2014 Kia Forte Comparison Test

The compact segment is benefiting from that trend, which is why Motor Trend set about comparing all the cars in the segment to see which one came out on top.

The top 5 ended up looking like this: 1st Place: Kia Forte, 2nd Place: Mazda3, 3rd Place: Dodge Dart, 4th Place: Honda Civic, 5th Place: Nissan Sentra.


Read on to find out what factors the folks at Motor Trend used to decide.

Ride & Handling Kia has always had something of a reputation for delivering vehicles that don’t always have the smoothest of rides.

The 2014 Forte completely bucked that trend by being easy to handle, having a firm ride, and almost have a sporty, responsive feel.

Performance: This was another area where the Kia Forte had a distince edge of the other cars.
Not only did it go fro 0-60 mph a half second faster, it also had the shortest stopping distance by about 2 feet. It fairly zipped around the figure-eight test track, delivering good grip in the process.

When taken to the streets, the Forte displayed a little more power than the other contenders, with the transmission working quickly and efficiently.

Efficiency: Most folks are already aware of the fuel economy issues Kia had with the EPA last year, with many of their numbers being dropped.

The Forte was not affected by that move, but the new version still aims to do better yet. The new model was able to deliver a 24.4 mpg city rating, despite the dact it has the most horsepower and second-highest torque rating.

That rating sits right in the EPA estimated city/highway ratings of 24/36 mpg.
Safety: People look at safety as one of the top factors when deciding to buy, so it’s no real surprise trhat all the cars performed well.

The Kia Forte has yet to be put through its crash test paces yet, and as it’s a complete redesign rather than a refresh, we can onlu guess as to how well it might perform.

Looking at the old Forte, though, it received good ratings and was a Top Safety Pick. The belief is that the new model will actually do even better.

Value: The compact segment is one where value for money ios a major consideration.
That was especially true with the Motor Trend test (more details), as all of the cars in the list came with a bevvy of high-priced options such as navigation systems, leather seats, keyless entry, and more.

The all new 2014 Forte was the one that really took the cake here, though, with power front seats that are both heated and cooled, heated rear seats, power-folding side mirrors, a heated steering wheel, multiple steering modes, and more, all for a mid-pack price of $25,610.
If you combine all that with the fuel economy and a warranty that is second to none, it’s easy to see why the Kia Forte delivers a great value to the buyer.

Comparison Test Conclusion

Each of the above factors, and how they would impact the average buyer, were taken into consideration to come up with the result.
Motor Trend had the relatively eassy decision of making the 2014 Kia Forte the winner of the comparison test, as it’s combination of performance, fuel efficiency, reasonable pricing, and endless feature list was what truly impressed the judges.

Courtesy of kia-world.net

2014 Kia Cadenza

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2014 KIA Quoris | Flagship Luxury Sedan

Wallpaper Wednesday!

Happy hump day! Our pick for this week’s Wallpaper Wednesday is a Kia Optima! Enjoy.

Kia Cub Concept wanders over from Seoul

The little machine you see above is the Kia Cub. The Cub first debuted at the Seoul Motor Show, but this is the first time we've been able to see it in person, so we pointed our camera lenses its way and got to snapping.

According to our men on the show floor, the Cub Concept is "quite good looking," with a squat and funky shape that looks mostly ready for production. With a five-door hatchback shape featuring reverse-opening doors (we'll resist calling them suicide doors... whoops...), this machine doesn't seem to share much design DNA with current Kia products. And that's fine. As much as we like Kia's swoopy line of cars and 'utes, a little shakeup every now and then never hurts.

We're sure the diminutive hatchback would be a fun car to pilot, with 204 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque coming from its turbocharged and direct-injected 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. Kia quotes a 0-62 time of 7.7 seconds and a top speed of 143 miles per hour. Sounds to us like it could be a worthy competitor to such successful sporting hatchbacks as the Mini Cooper S and Fiat 500 Abarth.

Courtesy of autoblog.com

Keep up the great work team, we received a 5-Star Review on Yelp!

"They want more than just wanting to sell you a car, they want to sell you the best car for you." Robert V.

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$20 off any A/C service!

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Kia Certato (Forte) named one of Ward's 10 Best Interior models

Named one of Ward’s 10 Best Interior models of 2013, the all-new Kia Certato (Forte) has just the right amount of style and comfort for any individual. What do you think fans: does the Forte’s interior get your stamp of approval?

5% discount on Parts

Hey fans - needing some new vehicle parts?  Kia of Downtown will meet or beat any other Kia dealer parts price by 5% so hurry on in before this offer expires April 30, 2013!

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Great job team, we received a 5-Star Review on Yelp!

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"My overall experience was great at Kia! David Hwang was extremely informative about the car we wanted. They did not have the Kia Sportage in the color we wanted in stock so the very next day, David made sure that is was brought down by the Valencia dealership. David even made sure that it was on the XM station that I listen to when we took the car for a test drive. Attention to detail and a good listener along with being well spoken and passionate about Kia. David was able to match the exact down payment and got very close the number we wanted to pay for it.

Tom, who is the manager, ordered delicious lunch for us while we waited for the paperwork to go through. And Chris at financing was also very thorough and pleasant to deal with. The whole team left us leaving with a big smile and with a car that we are happy with. Thank you team KIA of downtown!" -- Sandra L.

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.WARDSAUTO NAMES ALL-NEW 2014 KIA FORTE TO LIST OF “10 BEST INTERIORS”

Kia Motors America (KMA), one of the fastest growing car companies in the last five years², has garnered yet another accolade with the all-new Kia Forte being named to WardsAuto’s list of “10 Best Interiors of 2013.” The stylish Forte stood out for combining premium features, high-quality materials and a sophisticated design at the lowest base price in the compact-car segment.

“The all-new Forte is designed to bring our customers European-influenced styling and premium amenities found more commonly in larger sedans,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of marketing & communications, KMA. “WardsAuto’s recognition of the 2014 Forte’s interior as being among the best in the industry is strong evidence of the significant enhancements we’ve made to the new generation of this already-popular product. With the lowest base price in the segment, the 2014 Forte aptly advances Kia’s well-known value proposition to new levels of sophistication.”

WardsAuto named the Forte to their list of “10 Best Interiors” based on combination of technology, comfort, amenities and stylish elements. The 2014 Forte is offered in two trims and comes standard with steering wheel-mounted audio controls, SiriusXM™ Satellite Radio³ and Bluetooth^® wireless technology⁴. Designed at Kia’s American design center in California, the Forte’s cabin has chrome accents, high quality soft-touch materials and large, easy to read, instruments.

“The Kia Forte demonstrates how far compact-car interiors have come in a short time,” said WardsAuto World executive editor Tom Murphy. “Starting at $15,900⁵, the Forte has the lowest base price in the segment. And yet it delivers premium features – from a straightforward and intuitive communication system to the brilliant door trim resembling the layered gills of a shark – that are sure to surprise and delight car shoppers.”

About the 2014 Forte

Available in LX and EX trims, the all-new Forte sedan is arriving in retail showrooms now and will be followed later in the year by 5-door and two-door Koup variants. Sitting on an all-new chassis that is longer, wider and lower than its predecessor, the all-new Forte will offer more room, more fun-to-drive performance, new cutting edge technology, several premium amenities and a choice of an efficient 1.8-liter engine (LX) or a more powerful 2.0-liter engine (EX). With an aggressive stance and broad shoulders, the all-new Forte’s modern aesthetic was influenced by European sport sedan styling and penned at Kia’s U.S. design studio in Irvine, Calif. Optional FlexSteer™ technology puts the driver firmly in control with a choice of three settings – Comfort, Normal and Sport – which vary steering feel and effort at the touch of a button.

Trips with Tia Mowry ft. 2014 Kia Sorento

Tire Special

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Special APR financing on select Kia Optima models

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2014 Kia Soul Review, Specs & Features

The all-new 2014 Kia Soul has been introduced for the first time on its public debut earlier this month in the Big Apple, before arriving in U.S. dealerships in the third quarter of this year.
This new model will be available in three different trim levels when it goes on sale in the United States, including Base, Plus and Exclaim. The South Korean automaker offers two engine options on the new Soul, complete with two transmission options.

The base trim comes with a 1.6-liter GDI 4-cylinder engine that can be paired to either a six-speed manual as standard or an optional six-speed automatic gearbox. Peak output of a 1.6L GDI engine can reach up to 130 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 118 lb-ft of torque at 4,850 rpm.
While the Plus and Exclaim trim will be powered by the same engine – a 2.0-liter GDI ‘NU’ engine, which is capable of providing up to 164 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 151 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. A six-speed automatic gearbox is standard on the Exclaim trim, but the Plus model will get the same transmission as the base model.

The Soul base model offers a standard package that consists of several standard equipment, including telescoping steering wheel, outside mirrors, power windows, door locks and 6-speaker audio system with AM/FM/MP3. Other standard features include SiriusXM and Bluetooth hands-free wireless technology.

In addition, buyers can also order an optional package for the base model, which consists of 16-inch alloy wheels, six-speed automatic gearbox, cruise control and remote keyless entry.
As for the Plus model, Kia offers a standard package which will include UVO eServices, Rear Camera Display, floor console stowage box with integrated arm rest and rear seat center arm rest. Not only that, the Plus variant will also add auto-on/off headlights and standard 17-inch ‘Attractive’ alloy wheels wrapped in 215/55R-17 tires.

If that’s not enough, there’s also an optional package for the 2014 Soul Plus that includes 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat, leather wrapped/heated steering wheel, leather-wrapped gear shift knob, upgraded Infinity audio system, panoramic sunroof and much more.
The last package for Soul Exclaim, which features several standard equipment such as leather-wrapped steering wheel, 10-way power driver’s seat and 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/45R-18 tires. There are also projector headlights, front LED positioning lights and much more.
The Exclaim trim also comes with an optional package, which allows the buyer to get a few extra features such as navigation & Infinity audio system, HID headlights, automatic climate control and TFT LCD screen.

The South Korean based automaker said the official pricing details for the 2014 Kia Soul will be announced closer to its release date, precisely in the third quarter of 2013.

Courtesy of thecardriving.com

Pre-Owned Inventory

Car hunting?  Let us help you save time by checking out our online inventory HERE of pre-owned vehicles. We have a great selection so you won't be disappointed!

[Kia Cadenza] Dynamic Intelligence

The refreshed 2014 Kia Optima on display at the 2013 New York Auto Show

The 2014 Kia Optima refresh is fairly subtle and in passing one quickly on the road, many people may not even notice any difference from the current (2013) Optima sedan. The overall shape remains the same (which is a very good thing) but a slightly revised front fascia, new headlights, new fog lights in certain models and new taillights on the outside while the inside benefits from a higher quality layout featuring an LCD driver information display along with an optional 8 inch infotainment screen in the center stack.

"With the latest version of the Optima, Kia continues to advance value to new levels of sophistication, offering mid-size sedan consumers new premium amenities and convenience upgrades, as well as a refinement of the world-class design that so completely transformed our brand," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. "The Optima is the cornerstone of Kia's design evolution and epitomizes the brand's goal of building highly-captivating, value-positioned vehicles."

The changes made to the 2014 Kia Optima begin up front where the fascia retains the exact same basic shape but low grille opening has been altered quite a bit. Where the 2013 Optima had a large central low grille with black mesh filler that extended out to black trim that wraps around the fog lights, the 2014 model brings some body color into this area to break up all of the black. The grille opening is still finished in black but bars fill this space rather than the mesh with a chrome bar running through the middle of the opening while the black fog light trim is predominantly body colored with a gloss black strip running above the fog light housing and a far more subtle black trim piece around those lights. The fog lights are s bit smaller for the 2014 Optima SX then with the previous models while the premium Optima SX-Limited wears a unique set of four LED fog lights arranged in a tight cluster (as shown above on the right). While the headlights and the upper grille have not changed in their shape, the aggressively angled headlights now have LED driving light bars running along the top to give this sedan a higher end look without departing from the sporty nature of the current Optima.

Out back, there has been a ton of sculpting changes through the taillights, the trunk lid and the rear fascia of the 2014 Kia Optima. The taillights are larger, extending down into the face of the truck lid while full LED back lighting presents a much sportier, high end look. The trunk lid itself has been altered a bit with a face that extends back further where the 2013 model year Optima trunk lid was rounded into the back end. Finally, the lower rear fascia has reflectors that are mounted higher on the body with the old body line that ran along the bottom being removed completely. Regardless of the LED taillights, the basic design of the 2014 Optima goes a long way in making this new midsized sedan look even sportier.

Inside, redesigned seats promise more comfort for those riding in or driving the 2014 Kia Optima along with a ton of high tech additions including a standard 4.3 inch thin film transistor (TFT) driver information display, an optional 8 inch infotainment display and a new Blind Spot Detection (BSD) system.

The 2014 Kia Optima is expected to hit US showrooms in the third quarter of 2013 with pricing to be announced closer to the debut of the new midsized sedan. Click any of the thumbnails on this page for a look at the 2014 Optima in both SX and SX-Limited trimlines.

Courtesy of Torque News