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!

The All-New 2017 KIA Sorento

The 2017 Kia Sorento, as featured in Kia’s recent ads with Bo Jackson and Brian Bosworth, was fully redesigned for the previous model year. This year, the brand has built upon the redesign even further, creating the best Sorento yet and something all St. Louis Kia fans are going to love.

For 2017, the Sorento features better smartphone integration, more advanced safety features, and the option of three different engines. The Sorento also offers two additional trim levels- the new Advanced Technology Package (which features Kia’s latest driver assistance features) and the Advanced Touring Package.

Standard on both the L and LX trims, power comes from a 185-horsepower 2.4-liter engine. A 240-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is exclusive to the EX. In all Sorento trim options, torque is routed through a six-speed automatic transmission.

As far as the interior goes, the 2017 Sorento will offer the ability to configure the cabin for either five-passenger seating or seven-passenger seating- a very popular option in previous years. Regardless of trim, Sorento purchasers can choose from cloth, leather or Nappa Leather upholstery.

In addition to the 2017 Sorento’s upgrades, this vehicle has also earned itself a Top Safety Pick+ status from the IIHS, when equipped with the front crash prevention technology.

To check out this awesome crossover for yourself, be sure to stop by Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis to give it a test drive!

The All-New 5-Door Kia Rio

The 5-door 2017 Kia Rio hatchback will be making its debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show on September 29. The Kia Rio has earned itself a solid reputation for great fuel economy and being a fun-to-drive car, but the brand was determined to make it even better this time around.

In comparison to later models, the new Rio has grown in size- it is 15 millimeters longer, 5 millimeters wider and a has a wheelbase 10 millimeters longer. With a body just 5 millimeters shorter, the brand wanted to create a sportier, more dynamic version of the Rio.

In hopes to modernize the interior, the dashboard is now angled towards the driver and will house a new infotainment system and touchscreen interface in the center. The infotainment center will likely feature more connectivity options and the smartphone-driven UVO infotainment system. Additionally, the Rio will now be offered with red and black exterior color choices on the LX trim.

Kia plans for the Rio to enter production later this year for the European markets and a 2017 production start and model-year launch here in the US. If you’re a St. Louis Kia buyer, you’ll want to get your hands on this one! We’ll let you know when it arrives to Jim Butler Kia!

Kia Motors Takes Nostalgic Approach For New "Sunday Night Football" Ads

Football has officially made its return for 2016 and Kia is excited to get back in the game. For the third consecutive year, the brand will be the presenting sponsor of the pre-kick and kickoff shows that air right before “Sunday Night Football”. This year they plan to take a nostalgic approach…

Almost 30 years ago now, in what was called a showdown between the two, Bo Jackson tore through Brian Bosworth on his way to a touchdown run. Also occurring about 30 years ago was the release of the classic Tecmo Bowl. The two combined create something quite hilarious. Check it out for yourself--

“At Kia, we are always looking for ways to stand out, and using the Sorento to take football fans inside a beloved video game and bring two legendary players roaring back in all their 8-bit glory was an opportunity that was simply too good to pass up,” stated Michael Sprague, chief operating officer and EVP, Kia Motors America. “Sunday Night Football has been the top-rated primetime show for five straight years, and after our football-themed advertising helped push the Sorento sales up more than 13 percent in 2015, returning this year was a no-brainer.”

In an ESPN 2015 retrospective, this Nov. 30, 1987 game was coined as the night that marked “the birth of Bo and the end of Boz”. We give them both props for the good sportsmanship.

To take the Kia Sorento on a little test drive for yourself, be sure to come visit us at Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis, MO!

Kia Motors America Impresses With August Sales

Yesterday, Kia Motors America announced their August sales performance and it did not disappoint. Led by the Soul and Optima, the company sold a total of 54,248 units. Additionally, the Sedona experienced doubled sales when compared to the same period last year and the Forte family reached their best August sales yet.

Michael Sprague, chief operating officer and EVP, KMA stated, “Despite the signs that the industry-wide sales may have peaked in 2015, Kia is up nearly four percent through August on the the strength of double digit year-over-year increases for Rio, Forte, Sportage and Sedona.”

The year-to-date sales is up 3.8% for Kia Motors, which also happens to be the highest scoring nameplate in the industry, according to J.D. Power. To get in the Kia action yourself, be sure to stop by Jim Butler Kia in St. Louis, MO to check out the 2016 and 2017 Kia vehicle lineup!