Kia Cub Concept Fully Revealed In Seoul

After teasing it earlier this month, Kia has fully revealed its Cub concept at the Seoul Motor Show in South Korea. The cutesy, small hatchback is a bit larger than a Fiat 500 or Mini Cooper, but smaller than a Nissan Juke. The Cub concept likely signals Kia’s interest in entering the premium-compact segment occupied by those vehicles. Like the Honda Element, the Kia Cub‘s rear doors open backwards, and there is no B-pillar, allowing for maximum ease of entry. Out front is a curved black insert on the front fascia that looks like a handlebar moustache, with a softened version of Kia’s “tiger nose” grille (which incorporates an engine air intake) and rounded, squinty headlights. The rear has LED taillights and another black insert that matches that on the front fascia. Nineteen-inch alloy wheels are standard. A thick white racing stripe runs from the front to rear of the car. Kia claims the Cub concept’s interior has a “unique ambience,” thanks to black leather seats with yellow accents, a display screen perched atop the dashboard, a smartphone dock in the slanted center console, and a heating vent controlled by touch. The steering wheel can detect the driver’s heartbeat to keep track of his health, and the instrument-cluster display can be operated by using gestures, à la Minority Report. Under the hood is a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four engine good for 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. Kia estimates the Cub concept would probably accelerate to 60 mph in around 7-8 seconds. Kia says it does not plan to put the Cub concept into production.

2014 Kia Soul First Look

SHOW FLOOR UPDATE: Kia's Track'ster-inspired 2014 Soul was just unveiled amid a DMX remix, break dancers, and yes, dancing hamsters, today at the 2013 New York auto show. The stylish new Soul is Kia's attempt at keeping the car fresh among young buyers. Though it may make slightly less power than before, it comes with a higher-quality interior, a capacitive eight-inch infotainment touch screen, and offers tech features like Pandora Internet radio, which is built right into the head unit. - Christian Seabaugh The Kia Soul undoubtedly outsells its competition and serves as one the automaker's bestselling models, but that hasn't stopped the Korean automaker from pumping new life into the urban box with a significant redesign. Although the 2014 Soul sticks to the same recipe that made it a sales success, it's been infused with extra ingredients to improve ride quality, passenger comfort, and visual appeal, making for an even more delightful box car. To start, the Soul has filled out quite a bit. Its wheelbase was extended by 0.8 inches to 101.2 inches, and it's gotten stouter with a 0.6-inch wider waist. While it remains 63.4 inches high, its tailgate opening has increased by 2.4 inches. The increased dimensions mean the Soul's interior was also given plenty room to grow, with legroom increasing 0.8 inches, headroom by 0.2 inches, and front shoulder room by 0.3 inches. Step-in height has dropped 0.2 inches for easier exit and entry, while cargo space steps up half a cubic foot to 24.2 cu ft. Roomier, but also quieter, Kia says increased NVH materials in the door cavities reduce wind and road noise, while an isolation pad and layered carpet further reduce interior noise levels by three decibels. The chassis' torsional rigidity is 29 percent stiffer than before, and engineers tinkered with the front and rear suspension set up to improve ride and handling. The front subframe now wears four bushings versus none on the current Soul, which Kia says helps absorb harsh bumps. The stabilizer bar has been pushed back on the McPherson strut front suspension, and shock absorbers have been turned at a different angle and stretched out for more suspension travel. The steering box, which now uses a one-piece steering gear housing instead of a two-piece unit, has been moved forward in an effort to improve steering response and on-center feel. Kia also says this reduces vibrations felt through the wheel. The same Flex Steer system offered in the new Kia Forte is also featured in the new Soul, allowing the choice among three different levels of steering tuning: Comfort, Normal, and Sport. Although torque and horsepower are down in the 1.6-liter GDI I-4, low-end torque has been increased by five percent for peak output of 130 hp at 6300 rpm and 118 lb-ft at 4850 rpm. As for the 2.0-liter I-4, it now utilizes GDI technology, serving up 164 hp and 151 lb-ft. Depending on the trim level, engines are mated to a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. Without trying to change too much of a good thing, the design team at Kia's California studio decided to update the Soul's funky exterior by incorporating several of the styling cues found on the Kia Track'ster concept. The large trapezoidal lower air intake mirrors the concept, as well as the available fog lights located down low on the intake's outer edges. Even the signature Tiger Nose grille has been tweaked to look more like the concept's squared off one. Also like the Track'ster, the new Soul's upright stance, squared off shoulders, and round fender flares give it a bulldog-like appearance.
Inside, design cues taken from the Track'ster and exclusive to the Soul include a round shift knob and push-start button located on the center console. Soft-touch materials have been added to the dashboard, instrument panel, and center console. The available touch screen grows to 8 inches, while turn-by-turn directions from the available navigation system are now shown in the optional Supervision Cluster/TFT LCD color screen in the instrument binnacle. Pandora Internet radio has been preloaded into the headunit and accessible through the touch screen or voice command through UVO eServices, so audiophiles will no longer need to play it from their smartphones. Outward visibility is also better thanks to a 0.8-inch thinner A-pillar. The 2014 Soul will continue to be offered in three trim levels: Base, Plus, and Exclaim. Base models come standard with power windows, door locks, heated outside mirrors, a telescoping steering wheel, and six-speaker audio unit. The Soul Plus adds 17-inch alloys, side mirror turn signals, automatic headlights, UVO eServices, and a rear camera, while Exclaim capitalizes on the Plus with 18-inch wheels, projecter headlights, LED light strips, and LED taillights. A new panoramic sunroof is optional, as well as leather upholstery with ventilated front seats, and heated seats for all four outboard positions. With improved performance, a ton of premium features, and a more modern appearance, it's safe to assume the 2014 Kia Soul will remain on the right track towards its sales success. Pricing will be announced closer to the Soul's launch, but we expect it will go for more than the current car's $15,175 base price.

Wonder Woman-Themed Kia Sportage Joins Superhero Buddies – 2013 New York

The Wonder Woman Kia Sportage dropped in at the New York auto show this week, standing alongside the rest of the Kia-fied Justice League, which includes the Superman Optima Hybrid, Batman Optima, Aquaman Rio hatch, Cyborg Forte hatch, Flash Forte Koup, and the Green Lantern Soul.

Built for charity in collaboration with DC Entertainment and Super Street magazine, the Wonder Woman Sportage adds an aero kit, and is finished in a red and blue paint scheme accented with silver stars, much like the heroine’s outfit. The gold trim on parts of the CUV represent Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth, while the Tiger Nose grille wears the Wonder Woman’s eagle chest-plate emblem. Blue headlight beams mirror her blue eyes, and the windshield is topped off with a tiara sticker. Chrome side panels represent her invisible jet, and the five-spoke wheels match the stars stamped on the side of the Sportage.

Open up the doors, and red upholstery is highlighted with blue LED accent lighting. The custom seats are embroidered with her logo, and the rear cargo area is decorated with stars and an eagle, along with a see-through panel that displays Wonder Woman’s bracelets, tiara, and her golden lasso.

The made-over Sportage isn’t the last of the superhero themed vehicles; the eighth will be an amalgamation of all seven superheroes on one car. Each custom Kia is built in support of DC Entertainment’s “We Can Be Heroes” charity, which helps families affected by drought and famine in the Horn of Africa.

Kia Cub Four-Door Coupe Concept

The New York International Auto Show might be the major focus of the auto world in the West, but Kia’s quietly preparing for an all-out assault on its hometown Seoul International Auto Show, starting with the Kia Cub four-door “coupe” concept.

Though not much of it can be seen in the teaser image, the Kia Cub is a pint-sized (just smaller than a Honda CR-Z) four-door designed to appeal to “trend-setting urban dwellers” like Psy, we imagine. The Cub sports a new evolution of Kia’s tiger nose grille, with an over-biting hood that looks like it sticks out a bit further than the front bumper. The Cub also features LED headlights similar to those found on the Kia’s Quoris flagship sedan. No word on possible powertrains for the Cub. Get more info on the Kia Cub concept right here after the “four-door coupe” is unveiled to the world in South Korea later this month. Offering a coupe-like four-door might help Kia sell more compacts than possible with a traditional coupe. What do you think: Should Kia produce a compact coupe-like four-door like the Cub concept?