The Kia Soul, Jeep Wrangler and Chevy Cruze are among America’s hottest products in 2011

Have you heard the news? The Kia Soul is one of the HOTTEST products of 2011! But of course we knew that already…

And we’re not just talking about the hottest selling products in the automotive industry. According to Advertising Age, the Chevrolet Cruze, Kia Soul and Jeep Wrangler are generating a lot of buzz and posting strong sales – so much so that they are among America’s hottest products in 2011, joining Dove soap, Goldfish crackers and Arizona Tea.

The publication says that the three models have been succeeding in the country with savvy marketing and a steady rebound in the U.S. light vehicle market.

Chevrolet Cruze: GM has sold more than 200,000 units of the Cruze during the first 10 months of 2011, making it GM’s hottest selling car after the Malibu, of which it sold 181,000 units in the same period.

Kia Soul: Through October, Kia sold 405,095 vehicles, with the Soul accounting for more than 85,000 of those.

Jeep Wrangler: Jeep’s overall sales have jumped a nice 44 percent this year through October to 339,526 units. The Wrangler is Jeep’s best selling model in the U.S. this year accounting for 101,820 units sold through October.

I’d say that’s something to dance about:

Read more http://www.egmcartech.com/2011/11/29/the-kia-soul-jeep-wrangler-and-chevy-cruze-are-among-americas-hottest-products-in-2011/

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Kia Optima hybrid rocks with fuel economy, value and styling

Check out this excellent review of the Kia Optima in the Phoenix Business Journal:

If you are in the market for a midsize hybrid, the Kia Optima is a must for your test-drive list.

New for 2011, the Optima benefits from its all-gas twin’s redesign, which made the Kia a player in the sedan wars with snazzy design and bang for the buck. But while the family sedan market is extremely competitive, there are only a handful of hybrids in this class.

Ford Fusion and its sibling from Lincoln have strong pull with gas mileage of 41 in the city, 36 on the highway. But the Kia checks in at 35/40 -- a little thriftier on the highway, along with its Sonata cousin over at Hyundai. And while Toyota Camry’s hybrid has fallen short in the past, its 2012 remake is expected to reach 43/39. Of course, those are only estimates, and it takes a light touch to hit the high marks.

The Optima hybrid starts at $27,250 (2011 price), including delivery fee, compared with $19,600 for the all-gas sedan, which is rated at 24/35 equipped with the 200-horsepower engine. The Fusion goes for about $1,000 more, and Toyota says the Camry will start at $27,810. Sorry, if you're thinking about federal incentives, that program for hybrids ended at the start of 2011.

Staying true to Kia’s roots, the Optima hybrid is packed with features. It comes with a full lineup of safety features, dual-zone climate control, power driver’s seat, three months of satellite radio, a push-button starter, cruise control, backup camera, fog lamps and Kia’s UVO voice-activated system.

A long chime signals when the car turns on and off – otherwise a very quiet affair. It would be nice if you could change that sound, just like with ring tones.

Our tester added the $5,000 premium technology package, making the Optima quite a swanky ride. It adds goodies such as a panoramic sunroof, navigation, and heated and cooled leather seats.

Either way, though, the interior has a neat upscale look thanks to the model’s 2011 redesign. And the new exterior lines drew lots of compliments, with the hybrid adding a few unique touches.

Optima falls on the smaller end of midsize market, but both front and backseats are comfortable with roomy surrounds. The hybrid’s batteries, however, eat up a good chunk of trunk space.

A 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine combines with an electric motor to deliver a combined 206 horsepower. The Optima isn’t particularly fast or sporty, but it does the job and you can watch your miles per gallon hover in the 30-40 range. Designers even copied Ford’s leafy display, which grows with economical driving.

Options for boosting fuel economy outside the hybrid world include the new clean-diesel cars, but the Volkswagen Passat is the only midsize entry unless you move up to luxury brands.

Or, if you downsize a bit, a number of new models -- such as the Hyundai Elantra and Ford Focus -- are hitting the 40 mpg mark for highway driving. Then there is the mileage king among hybrids: the Toyota Prius, at 51/48.

Kia Optima hybrid

Midsize gas-electric sedan

Base price: $27,250

MPG range: 35/40

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 5 of 5 stars from front crash; 5 for side impact; 5 for rollover resistance; www.safercar.gov

Web: www.kia.com

Competitors: Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Civic, Hyundai Sonata, Lincoln MKZ, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry and Prius

Bottom line: A knockout in premium trim and a top contender no matter how it’s dressed.

Read more http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/blog/motor_mondays/2011/11/kia-optima-hybrid-rocks-with-fuel.html 

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How to Save Money with Car Maintenance

Great tips from KiaBuzz!

It’s no secret that the golden rule of saving money with your car is to increase fuel efficiency. Follow these tips on car maintenance and you will be able to save your budget.

Lighten Your Car (Force = Mass * Acceleration)

It’s all made clear in one simple physics equation: force = mass * acceleration. One of the most important things when it comes to fuel efficiency is the weight of a car. In the manufacturing process, carmakers put a lot of efforts on reducing weight of car to achieve better fuel efficiency. See if there are any unnecessary objects inside your car that need to be taken out.

Know Your Tires

Another simple physics rule is applicable here. The higher the resistance, the lower the speed of the object. If your tires’ air pressure is too low, it creates high rotational resistance, which increases the engine’s RPM for rolling the tires. Increased RPM requires more fuel consumption. Thus, it’s important to regularly check your tires’ air pressure and make sure they have proper air pressure. To make your job easier, we suggest you to use eco tires. Eco tires are lighter than conventional tires and have lower rotational resistance. As their name implies, they are also environmentally friendly.

Besides the tire air pressure, it is also important to keep an eye on your tire condition. If you drive on cement-paved highways often, it is very likely that your tires will wear out quickly. You should take a look at your tires from time-to-time and check whether your car is ready for new ones. As a reference, you should look at the tire wear bar, which is made up of small raised blocks between the tire treads. If the surface of the tires is close to touching this tire wear bar, it means your tires are worn out. It is recommended that you change your tires in every three years or 20,000km~30,000km (Editor’s note: The replacement timing might differ depending on your driving style and road condition). Taking good care of your tires will enhance fuel efficiency! For more information on tire maintenance, check out our other blog post here.

Clean and change your air filter regularly

An air filter does exactly what it sounds like – it filters the air flowing in to the engine. If the filter is covered with dust, the amount of air flowing into the engine decreases and it makes your engine’s fuel efficiency lower. Clean your air filter regularly and replace it once a year. (Editor’s note: The official period of parts replacement might be different depending on your country. Please refer to your owner’s manual or contact close local Kia dealership.)

Clean your fuel injector

Regardless of car types, gasoline or diesel, most automobiles nowadays have a fuel injector. As fuel goes through the injector, carbon gradually gets stuck at the tip, which reduces fuel efficiency. How much it worsens the efficiency depends on the quality of the fuel, so regular check-up is necessary. For gasoline vehicles, it is good to clean the fuel injector every three years or in every 60,000 km. (Editor’s note: The official period of checking parts might be different depending on your country. Please refer to your owner’s manual or contact close local Kia dealership.)

Use eco mode, wisely

Eco mode in your car follows an Electric Control Unit program, which controls the engine and other devices. If you turn on the eco mode, the acceleration speed of your car may decrease. However, it is a good way to increase fuel efficiency if you use it wisely. If you often drive on a very crowded road, it can be very efficient to turn on the eco mode to save your money.

As you probably have noticed form the aforementioned tips, maintaining higher fuel efficiency is the key in saving your money. I hope these tips help you with your car management skills and lessen the burden on your wallet.

Read more http://kia-buzz.com/?p=8360

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Pennsylvania joins states with texting-while-driving bans

Glad to see that Pennsylvania now bans this too. Hopefully this will help keep everyone safer on the roads.

Pennsylvania on Wednesday became the 35th state to ban text messaging while driving.

Governor Tom Corbett signed legislation into law giving police the authority to charge someone caught texting while driving with a primary offense and a $50 fine.

"The urge to keep the conversation going online can cloud judgment, can make it impossible to focus on what (drivers) should be focusing on," said Corbett, who signed the bill into law at an AT&T mobile telephone store in suburban Harrisburg.

Corbett said 13,790 crashes in Pennsylvania were caused in 2010 by distracted driving, which includes more than texting. He said 1,100 of those accidents involved drivers using a handheld cell phone, and 66 people died because they were not paying attention to how they were driving.

"It's hard to argue against the fact that the most distracting thing that you can do behind the wheel is to be texting...and not paying attention to what you should be paying attention to," he said.

Pennsylvania's new law takes effect in 120 days.

It specifically prohibits all drivers from using an interactive wireless communication device to send, read or write a text-based message. Such messages include text messages, instant messages, email or other written communication, it says.

The law institutes a $50 fine for convictions.

Read more http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/09/us-texting-pennsylvania-idUSTRE7A86KB20111109

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2011 SEMA: Hyundai and Kia’s Top Five Coolest Cars

Best in the bunch: the Kia Forte 5-Door Antenna Hockey Hatch. Yes, the hockey hatch. Perfect for you die-hard Pens fans…

It wasn’t too long ago when it was pretty much unimaginable that the Koreans could make a cool car – let alone a good car. Times have changed though, and both Hyundai and Kia have brought some of the most unique and original customs of this year’s SEMA show.

5. Kia Rio 5-Door Antenna Retro Surf

Kia focused on regional sports at this year’s SEMA show. Repping the West Coast is the Kia Rio 5-Door Antenna Retro Surf (my, is that a mouthful). The Rio5 Surf was designed for what Kia calls, “The original hipster,” surfers. As such, the Rio5 Surf features a West Coast take on the Rio. It gets a woody-themed exterior complete with a surfboard rack, and gold wheels. Inside, the surfer themed Rio gets awesome-looking plaid upholstery, and yes, even suntan lotion and sex wax holders.

4. ARK Hyundai Veloster

The ARK Hyundai Veloster is cool because it takes off-road rally racing style, to the street. ARK Performance starts with the already aggressive looking Veloster and adds an aggressive body kit, and performance decals that make it look as if this Veloster could eat you alive. Backing up the aggressive looks is a twin-scroll turbocharger bolted to the direct-injected 1.6-liter four-banger. While power is modest, at 210-hp, there’s no denying that the only thing that could make this Veloster more intimidating is a velociraptor paint job.

3. Hyundai RM500 Genesis Coupe

When Rhys Millen asks Hyundai to jump, they ask, “How high?” Two years ago Rhys Millen and his racing team, Rhys Millen Racing built a mid-engined Genesis Coupe. This year, they followed up with the RM500 Genesis Coupe. Though a bit more conservative than the mid-engined Genesis Coupe of SEMA shows past, the RM500 packs a 450-hp 5.0-liter “Tau” V-8 where one normally finds a 3.8-liter V-6. Being a race team, RMR knew it best to fit massive (15.5-inch front, 15.0-inch rear) carbon ceramic Brembo brakes to haul all that power down. To shed weight, the RMR500 also gets RMR built carbon fiber accents, trim, and diffuser.

2. Hyundai RMR 2WD Global Rally Cross Veloster

It’s hard not to love a rally car. Insanely fast, tossable, and built from a real stock car, rally cars hold a special place in an enthusiast’s heart. The Hyundai RMR 2WD Global Rally Cross Veloster is no different, even if its front wheels are tasked with turning and dragging the rest of the car along. While identical looking to the 500-hp all-wheel drive RMR Rally Cross Veloster that Hyundai debuted at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, the 2WD Veloster shown here produces a more modest 300-hp and 300 lb-ft of torque from its turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4. Rather interestingly, the RMR 2WD Global Rally Cross Veloster features a six-speed automatic transmission, instead of a sequential box normally found in a rally car. Never the less, there’s no denying the RMR 2WD Global Rally Cross Veloster is a cool ride, and one we’d love to drive.

1. Kia Forte 5-Door Antenna Hockey Hatch

The Kia Forte 5-Door Antenna Hockey Hatch might not be the fastest, or baddest ride on this list, but without a doubt it’s the most original, and the coolest. The polar opposite of the Kia Rio5 Surf, the Forte Hockey Hatch reps the Beast coast and one of its most loved sports, hockey. Having both grown up on the East Coast, and played hockey for most of my life, this was an easy choice for the number one slot. The Forte Hockey Hatch sports features that any hockey player could appreciate. For starters, inside the trunk area, the Forte Hockey Hatch gets its own locker room, with space for all your pads (save hockey pants, shoulder pads, and jock; those were conspicuously absent). The trunk also has a special pass-through for hockey sticks. Inside the cabin, the Forte Hockey hatch has water bottle, and puck holders, as well as a dry erase board, and rubber flooring so hockey dads can coach their already-dressed sons or daughters on the way to a 6 am practice. Outside, the Forte Hockey Hatch gets an aviator grey paint job, and ice blue wheels. And just in case other drivers didn’t know you were expressing your love for the world’s greatest winter sport, the Forte Hockey Hatch has hockey stick-shaped LED lights so there’s no doubt.

Read more: http://wot.motortrend.com/2011-sema-hyundai-and-kias-top-five-coolest-cars-132321.html#ixzz1clS90Rxm

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