Incoming 2021 Kia Sedona Spy Shots Revealed Via Motor1.com

The rise of crossovers and SUVs has been so evident the past few years that many families are choosing them as their prime means of transportation. Here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis, we find that totally understandable, but we're here on the blog today to remind you that the “Grand Utility Vehicle” in the form of the Sedona looks great in these teaser images offered up from the folks on staff at Motor1.com this past week. It now has slimmed-down LED headlights and a revised “Tiger nose” grille featuring vertical slats.

The front bumper now has an all-new look and the mirrors are now placed lower on the doors. Some of our other sources have told us that the overhauled minivan will grow in size a bit through a stretched wheelbase, which makes the way for a more spacious interior cabin. While these particular photos don't show much of the rear end, the spy shots do show the taillights in a configuration a bit flatter than the outgoing model. The US-spec minivan will most likely premiere in the months to come and could very well make an appearance at the Los Angeles Auto Show in late November.

The staff with years of experience on duty at The Car Connection praised this model for its comfortable ride, spacious interior, practicality, and an excellent warranty. The Sedona seats up to eight with plenty of cubbies for devices and storage, and every van is equipped with a 7.0-inch touchscreen with smartphone software, Bluetooth connectivity, and more than ample space. Make sure to check out the EX and SX trim levels: here you nail down leather upholstery and active safety features such as automatic emergency braking. Power is derived from a 3.3-liter V6 that makes 276 horsepower and provides front-wheel drive mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

When properly equipped, the Sedona can tow up to 3,500 lbs, which is enough for a small trailer or various toys on their way out to the lake. The Car Connection testing crew also claimed that “there's no distance we couldn't comfortably travel in a well-equipped 2021 Sedona”, as rows one and two get more than 40 inches of legroom for riders and row three still measures nearly 35 inches. With all of the seats down, the Sedona fits up to 142 cubic feet of cargo, and the IIHS has good things to say about it. When equipped properly, the Sedona's automatic emergency braking system earned the very top “Superior” score at avoidance of forward crashes with another car at both 12 and 25 mph.

Carbuzz.com Delivers Specific Details on Kia K5 Arrival Dates

Jared Rozenholtz of Carbuzz.com was hard at work on assignment this week for their blog and when he was asked about the arrival of the Kia K5 he responded: “It's coming very soon”. Kia first showed off the next-generation Optima towards the end of 2019 via the reveal of the K5 in the Korean market. Based on spy shots from various internet sites, the US-spec model has been expected to shed the Optima name in favor of the K5 in the United States market. Promising a sleek and slightly lower-budget option for those who are in love with the Stinger, we expect the sedan to breathe an abundance of life and fire into a market still desperate for just this, “a killer car”.

It was several months ago that the K5 was shown in Korea, and everyone here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis has been eagerly awaiting the announcement about a specific release date. Now it seems the wait is over, and the official debut date has been released as June 30, 2020. This news was via an official email from Kia that began with the statement “It's been a while and we have news to share.” This particular email does not reference the car by its exact name, attempting one last go at keeping things a mystery, but it does include a small teaser that clearly shows a sedan with all the features of the already-seen Korean specific model.

We expect the North American debut to take place at 2:00 PM Eastern time. Engine options will be the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that cranks out 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque or the 1.6-liter turbo-four that cranks out 180 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, both shared with the mechanically similar Hyundai Sonata. This year for the first time ever the new car is expected to brandish the all-wheel-drive option with the 1.6-liter engine. We still aren't sure if the GT will just see the unveiling of the standard model, or if the GT variant will accompany it right out of the gate.

The GT is expected to use the identical 2.5-liter turbo-four as the upcoming Hyundai Sonata N-line, which cranks out around 290 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. The GT will most likely have AWD, and the fine details on pricing could be revealed on the 30^th as well. Cloth, simulated leather, and genuine leather are available in single and two-tone cabin color schemes, and the rendering of trim and accents is finished with polished metallic simulated wood and gloss black depending on the model. New voice recognition technology onboard allows the driver to control the stereo, climate system, power windows, and heated/ventilated seats, and there is also the available option of the 12-speaker Bose premium surround sound system.

Drive Mode Select offers five driving modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Custom. Highlights regarding advanced driving assist systems include adaptive cruise control, front and rear collision warning, automatic front and rear emergency braking, blind-spot warning with active intervention, lane departure warning with lane-keeping assistance, and rear cross-traffic warning. Longer, wider, and a bit lower than the Optima it is replacing, the Kia K5 also has new LED “heartbeat” daytime running lights in the front and rear, and is bound to win over anyone who still has an intense love for a connection to the road that does not have to be quenched by means of the ever-popular crossover SUV!

2020 Kia Forte GT Post Road Show Test Drive: “Charming, Good-Looking and Competent”

The staff on duty at Cnet Roadshow have always cranked out auto journalism that is higher caliber than the rest, and here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis, we have always looked forward to their insight and individuality. This past week they took on the 2020 Kia Forte GT as their new test drive subject, and immediately deemed it a “performance car without the performance car price”. The snappy GT is set apart from the rest of the Forte lineup with a much sharper design and is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four engine that doles out 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.

 

These power numbers are very similar to what is seen in the close competition of the Honda Civic Si. There is the choice of either a 6-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and an exhaust with a bit more volume and deeper tone. The GT receives a new multilink rear suspension, a replacement for the standard Forte's torsion-beam setup. Coming as standard features are Forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and a driver attention monitor, and blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control are available for add-on.

The forte GT with the dual-clutch transmission nails down an EPA rating of 27 miles per gallon in the city, 35 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined. On the inside, this review team gave high props to the red accents, soft texture pattern for the doors, and brushed aluminum along the dash. Normal, Sport, and Smart driving modes allow for switching up of the driving experience, with Sport being the mode that greatly improves throttle response and adds some weight to the steering. The infotainment system is housed on an 8-inch touchscreen with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a comprehensive and very easy-to-use layout.

Charging duties are handled by two USB-A ports and a 12-volt outlet up front, with the center console supplying an additional USB-A jack. Seats can be both heated and cooled, a feature you won't see in the competing Civic Si. In regard to just how fantastic drivers have thought the new Kia Stinger is, the Forte GT is not just a consolation prize: it is fun and stylish, offering some pretty intense and ignited thrills for a low price. When consulting JDPower.com  in regards to the Forte GT, they said that owners claim their favorite qualities about this car are exterior styling, fuel economy, interior design, driving dynamics, and awesome infotainment system.

Don’t forget to check out the amazing comfort level that you can attain from the 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and the availability of upper-end simulated Sofino leather. The GT inspires one to keep taking the scenic route instead of quickly turning in the direction of a freeway ramp, and offers enough amenities for the cost that should leave anyone considering it seriously, even if they feel swayed by the ever-popular crossover SUV!

Kia Rio Brand-new Facelift Examined Close-up by Motor1.com

The Brand new Kia Rio was first shown to the public in January of this year when spy shots of a prototype with huge amounts of camouflage were circulated over the many automotive news sources online. Now five months later, the honed-in development work on the subcompact hatchback we love so much here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis is done and everyone can take a moment to greet the new Rio face-lift. It has gained a more simplified front fascia with a slightly more aggressive and wider bumper with new fog lamp housing.

There is also the introduction of a full-LED headlight setup on every model as standard, and two new exterior colors are available plus a set of 16-inch and new 8-spoke design. Inside the cabin, the most drastic change is the larger 8.0-inch screen on the center console, and the 4.2-inch digital display in the driver's instrument cluster. The GT-Line models sport special carbon fiber-like trim, and a few new customization options are available. The most important upgrade is now hidden underneath the skin, where there is the introduction of a new 1.0-liter mild-hybrid engine to replace the Rio's earlier Kappa 1.0 T-GDi.

 

This new electrified powertrain sees the combination of an integrated starter-generator for lowered carbon dioxide emissions of approximately 8 percent with a 3-cylinder combustion engine. It will offer the same peak power as the engine before it... 100 or 120 horsepower, and be paired to a newly-developed manual transmission that provides electronic control of the clutch. This fascinating “clutch-by-wire” gearbox completes seamless integration with the mild-hybrid system to switch off the engine earlier that the start-stop function when easing to a halt. The non-hybrid 1.0-liter gasoline engine will from now on be available with a new 6-speed manual gearbox, as well as seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

There will also be the base naturally-aspirated 1.2-liter gas engine with a peak power of 84 horsepower, and this refreshed Rio is slated to go on sale in Europe during the third quarter of 2020. We'll keep you posted right here on the blog about further findings on the US release date, and any other details that we find as we glean the web for news. The addition of the Perennial Gray and Sporty Blue brings the total number of paint options to nine, and onboard is also the UVO Connect “Phase II” telematics features.

The 2021 Kia Rio also brings to the table an array of our brand's latest Advanced Driving Assistance System, such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian, vehicle and cyclist recognition, Lane Keeping Assist, Driver Attention Warning, and Blind Collision Warning. The telematics features take the stress out of long journeys by enhancing the vehicle's connectivity and control, by means of offering live traffic information, weather forecasts, and fuel prices along the way.