Kia Car Review: 2013 Rio SX

Happy Wednesday Kia fans! If you're out searching for a new Kia, be sure to take a look at the 2013 Rio SX. Ryan Morris over at tflcar.com recently took the new Rio for a spin and had plenty of great things to say about the Kia subcompact.

To read his review of the Kia Rio SX, head over to The Fast Lane Cars website.

After checking out the review, visit our Kia dealership website to see what models we have available for a test drive!

The Soul Could Be Getting AWD Upgrade

According to a recent Autoblog article, the Kia Soul could be getting an all-wheel-drive option in upcoming models. This new system could help differentiate itself from the crowd and be a welcome addition for potential customers.

If you want to check out the current Soul models, visit our Kia dealership website and stop by for a test drive!

Stay tuned for updates on the Soul's potential AWD system.

Stop the Office Blues and Take a Kia for a Test Drive!

Here you are, sitting at work, aimlessly staring into your computer screen. The time seems to slow down with each passing moment as you anticipate the end of your work day. If the office is starting to feel a little drab, a test drive in a New Kia may be in order.

The next time you have some free time during your lunch break, head over to our dealership and take one of our new Kias such as the Sportage or Optima for a test drive!

In the mean time, visit Wilson Kia's website to see what models we have in stock.

Kia is Unveiling the Final JLA Kia at Comic-Con!

It’s that time of year again. The time where geeks and nerds alike flock to San Diego to participate in the largest pop-culture convention in the country; the San Diego Comic-Con. The entertainment and comic book worlds come together to bring fans five days of exclusive panels, discussions and interactive festivities.

And this year, Kia is joining in on the fun.

At this year’s convention, Kia will be unveiling the final vehicle in their fleet of Super Hero custom cars... the Justice League-inspired Kia Sorento!  If you’re going to San Diego this week, be sure to check it out. For more information on these custom Kias and DC’s giving campaign, visit www.wecanbeheroes.org.

2014 Kia Cadenza: First Drive Review

Competing automakers have been watching sibling brands Hyundai and Kia gain ground the past few years. The South Korean companies have consistently produced stylish cars while maintaining value pricing along with their 10-year/100,000-mile warranty strategy. Now Kia's rivals have another vehicle to watch out for in their rearview mirror: the all-new 2014 Cadenza.

The Kia Cadenza's sleek sheet metal and abundant bells and whistles show just how far Kia has come from its modest beginnings, when it first entered the U.S. auto market in 1994 with the compact Sephia. In 2012, the brand achieved its 18th consecutive year of market gains in the U.S. and also its best-ever annual sales total, thanks in part to the popular Optima.

With the Cadenza, Kia set its sights on the premium sedan segment to challenge top-of-the-line (but not quite luxury) 4-doors. And with an eye-catching exterior, luxurious interior and technology that rivals cars costing twice as much, the 2014 Kia Cadenza should have competitors worried - and car buyers in the segment giving the sedan serious consideration.

Model lineup
The Cadenza comes in one well-equipped trim level. This gets the buyer a V6 engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, leather power seats, keyless entry with push-button start, a back-up camera, Bluetooth connectivity, a 12-speaker Infinity stereo and a navigation system with SiriusXM Traffic.

Two option packages are offered on the Cadenza. The Luxury package adds a full-length panoramic sunroof with power retractable sunshade, HID headlamps with adaptive front lighting, a 7-inch LCD instrument cluster and a power tilt-and-telescoping steering column with a heated steering wheel. The package also includes Nappa leather seats, a memory-enabled 12-way ventilated driver's seat, heated rear seats and a power rear sunshade.

Pop for the Technology package and you get everything from the Luxury package, plus lane-departure warning, advanced cruise control that maintains a specified distance from the vehicle ahead, and blind-spot detection with lane-change assist to alert drivers to vehicles in their blind spots as well as fast-approaching vehicles. The package also comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, an electronic parking brake and water-repellant "hydrophobic" front side windows.

Under the hood
Kia equips the front-wheel-drive Cadenza with the most powerful V6 engine the company has ever produced. It produces 293 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 255 lb-ft of torque at 5200 rpm. The 3.3-liter, 24-valve dual-overhead-camshaft engine uses gasoline direct-injection technology that Kia says improves performance while reducing emissions.

The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission that features a Sportmatic manual shift mode as well as paddle shifters on the steering column that allow the driver control of upshifts and downshifts. Estimated Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy is 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway/22 mpg combined.

Inner space
Kia makes a big deal out of the "European design" of the Cadenza's exterior, and that it was penned by Peter Schreyer, Kia's chief of design. And the interior exudes a tangible luxury that's a cut above other vehicles in this segment.

Elegant wood and chrome trim accent the Cadenza's soft leather upholstery without screaming "bling." The center console is angled toward the driver for improved access and ergonomics, while buttons for the cruise control, infotainment and Bluetooth hands-free are integrated into the steering wheel to enhance ease of operation. And, as in other Kia vehicles, the Cadenza's voice-activation system is one of the most accurate available.

Likewise, the Infinity audio system, which includes 12 speakers powered by 550 watts, performs better than many "premium" stereo options. The infotainment system provides music from almost every source available - AM, FM, CD/MP3, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth streaming and a USB port and auxiliary input jack for portables - and also includes a navigation system with SiriusXM Traffic.

This is all controlled through an 8-inch touch-screen display in the center of the dash that's intuitive and easy to use. And while Kia's UVO eServices provides features such as automatic crash notification and vehicle diagnostics, it doesn't have the range of connected services compared to other cutting-edge systems from competitors. (And not even one single app.) But you can't beat the price: free throughout the warranty period.

Something drivers may not notice at first because it's not present inside the Cadenza is noise. The car's hushed interior is due in part to the use of high-tensile steel for 60 percent of the body structure, which reduces overall vehicle weight and enhances safety since it's stronger than traditional steel. Kia also employs noise-reducing technologies ranging from triple door seals to specially designed wheels with multiple fins that help lessen wind noise at highway speeds for an interior that achieves luxury-class quiet. Our only real knock against the interior is a lack of rear headroom.

On the road
The Cadenza can more than hold its own among competitors in its class. Whether on winding canyon roads or at full speed on the freeway, the Cadenza rarely feels underpowered for the task at hand.

The 6-speed automatic transmission feels fine on downshifts but misses a beat on upshifts more often than we'd like. But that's what the Sportmatic manual shift mode and paddle shifters are for. Overall, the engine and transmission combo lead to a smooth if not exactly spirited driving experience. In terms of ride quality, the car feels much smaller than it is, and handles appreciably better than most sedans this size.

Right for you?
The 2014 Cadenza marks a new segment for Kia, and one that's crowded with recently redesigned quality vehicles. If you're shopping these vehicles and looking for more luxury and technology, the 2014 Kia Cadenza is definitely a contender. And that long warranty may help you feel better about a new, unproven model.

Courtesy of MSN Autos Ehaust Notes (Blog)

Nice Package With Lots Of Toys Inside

Every automotive underdog might take a hint from the Kia Forte: if you're a back-bencher in a house of big names, it can't hurt to make your car pretty.

Thrown into the compact-car ring, the Kia Forte doesn't merely have to grapple with its competition. The Kia has also been overshadowed by its popular Korean cousin, the Hyundai Elantra.

But Kia did a smart thing, luring the designer Peter Schreyer from Audi in 2006 to transform its styling. Johan de Nysschen, the executive who guided Audi's stunning rise in the American market before leaving to become global leader of Infiniti - told me in an interview that Audi made a mistake by letting the designer get away. Mr. Schreyer is now global design chief for both Kia and Hyundai.

The 2014 Forte is the latest signed-edition Schreyer that just about everyone agrees is a fine-looking car, whether in the form of a sedan, the two-door Koup or the coming Forte 5 hatchback.

One goal of every carmaker is to make the more affordable models look and feel expensive, and almost no one is doing that better than Hyundai and Kia. Thanks to some remarkable upgrades to cars once viewed as disposable, Kia's sales approached 560,000 in the United States last year.

Ask these companies' separate sales, marketing and distribution executives, and they'll tell you that Hyundai and Kia try to beat each other's brains out, same as any rivals. But with Hyundais and Kias using the same platforms, powertrains, engineers and factories, it's fair to ask what makes them different. For now, exterior and interior design remains a big separator, because the cars tend to perform similarly.

If you think the Forte looks better than the Elantra or if you prefer Kia's badge to Hyundai's - then by all means lean that way, or vice versa. If that sounds superficial, note that the warranties are equal: bumper-to-bumper coverage for five years or 60,000 miles; powertrain protection for 10 years or 100,000 miles.

But while I admire the Elantra's curves, the Korean-built Forte wins my overall vote, and for more than its solid impression at the curb.

I don't think my eyes are sensitive enough to spot the Kia's roughly two-inch stretch in length and wheelbase from the 2013 version. But from style to features, the Forte comes across as a pricier midsize car trapped in a slightly smaller body.

To a point, that effect is also physical: the back seat is especially easy on the knees and elbows. A sprawling trunk (14.9 cubic feet) is larger than those in some midsize cars, and the rear seat folds to expand the space.

From its somewhat rowdy engines to a bare-cupboard cabin, the old Forte had a vestigial, Korean-crackerbox feel. Those crumbs have been swept away. The new car feels far more legitimate, with a cabin that surpasses expectations for its class.

The Forte LX shares the Elantra's 1.8-liter engine with 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. But the Forte EX, one-ups the Hyundai. The EX adopts a 2-liter in-line 4 with direct injection, 173 horses and 154 pound-feet. That matches the horsepower of the Forte's departing 2.4-liter engine, and the new, downsized engine is smoother and more efficient: it is rated 24 miles per gallon in the city and 36 on the highway, versus a previous rating of 23/32.

If you want a 6-speed manual transmission, you're stuck with the LX for now, in keeping with the dubious assumption that only cheapskates want to shift. Other models get a 6-speed automatic.

I tested a nearly loaded EX, the Forte's deluxe calling card. My EX was almost ridiculously well equipped. Buyers may get a kick out of putting their luxury-car-owning pals aboard and showing off the toys, saving the "gotcha" line of how little they paid.

The list includes 17-inch alloy wheels and handsome perforated leather seats - with heated chairs for front and rear passengers. The driver gets 10-way power seats with heating, cooling fans and memory, and the robust leather-wrapped steering wheel includes cruise and audio controls. There's a generous navigation screen with real-time traffic alerts and a backup camera, dual-zone climate control, a 4.2-inch driver's color LCD display and a three-month satellite radio subscription. Don't forget the sunroof, cooled glovebox and smart key with a pushbutton starter.

The EX defies more industry assumptions with its new UVO telematics and e-services system, developed with Microsoft. Unlike most subscription-based telematics plans, it's free. Features include 911 notification, onboard diagnostics and dealer service scheduling, Bluetooth streaming and clever phone-based apps like Parking Minder. It guides you to your parked Kia via GPS and computes the time left on parking meters. It can snap and send overhead satellite shots of your car.

Outside, high-intensity headlamps are striped with LED marker lights, as if the Forte were an Audi Jr. Puddle lamps shine from power-folding mirrors. That's right: puddle lamps.

A stiffer structure and more soundproofing allow fewer unwanted decibels to intrude inside. Even the base LX gets 4-wheel disc brakes, and their strength and pedal feel are a high point.

The switch to electric steering allows a Flex Steer switch that adjusts power assist across three modes. But as with some other adjustable gimmicks, Sport mode just seems to add glop to the steering - like artificial thickener being poured in - instead of actually improving the handling.

Kia fans must wait until fall for the Koup and Forte 5, which both get the 173-horsepower engine even in their base trim. And they'll entice enthusiasts with SX versions that will offer a 6-speed manual and will make 201 horses from a 1.6-liter turbo 4.

If Kia and its kissing cousin, Hyundai, figure out how to make their dynamic performance as appealing as their styling and value, they'll be unstoppable.

Courtesy of The New York Times

Motoring: Kia Reaches For The Top

With 47 new or refreshed vehicles coming by 2017, it was inevitable Kia would take another step up the product ladder which it has done with the 2014 Cadenza.

Kia had a big chart at the Napa press preview showing its competitors don't have all the available extras as the Cadenza, which is something I'm sure Kia sales people will be pointing out to potential buyers.

I suspect the Premium will be the top seller because of what it offers for the price, but Ill get to that a little lower down.

The Cadenza is not a new car but new to Canada and will be sold as Kias flagship model. It is known as the K7 in Korea sold alongside the K9 which is Kias flagship over there.

The Cadenza is considered a full-size sedan and it is in every sense of the word, especially the back seat. During our drive time in San Francisco and the Napa Valley, I made a point of getting in the back and I had more than enough legroom.

Later while driving, I had to stop smartly and that caused my travel bag to slide forward off the back seat and onto the floor. Its a big bag and normally it gets wedged between the front seat back and the rear cushion. In this case, it plopped onto the floor and looked rather lonely with all the room around it.

Kia is the only automaker to produce its own steel and in the Cadenza, high-strength steel makes up 60 per cent of the chassis.

Kia said at the Cadenza press launch this ensures only the highest quality steel is used in the Cadenzas construction.

There is one engine, Kias new 3.3-litre direct injection V6 producing 293 hp and 255 lb/ft of torque driving the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission featuring paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Using regular gasoline, fuel consumption is rated at 11.2/7.4L/100 km city/highway.

One thing that caused some discussion among autowriters present for the press launch in the Napa Valley of California was the steering.

My Quebec co-driver found it "vague" while Graeme Fletcher of Motoring TV called it one of the best hed' driven. I did note that FlexSteer (that offers three response modes in the latest Kia offerings) was not on the Cadenza. I was told that's because it was an older model and it could not be refitted with FlexSteer.

I know the roads in Napa fairly well and one of those is the Silverado Trail that runs north-south beside the Napa River.

Twisting and turning, but with pavement as smooth as glass, you can really put any vehicle through its paces, which I did.

Bottom line was the steering was precise and predictable with a hint of on-centre lightness which one expects from electric power steering. The feel of the Cadenza steering fits the nature of the car as buyers in this segment expect comfort in a sedan not the input effort one needs in a sportscar.

Standard equipment is extensive, the partial list includes: rear parking sensors, rear camera, multimedia interface Navigation, AM/FM/CD/AUX/USB, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth wireless technology, Infinity 12-speaker audio system, chrome outside door handles, solar glass, projection headlights, front fog lights, LED daytime running lights and positioning lights, LED light bar tail lights, power heated body coloured outside mirrors, power folding outside mirrors with LED side repeaters, front and rear splash guard, dot matrix LCD cluster and trip computer.

But it was with the Premium that the Kia blurs with line between "near luxury" and the real thing.

This car is loaded. Again, just a partial list of goodies includes: panoramic sunroof, HID headlamps with adaptive front lighting (AFLS), triple stage cooled/ventilated drivers seat, dual stage rear heated seats, power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, memory seats, memory outside mirrors, memory steering column, drivers seat knee extension, heated steering wheel, wiper deicer, power rear window curtain, Supervision TFT LCD instrument cluster, premium Nappa leather seats, 19-inch alloy wheels, smart cruise control, blind spot detection, Lane Departure Warning System and Electric Parking Brake (EPB).

One of the things that caught everyones attention is the use of "hydrophobic" glass on the front side windows. They are treated with a special, permanent coating that repels water and dirt.

And you like to golf, you can take a foursome and their bags in the 451-litre trunk.

Suspension is MacStruts at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. Part of the suspension comprises "dynamic dampers" that automatically soften when cruising but stiffen when more handling performance is wanted.

The Cadenza marks new territory for Kia and it is very much the new boy on the near luxury block.

But based on what we've seen so far, Kia will probably be one of the big boys on the block before very long.

Courtesy of Kelowna Capital News (Canada) (Online)