the vehicle with a prime personality that Car and Driver claimed: “Goes above and beyond all small SUV essentials.”

We are excited to show you the SUV that is so well-known for displaying class-leading

refinement and secure composure for its price point, and steering that strays far from the

“pined and nervous” character of many out there today. Among competitors possessing the fierce form of the Jeep Compass, Mazda CX-30, and Nissan Rogue Sport, the squared-off and very chiseled appearance make the Seltos upscale, the ride of someone in the know, and the perfect choice for 2021’s coming offering assortment.

“Truth About Cars” Calls 2020 Kia Telluride SX “Charming, Remarkable, and Masculine”

Writer Tim Healy of “The Truth About Cars” blog took a minute to reflect at the beginning of his current article about the Kia Telluride that his first drive of one last year proved to him that Kia's introduction of this vehicle was “Definitely remarkable”. This time he got to use the Telluride for a week as opposed to a day and went for the top-trim SX with all-wheel drive. The engine onboard is a 3.8-Liter V6 that cranks out 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque.

Fuel economy rings in at 19 mpg city/ 24 mpg highway/ 21 mpg combined. The SX that Tim got to test sported 20-inch blacked-out wheels that replaced the 18-inch wheels found as standard on the EX, LED headlights and fog lamps, rear sunroof, second-row captain's chairs, 12-way power driver's seat, memory for the driver's seat and side-view mirrors, blind-spot monitoring, surround-view camera, premium audio, park-distance warning, and HomeLink. He said he would not want to do without the Prestige Package: it adds a head-up display, 110-volt inverter, Nappa leather, premium cloth for the headliner and visors, heated and cooled second-row seats, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

The layout of controls is a very important quality of a vehicle: once the driver gets inside and is ready to go, they enjoy a logical and easy-to-use structure. The Telluride has two rows of buttons on the center stack, and faux wood trim that is visually appealing and gives an earthier rather than “cold steel” appearance. As far as the all-important factor of “having fun” during his drives, this is where he really enjoyed himself, and with minimal body roll could really enjoy the firm and grippy steering. He appreciated the fact that there was not the “large vehicle float” sensation common in 3-row crossovers and claims that it is dynamically sound enough that it suggests that some other automakers “weren't even trying with their land barges.”

Everyone here on staff at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis would agree that the closest competition for the Telluride is the Palisade as well as Honda Highlander. For the price, we are very proud of the fact that you are getting as standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, leather seats, heated and cooled front seats, lane-keep assist, highway-driving assist, park-distance warning for reverse, blind-spot collision assist, rear cross-traffic alert, forward-collision avoidance assist, adaptive cruise control, rear occupant alert, safe-exit assist, UVO infotainment, navigation, 10-inch touchscreen, tri-zone climate control, heated steering wheel, satellite radio, front sunroof, and wireless cell-phone charger.

We hope to see you here this March for a test drive of this amazing vehicle that has racked up many awards and been an absolute shining star in a sea of bland models with a lack of personality. This is the epic engineering win that Car and Driver themselves billed as “utterly lavish” as well as “Bold while uniquely appointed”, and we can’t wait for you to experience the thrill and precise handling of this high-tech and comfy hauler!

2020 Kia Telluride SX Trim billed by MotorTrend as “Where you go From Good to Great”

It has not been too difficult to notice how the Kia Telluride has nearly effortlessly stayed on the absolute top of three-row SUV offerings over the past year. From its Victory in MotorTrend's SUV of the Year competition to more recent wins on the testing front, it has surely kept its place on the upper end of the scale for consumers looking for a legendary and capable powerhouse. When all of us on sales and service staff here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis are asked just what it is that makes the Telluride so great, there are a few definitive answers we have right off the bat.

From top-notch exterior styling to its overall driving dynamics, this is one vehicle that was always destined to be a leader. As the Motor Trend staff contested in this blog, making a good-looking, good-driving, class-leading car at a competitive price will make people rapidly flock to it. The entry-level Telluride is the base model LX, which sees many of the best features included. Items such as Apple Car Play and Android Auto, rear blind-spot collision avoidance assist, driver attention warning, forward collision avoidance, and lane departure warning are all present right here within the entry-level.

One feature that the Motor Trend team enjoyed was the Safe Exit Assist: after you have parked, this system uses the lane departure and blind-spot sensors to look for cars coming up behind you before you choose to open the door. When parking on a narrow street, the Telluride will remind you to check mirrors before making your exit. The LX does not offer the availability of the second-row captain's chairs, but the 60/40 split-folding second-row bench seat still is very practical. The 3.8-liter V6 cranks out 291 horsepower, sent directly to the front wheels.

The S model sees the addition of Machine-finished 20-inch alloy wheels to replace the LX's 18-inches, and there is a dark metallic grille as well as satin-finished front bumper air ducts. There  are also dual chrome exhaust tips, a more premium silver finish on the skid-plates, and a satin-chrome window surround. Inside, there is black Sofino leatherette trim and upgraded seats which include a 10-way adjustable driver's seat with adjustable lumbar support.

The EX model provides highly noticeable addition inside: actual leather replaces the leatherette, and a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen sits prominently on the EX's dash. Here you also enjoy the benefit of dual climate control, 8-way power-adjustable driver's and front passenger seats, sound-absorbing front window glass, and a smart power lift gate. A very premium feel is acquired here due to the seats and wood trim and makes you want to spend more time inside.

Where the Motor Trend crew said that the Telluride goes from “good to great” is once you get your hands on the fully loaded SX model. All of the goodies that come in the EX model: like leather seats, wood dash, and larger screen are found here, along with 12-way heated, cooled, power-adjustable front seats with memory feature. You get to blast a 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, stainless steel door sill scuff protectors, stainless pedals, and dual sunroofs. Don't forget to ask us about the SX Prestige package while you're here: it adds to the mix a head-up display, automatic rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated and cooled second-row seating, and a premium headliner as well as premium Nappa leather seats.