Kia Scores High During 2021 J.D. Power APEAL Study
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in Miami Kia Dealer, South Miami Kia on Friday, September 17th, 2021 at 9:04 PM
A few weeks ago, Kia Corp landed several spots on the 2021 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) for various car segments. In short, Kia Corp was the highest-ranking vehicle in five segments, with the least amount of problems within the first 90 days of ownership. Wear-and-tear can affect this, and so J.D. Power takes another look at new vehicles from another angle. Not just performance, but how does the driver feel behind the wheel of their car? That’s why the J.D. Power Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study™ exists, and although the spelling may not be the same, this study really focuses on the “appeal” of a new vehicle.
So, here’s how it works. Complementing the J.D. Power IQS, the APEAL Study is also conducted by sending out surveys to owners of new 2021 model-year vehicles after 90 days of ownership. The surveys are designed to measure 37 attributes, ranging from the thrill of getting into the driver’s seat, ready to hit the road, or how well the engine responds to the pressure on the pedal and a sense of control. This year, the APEAL Study was fielded from February through July 2021, and a total of 110,827 responses made up the scores of each automotive brand. This year, the overall score of the automotive industry has increased, with a higher appeal to new vehicles more than ever.
Read the rest of this entry »Kia Corp and Hyundai Motor Find New Ways to Store Energy
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in Miami Kia Dealers, South Miami Kia on Friday, September 17th, 2021 at 8:57 PM
Here’s an interesting story. With all of the automotive technology and startups in the world, there is a lot of potential for electric vehicles and even self-driving vehicles in the very near future. Some automakers, Kia Corp and Hyundai Motor and Co included (the Group) have been pushing the envelope to go a step further for some time now with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Now, the Group is working on clean, free energy. Or at least, that’s how it seems. The below project sounds very reminiscent of a certain clean energy project pulled off by a certain Japanese automaker, Hitachi Europe LTD, and ENGIE, the largest natural gas distribution network in Europe. There’s nothing like some healthy competition.
Like the aforementioned project, this takes three players – OCI Solar Power, one of the largest utility-scale solar energy developers in Texas; CPS Energy, the nation’s largest municipally-owned, fully-integrated electric and natural gas utility; and the Hyundai Motor Group, a South Korean multinational automotive group that consists primarily of the Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation. The three parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the intent to use recycled electric vehicle (EV) batteries and use them as devices for energy storage. Yep, very familiar.
Read the rest of this entry »The High Point of the Kia Stinger
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in Miami Kia Dealer, South Miami Kia on Friday, September 10th, 2021 at 8:38 PM
“Candles that burn twice as bright, burn half as long.” That’s how the saying goes, and the same could be said for the Kia Stinger. Could a quote be any more true for the rise and fall of this sports car? The first of its kind to come from Kia Corp, then still known as Kia Motors, when the automaker was mainly known for its SUVs, hybrids, and electrified vehicle options. At the time, Kia was rethinking its design language for vehicles – the automaker wanted to “make cars that are as fun to drive as they look.” When the Kia Stinger was first released, dealerships couldn’t keep them on the lot. If that’s so true, why is Kia thinking of bringing the axe down onto the Stinger, possibly the hottest sports car in the lineup?
That’s a hard question to answer. Based on company sales, the Kia Stinger is still going strong. Just look at the July 2021 sales for Kia Corp. Whether we break it down by month or year-to-date, the Stinger is selling about as many units, with only 8 units less in July 2021 vs July 2020 and selling over 100 units more than in 2020 between January and July. So what’s the deal with the mid-cycle refresh of the 2021 Kia Stinger? It’s still as popular as ever.
Some nice but unnecessary changes were made – the front fascia comes with a new face, multifaceted reflector LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights, and a new rear combination lamp that stretches the width of the trunk. Keeping the sports car look, consumers can choose 18- or 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels that come with geometric designs. The interior is still as great as ever, adding a metallic finish to the bottom of the steering wheel and an HD 7.0-inch fully-digital instrument cluster to match. Various trims can also come with Kia’s upgraded 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment and navigation system and make use of the new mood lighting system.
Soon after the refresh, Kia also released the 2022 Kia Stinger Scorpion Special Edition. Only available in a limited run, only 250 units will be available per month while still in production. Built on the Kia Stinger GT2, available with with rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD), include blacked out fender garnish, side mirror caps, and darkened exhaust tips; body-colored rear spoiler; 19-inch black wheels; and carbon fiber-pattern trim for the interior. The exterior paint comes with three options – Snow White Pearl, Aurora Black, and Ceramic Silver – and the interior comes with Red Nappa Leather or Black Nappa Leather for the upholstery. The starting MSRP for the 2022 Kia Stinger Scorpion Special Edition with RWD is $52,585 (plus destination fee), and $54,785 (plus destination fee) for AWD.
Best of all, the Kia Stinger (GT) is faster than most luxurious brands that booast performance, such as BMW and Porsche. Some of these vehicles can cost upwards of $80,000. The 2021 Kia Stinger has a starting MSRP of 33,090 (plus destination fee), and the fastest of the 2022 models, the Stinger GT2, starts at $51,290 (plus destination fee). Buying a more expensive vehicle that can’t even win a race is like buying a Tesla when you could just wait for the Kia EV6. Just doesn’t make any sense.Find out why they Kia Stinger was, and still is, a very popular Kia Sports car, at Miami Lakes Automall.
Photo Source/Copyright: Kia Media
Kia and Hyundai Introduce Hydrogen Vision 2040
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in Miami Kia Dealer, South Miami Kia on Thursday, September 9th, 2021 at 7:20 PM
It wasn’t too long ago that Kia Corp and the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) entered into an agreement with the Next Hydrogen Corporation to work towards the development of a new “Electrolyzer Stack” to design and produce a new hydrogen fuel cell for future Kia and Hyundai vehicles, as well as other machines. At the Hydrogen Wave global online forum held on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, the Hyundai Motor Group announced its plans to popularize hydrogen by 2040, a business strategy called “Hydrogen Vision 2040”. The goal is simple – Hydrogen energy available to ‘Everyone, Everything and Everywhere’.
“Hyundai Motor Group’s vision is to apply hydrogen energy in all areas of life and industry such as our homes, work-places and factories. The goal is to make hydrogen readily used for everyone, everything, and everywhere…We want to offer practical solutions for the sustainable development of humanity and with these breakthroughs, we aim to help foster a worldwide Hydrogen Society by 2040.” – Chairman Chung at the Hydrogen Wave online global forum
Read the rest of this entry »Kia America Donates to Red Cross for Hurricane Ida Disaster Relief
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in Miami Kia Dealer, South Miami Kia on Thursday, September 2nd, 2021 at 7:50 PM
2021 has been a good year for 2021 so far – better than 2020, but with a few surprises in store. Monthly and quarterly sales have been up, new vehicles are winning awards, and the new EV6 is on the way. In August 2021, Kia Corp sold 74-percent of available inventory, with many models jumping in popularity. With the current good fortune the automaker is experiencing, including the high-rankings received during the 2021 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, it’s time to share with the community and give back a little. This hurricane season was rough, and the most recent damage came from Hurricane Ida, hitting New Orleans with one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to hit the U.S. mainland. To aid with relief efforts, Kia America donated $200,000 to the American Red Cross.
“Helping individuals and communities in need is part of Kia’s brand purpose and these funds will support people impacted by this devastating storm…Responding to disasters is a team effort and Kia applauds the American Red Cross and its trained workers from across the United States who quickly mobilized emergency supplies into multiple states.” – Sean Yoon, president & CEO, Kia North America and Kia America
The American Red Cross disaster relief efforts are focused on providing shelter, food, and comfort to those affected by Hurricane Ida. This is a continuation of Kia Corp’s “Accelerate The Good” initiative. The last time we heard about this initiative was in May, with Kia donating $250,000 to Covenant House, the largest, primarily privately-funded charity in the U.S. Focused solely on helping homeless and trafficked youth. Prior to this was the second year of the Great Unknowns Scholarship, offering scholarships to students in the U.S. planning to pursue a college undergraduate degree in one of the disciplines included in STEAM: Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Arts, or Math.
Another way Kia America has recently become more involved with its community is with EnableLA, a ride-hailing service for people with mobility barriers in the Los Angeles area. Made up of a fleet of Kia Telluride SUVs transformed into WAVs, or wheelchair accessible vehicles, each vehicle has been designed with many various mobile solutions, such as wheelchair access, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), UV-free antimicrobial lights, and drivers trained in healthcare. Part of the Universal Mobility Project, EnableLA will be the first of many endeavors to create a mobile ecosystem in the world today.
It’s all about sharing good fortune. As we mentioned, the 2021 J.D. Power IQS recently wrapped up, and although the automaker fell from its previous higher standing when it comes to ranking, several vehicles were ranked as having the best initial quality in their class. The Kia Forte was the highest-ranked vehicle for the Compact Car segment, along with the Kia Soul for Small SUV segment, the Kia Telluride in the Upper Midsize SUV segment, the Kia Sportage with the Compact SUV segment, and the Kia Sedona was ranked highest in the Minivan segment.Want to help Kia give back to the community? You can show your support by purchasing a new Kia vehicle at Miami Lakes Automall.
Kia Corp Receives Many Segment Awards During 2021 J.D. Power IQS
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in Kia Dealer in Miami, Miami Kia Dealer, South Miami Kia on Thursday, September 2nd, 2021 at 1:06 AM
It’s finally that time of year when automotive journalists and publications get together and start to release their reviews, their “best of” lists, and release the results of any studies going on in 2021. There have been quite a few recently, especially putting some spotlight on Kia Corp, and the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) is not an uncommon name when discussing the South Korean automaker. Kia has appeared time and again with high-ranking vehicles on the IQS, and in 2021, Kia takes home the title of “highest-ranked” in several vehicle segments.
The last two years have been a little rough for the automotive industry. First COVID in 2020, now the global chip shortage in 2021, it’s a surprise that so many made it through. This hardship is reflected in the 2021 J.D. Power IQS, making 2021 35 years of conducting this study. In total, the auto market improved quality by 2-percent in contrast to it’s typical 3-percent increase. Based on the study, infotainment systems and smartphone connectivity have become a problem for several automakers, but as the results will soon show, Kia Corp is rising to the challenge.
Read the rest of this entry »2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Revealed
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in Miami Kia Dealer, South Miami Kia on Wednesday, August 25th, 2021 at 9:54 PM
Well, we’ve been waiting for it, and Kia Corp has finally delivered. The latest and newest addition to the Kia Corp lineup, pushing its ambitious “Plan S” electrification strategy forward, and joining the Kia Sorento in its fourth generation is the one and only 2022 Sorento Turbo Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) SUV. Last year, the new generation of the Kia Sorento launched, and got as much of the spotlight Kia could put on it while the new generation of the Optima, the Kia K5, also shook things up. Since the release of the new Sorento, Kia Corp discussed the introduction of a plug-in hybrid variant, and now it’s finally here, with all-wheel drive (AWD) capability and three-row seating accommodations.
“The Sorento PHEV’s rare combination of drivability, efficiency and spaciousness will make it a compelling choice for our customers…We’re proud to have it join the popular Sorento model range while also playing a pivotal role in the launch of Kia’s Plan S electrification strategy.” – Sean Yoon, president & CEO, Kia North America and Kia America
Keeping it simple, the 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV will be offered in two trims: SX and SX-P. Each new Sorento PHEV is powered by a 66.9 kW electric motor and a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, able to generate a combined 261 horsepower. The last model Kia Corp produced as a plug-in hybrid was the Kia Niro compact SUV. Able to travel up to 26 miles on purely electricity, the Kia Sorento PHEV has flown by that record, said to have a targeted 32-mile pure electric driving range. Heck, it’s better than any 3-row PHEV SUV on the market today. However, the Kia Niro PHEV has a larger total driving range, being the smaller of the two, with a total of 560 miles versus the overall range of 460 miles for the Sorento Plug-in.
Able to seat up to six passengers, the Sorento PHEV still manages to offer enough room with 143.8 cubic feet of passenger space. It’s also the only PHEV SUV to offer three-row seating. Currently leading the class, the 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV comes standard with 19-inch wheels, second-row captain’s chairs, and Syntex synthetic leather seating for the upholstery. Of course, consumers can find perforated leather seats as an option or available on the SX-P. An aluminum sport pedal is also available to transform the cockpit a bit. AWD with center locking differential and Drive Mode Select with Snow Mode also come standard and are a huge plus.
We assume the SX-P comes standard with leather upholstery, given it has all these other great additions. The cockpit is enhanced with a 12.3-in. full digital meter cluster (a Kia SUV first), Surround View Monitor to provide a 360-degree perspective around the vehicle, Blind View Monitor that projects live video feed of the driver’s blind spots, and an electrochromic rear view mirror (dims automatically in the presence of light). Other fun bits of technology to look forward to are 8 USB charging ports, a 10.25-inch high-resolution color touchscreen display with navigation and telematics (UVO link), wireless smartphone charging pad, and Bose premium sound system, available with 12 high-performance speakers.
UVO Link has been evolving fast, now offering cloud-based features calculate the optimal route using real-time maps, traffic, and AI; weather reports for more than 250,000 miles; UVO voice assist for audible commands to control the cabin climate, seat and steering-wheel heating, audio system, and other functions; user profiles; and Smart Speaker Integration with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Two really convenient features added to the new UVO are Find My Car with Surround View Monitor to show the user where their car is on their phone – great for those of us who forgot where we parked. Really convenient is the Last Mile Navigation that breaks it down from driving directions to walking until the user reaches their final destination and not just the general area of the shopping plaza that it’s in.
As always, Kia Corp offers consumers a lot of safety features. Advanced features like 911 Connect and Roadside Assistance will automatically attempt to call 911 via the UVO modem are available, but there is also an assortment of standard safety features thanks to the Kia Drive Wise Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) suite. Each 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV comes with Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist – Rear (BCA-Rear) with parallel exit, Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA) – Junction Turning (FCA-JT), Highway Driving Assist (HDA), Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Navigation Based Smart Cruise Control-Curve (NSCC-C), Parking Distance Warning-Reverse (PDW-R), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Safe Exist Assist (SEA).Want to get your hands on the 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV? The 2022 Sorento Turbo PHEV will arrive in showrooms soon enough, but pricing is still a mystery. Follow along on Miami Lakes Automall social media for updates about the Kia Sorento PHEV.
Photo Source/Copyright: Kia Media
Kia Carnival MPV Earns TSP from IIHS
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in Miami Kia Dealer, South Miami Kia on Wednesday, August 25th, 2021 at 9:51 PM
As automakers around the world race to find the next powertrain, safety feature, or automated driving scheme that will earn them a gold medal, there is only one way to know the best of the best. That’s why we have multiple trusted publications that review vehicles for quality, such as Kelley Blue Book or Car and Driver, and organizations that conduct studies on vehicle quality and satisfaction, such as J.D. Power and AutoPacific. When it comes to safety features and standards, we have two safety organizations that rate vehicles and may even keep some off the roads – the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). They’re probably why the return of “suicide doors” never made it past the concept model in 2018. IIHS has been busy rating vehicles lately, and Kia Corp is getting pats on the back, with the 2022 Stinger sport sedan having received a Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) rating, and now the Kia Carnival MPV is getting its own Top Safety Pick (TSP) rating from IIHS.
Read the rest of this entry »MLAM Kia and HMG Launch EnableLA
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in South Miami Kia on Wednesday, August 18th, 2021 at 7:03 PM
We were just talking about KiaMobility and the reopening of Kia360 in Seoul, South Korea, the Kia Corp building dedicated to showing consumers future mobility solutions by the automaker. Both are aimed at creating mobility solutions, personal or public, for the average consumer. In the spirit of mobility for all, Kia Corp and the Hyundai Motor Group as a whole has launched “EnableLA” to assist people with mobility barriers in the Los Angeles area. This is also the home base for the MoceanLab project launched in 2019, also by the Hyundai Motor Group, aimed at creating mobility platforms and more diverse mobility services in Los Angeles.
Read the rest of this entry »Kia Corp Opens Kia360
By Jordan Rodriguez | Posted in Miami Kia Dealer, South Miami Kia on Tuesday, August 17th, 2021 at 8:27 PM
Mobility. A single word that means a lot. The ability to move, transporting oneself from one location to another, not always using one’s feet. It can come in the form of machines, like automobiles or flying spaceships. Automakers want to make everyone mobile – after all, more people that can go mobile means more money. Not everyone can afford personal transportation though, and with the ever-growing ride hailing services out there, some automakers are looking for ways to make mobility an option for everyone, like Kia Corp. Kia recently opened a new public space for experiencing future mobility solutions and lifestyles in a more immersive way. The customer-centric brand-experiencing venue is called Kia360.
“Kia360 is a venue illuminating the purpose of Kia’s new branding: Creating the space and time that inspire our customers to bring their ideas to real life…We invite visitors to immerse themselves in Kia360’s interactive and communicative displays and catch a glimpse of Kia’s new direction for providing clean and sustainable mobility solutions, as well as stylish mobility lifestyles.” – Artur Martins, Senior Vice President and Head of the Global Brand and Customer Experience Division at Kia
Kia Corp has been in cahoots with many other businesses to create motion-centric projects and services. Possibly the largest, and currently most mysterious, is the MoceanLab created by Kia Motors and Hyundai, prior to Kia splitting Kia Motors in Corp, Kia America, and so on. Last we heard, the MoceanLab was being used to help the community during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kia and the Hyundai Motor Group as a whole also opened up the Ultimate Mobility Vehicles contract, where the automakers shook hands with New Horizons Studio to make – no joke – transforming automobiles. That’s not as crazy as another contract with Uber to create a flying aircraft hailing service – or is it?
Then there is KiaMobility. This was pretty cool – Kia started a new mobility service that offered a whole new way of owning and renting vehicles. The service itself isn’t anything new – it’s currently available in many cities under many names – anyone ever heard of HyreCar? You own a car but can rent it out via the during certain time slots when you’re not using it. That’s pretty rad for anyone who works from home these days and doesn’t have any errands to run. KiaMobility was the same premise, but strictly used Kia vehicles, of course.
On the outside, the architecture of Kia360 was designed to allow for various eye-catching lighting displays at any time of the day, as well as redesigned to the new brand-representative color scheme – Midnight Black and Polar White. A bit monochrome for an automaker that’s currently exploding with creativity. Broken down into three zones, Kia360 gives guests the ability to visit various exhibits with digital and immersive experiences to engage with. The three zones are: the Brand & Design Zone, the EV Life Zone and the Kia User Zone.
With each zone connected to the other, the experience is seamless as visitors travel through the diverse exhibits in a sequence. The first, Brand & Design, is all about the new look of Kia Corp – name, icon, and brand strategy. Broken down into three sub-zones, new Kia models are on display in the “New Journey” sub-zone, interactive digital media can be found in the “Inspiring Universe” sub-zone, and new concepts can be viewed at the “Opposites United” sub-zone.
All of the zones follow a similar pattern. The EV Life zone consists of a booth with information on various electric vehicles (EVs) and an EV charger, known as the “EV Charge” sub-zone. There is the “EV Ride”, where hoverboard participants can “navigate” on a virtual circuit and an LED screen. Lastly, guests can check out the future of connected mobility and lifestyles in the “Connected House”.
The Kia User zone is more user-related, as it says in the name, with customized consultancy for visitors who are currently in the market for a Kia vehicle. Using a digital three-dimensional configurator, the user can configure the options of the vehicle they choose. There is also an “EV Tap & Tip” sub-zone that offers visitors real-life information related to EVs. “AI Space” is probably the most interesting sub-zone, offering a virtual experience of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and Kia artificial-intelligence technology.Now here’s the catch. Kia360 is only available in Seoul, South Korea. Wah wah…It’s still something to check out if international travel ever makes it to your to-do list. Otherwise, check out new Kia models at Miami Lakes Automall.
