Kia Takes Aim At US Premium Sedan Market With 2014 Kia Cadenza

Launched in 2009 in South Korea, the Kia Cadenza (or Kia K7 in S. Korea) will finally be made available to North American consumers beginning with the 2014 model year to go on sale beginning in the second quarter of 2013. It's not available to purchase yet, but you can check it out at the Cleveland Auto Show, which is going on now at the International Exposition Center in Cleveland, OH. It's also been on display at other auto shows across the country. Unlike many of Kia's other model vehicles, the Cadenza is aiming for the North American premium sedan market and the buyers who are looking for a car that's somewhere between mainstream and luxury.

The launch of the Kia Optima and Sorento cross-over has helped slowly move Kia up the ranks and away from their start as an economy automaker. The launch of the new Cadenza will only help to move them along further towards that goal of being seen as more than just a cheap automaker. Kia describes the Cadenza as having elements of European design, which will help in defining itself in the higher-end market. It will also be available with Kia's most powerful V-6 engine.

The Cadenza features 3.3-liter, V-6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission that includes a manual shift model as well as paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Designed to run on regular unleaded gasoline, the Cadenza produces 293 horsepower.

Kia is launching the Cadenza with some premium features that they've never before made available with their vehicles here in the U.S. Standard features on the Cadenza include leather seats, a navigation system, Kia UVO, alloy wheels and Bluetooth. Some of the premium features being offered with the 2014 Cadenza include a backup camera and warning system and a 550-watt 12-speaker audio system, amongst other options. For example, one of the premium packages includes a 7-inch LCD instrument cluster, premium leather seats, and a full-length panoramic sunroof.

The price of the Kia Cadenza will be announced closer to the time that it goes on sale in the second quarter of 2013. When it goes on sale, it will be just one of three Korean luxury sedans sold in the U.S.

Courtesy of The Cleveland Leader

2014 Kia Forte Sedan

Recently we were invited out to Scottsdale Arizona, to get a first hand look at two of Kias new models for 2014, the Sorento and Forte. I was paired up with Cory Gunther of Slashgear, for a full day of diving primarily in the fabulous Tonto National Forest.

As you can see, we enjoyed taking the Forte off the main drag to find some stunning backdrops.

You may remember the 2014 Kia Forte from its awesome Super Bowl commercial that we featured recently. Their concept for the ad campaign is to respect the tech in the Kia Forte.

You could probably tell from the ad, the Forte is being marketed to young single men. Fun Fact : The "Hot Bots" are played by Miss USA 2011 Alyssa Campanella.

Exterior
The 2014 Kia Forte is a rather stunning redesign of the previous model with a much sleeker and sportier look. Influenced by European sport sedan styling, the Fortes modern aesthetics were developed at Kias American Design Center in Irvine, California. The front end in particular, with its HID projector headlamps and LED positioning lights gives the Forte a distinctive look.

We found the more aerodynamic design appealing and a welcome departure from the previous model. There are hints of the wildly popular Kia Optima in the design, which is certainly welcome. The model we drove was their new "Abyss Blue" color, which is definitely more risqué than the Sorentos offerings, but we still crave more vibrant choices.

Some of the notable new external features available on the 2014 Forte include power folding side-view mirrors with puddle lamps and turn-signal indicators, illuminated door handle pockets, LED tail lights, and 17-inch alloy wheels.

Interior
Consistent with the messaging in their Super Bowl Commercial, technology in this compact sedan is a definite focus. Considering the market they're aiming for, it makes sense to load this vehicle up with as much technology as possible while keeping the sticker price reasonable, and that is exactly what Kia has done. The Forte we drove included the push-button start, bluetooth, satellite radio, dual-zone climate, heated seats and steering wheel, back-up camera, navigation and driver seat memory that we've seen on other Kia models.

As a big guy driving a compact sedan, I'm often times reminded of that fact constantly. However that doesn't seems to be the case when I sit behind the wheel of a Kia, and the Forte didn't disappoint either. It felt roomy and comfortable, and while I'd probably never buy a compact sedan, the Forte gave me no reason to complain in regards to space.

In our 2014 Kia Sorento review, we raved about the touchscreen interface, navigation, and UVO eServices. While all of those highlights certainly apply to the Forte, the smaller 7-inch LCD display did have some glare and reflection issues (maybe due to the 10 degree tilt) that we didn't notice in the Sorento. However, this prompted us to explore the features of the 4.2-inch TFT display in the center of the meter cluster, and we were delighted to find its even further simplified version of the turn by turn directions. Consistent with other Kia models we've driven, the controls and interfaces just seemed perfect to us. Everything we wanted, exactly where we wanted it.

Performance
The Forte is available with two different engines. The base LX model is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 148 horsepower geared for fuel-efficiency and ease of use. The EX model now features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder GDi engine rated at 173 horsepower. Obviously if you have the funds, you're going to want to go with the EX that we drove.

Like other GDi Kia engines we've driven, the six speed Forte impressed us with its power, responsiveness, and gas mileage. While it clearly didn't have the power of an Optima Turbo, we had no trouble passing tourists in the mountains of Arizona. Considering the price point, there was no cause to complain about performance on this compact sedan.

Overview
When we first drove the 2012 Kia Optima Turbo about a year ago, we rarely noticed Kia vehicles on the road. However that has clearly changed over the past year, and that bit of anecdotal evidence is backed up by the numbers the marketing folks showed us. They're making solid products, and the public is really starting to notice.

The 2014 Kia Forte is just the next chapter in that story, and overall it impressed us. The newly re-designed exterior was a dramatic and welcome upgrade. The interior was comfortable and packed with the technology that makes us happy. Much like their other vehicles, we think it will make a surprising competitor in your new car search.

Courtesy of Gunaxin

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Superman Kia Optima Hybrid

The Superman-inspired Kia Optima Hybrid, revealed at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, might have been the Man of Steel's sweet-16 present from daddy Jor-El if only Krypton hadn't been destroyed. The Supes-style sedan is instantly recognizable, adorned in the hero's signature blue with red accents on the grille, wheels, rear bumper and elsewhere, with glowing red undercar lighting and "heat vision" headlights.

To further guard against mistaken identity, the Last Son of Krypton's signature S shield is displayed in multiple places, most prominently on the hood and seats, and a shadowy black image of him is incorporated into the rear windshield. Despite all their similarities, Superman gets his power from Earth's sun while the Kia Optima Hybrid runs on gas and electric — and cannot fly. The car is the sixth in a planned eight-car Justice League series born of a partnership between Kia and DC Entertainment.

Courtesy of Cars.com

2014 Kia Forte Review

1. Two engines are offered, a 148 hp 1.8L and a direct-injection

2.0L 4-cylinder with 173 hp.

3. An optional Flex Steer system lets you choose between three steering settings: Comfort, Normal and Sport.

4. An available Premium Package includes luxury features like leather, heated front and rear seats with an air-cooled vented 10-way power drivers seat, 17-inch wheels, a heated steering wheel and keyless access with a push button ignition.

It seems to have worked, since Kia's population around the world has been growing year after year. In 2012, Kia's global sales rose by 9.3% and managed to move 635,000-units in North America alone.

To keep the sales momentum on the upswing, Kia is going to launch an all-new 2014 Forte compact sedan towards the end of the first quarter of this year. But is it any good?

Kia is so proud of their latest Forte sedan that it invited us down to Scottsdale, AZ two months before the models launch and tell us all that this car has to offer and let us experience it for ourselves.

The Forte is lower and wider than its predecessor being not only much more attractive than the car it replaces, but also better than most in the segment.

Kia's design guru and new president, Peter Schreyer, wanted to make the first luxury compact car, and while that's not exactly true here, the design certainly plays the part. From HID headlights to its beautiful new LED tail lights (which look absolutely stunning when illuminated, you have to see it to believe how nice these are) and everything else in between, the Forte is a stunner in its segment. The days of feeling embarrassed about driving a Korean compact are far behind us.

Its the same story inside. The new interior is a step forward in design and quality. All the ergonomic controls seem to be in the right position and there are soft touch materials where you would like them to be. Standard equipment is impressive with auxiliary input jacks, Bluetooth, power windows and locks and a tilt and telescopic wheel.

The 2014 Forte is also the first car in its class to offer a heated and ventilated drivers seat (passenger only gets a heated seat), and a heated steering wheel.

A well thought out interior for the most part (our only complaint was that the center arm-rest is a bit too low to be comfortable, despite this one being of the sliding variety), with decent space for both front and rear seat passengers, and the trunk is quite commodious as well. Should make most people quite happy.

Those who like gadgets will also be quite happy with the new (optional) UVO entertainment system, which now consists of eService. This new system allows for you to use apps like Google Maps, 911 Auto Connect, Interactive Roadside Assistance, Parental Controls, Twitter, Pandora and a whole host of other apps. In short, the new UVO system is more like a tablet than an infotainment system.

However, while gadgets certainly attract car buyers these days, one should not buy a car just based on its electronic content. What makes one car better than the other should be based on how it drives. So how does the new Forte drive?

The short answer is, quite well. But lets get into the details. There are two engines on offer, a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder, with Multi-Port Injection (MPI), and a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, with Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI). These new engines replace the former models 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter engines.

The base motor, which is found in the LX trim, produces 148-hp and 131 lb-ft of torque and can be had with either a six-speed manual gearbox (with hill-start assist) or a six-speed automatic. The GDI motor, which is found in the EX and SX trims, produces an impressive 173-hp and 154 lb-ft of torque, but sadly will only be offered with the six-speed automatic, though you do get steering-wheel mounted pedal shifters in SX trim.

There's even more stuff to play with on the steering wheel, in fact we counted no less than 15-buttons on the wheel (and that is not counting the shift paddles). One we found of interest is for what Kia calls "Flex Steer." What this button allows you to do is to choose between three stiffness settings for the steering input. In "Comfort", it is very light and agile. In "Normal" it is, umm… normal, and in "Sport" mode, the steering stiffens up.

As for wheels and tires, the base LX gets 15-inch steelies, with optional 16-inch alloys. The EX gets 16-inch alloys with 17-inch alloys as an option, while the SX gets the 17-inch alloys as standard.

Our tester was an EX trim with the optional 17-inch alloys, wearing some sport-sized 215/45R17 rubber all around. While the handling is not this Fortes, umm… forte, ride comfort certainly is. This is a comfortable compact car. You can drive over ruts and potholes on the road, and while you can tell that you went over something, you wont feel it. It is quiet also, thanks to excellent sound deadening from wind and road noise, the new Forte is one of the quietest compact cars we have ever come across.

It is also one of the quickest to come to a stop, thanks to standard fitment of four-wheel disc brakes. Along with the usual safety measures, there's a Brake Assist System (BAS), which will recognize when you are braking under a panic situation and apply maximum braking force. In case there is a crash, its dual front advanced airbags, together with front-seat mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags will do their best to keep your organs in their rightful place.

For a car designed to handle the daily chores, Kia has covered many of the desired traits and wrapped them in attractive packaging.

Courtesy of Auto Guide