Remember the Kia K8? It’s that new luxury sports sedan coming from Kia Motors that we took a tour of for the interior. High-end quality of this magnitude may be common for luxury brand automakers, but Kia Motors is not a luxury brand. It is the highest ranked mass-market automaker, according to the 2020 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, but luxury isn’t synonymous when thinking of Kia Motors vehicles. Still, a luxury sedan with such an upscale interior can only be matched with an exterior, also revealed to push the model out with the fast-growing Kia lineup.

“Following our recent company rebrand, we keep moving toward our new brand values with a new model – the K8. This modern sedan has been designed with innovation and elegance at its very core…While paying homage to the K7, the K8 looks to the future. Its progressive exterior takes on character and emotion and combines those qualities with an expressive looking front and a dynamic swooping rear, giving the K8 a high-quality, premium presence that takes direct inspiration from some of the world’s most technically advanced yachts.” – Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design Center

The new signature frameless ‘tiger nose’ grille replaces the old front fascia, integrated into the front bumper for a clean expansive look. An intricate diamond lattice along the grille gives the illusion of moving lights, and the front lamp turn signals resemble a nebula or star cloud. This calls back to the innovative ‘Star Cloud’ lighting inside the cabin that projects glittering and interactive ambient lighting on the door trim and dashboard of the Kia K8. Sitting atop the new grille is also the new Kia Motors logo – sharp, refined, and just cool to look at.

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Kia Motors has been having some interesting releases as of late. The reveal of the automaker’s first all-electric vehicle with no precursor, the EV6, had an early preview last week, and multiple looks at the luxury sport sedan Kia K8 are starting to surface. It’s been a busy month for Kia Motors, and another reveal has already jumped into the spotlight. Teased earlier in March, the 2022 Kia Stinger has finally been revealed after its mid-cycle refresh.

New Power Output

We knew the base engine was getting a small upgrade. The 2022 Kia Stinger is available in GT-Line, GT1, and GT2 trims, plus a special edition Scorpion model set for release – release date TBD. The GT-Line is a part of the Kia Motors GT-Line, one of the many plans the automaker has launched alongside its electric vehicles (EVs) and purpose-built vehicles (PBVs). The GT-Line base trim gets a new 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine under the hood, able to generate 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. With rear-wheel drive (RWD) standard or all-wheel drive (AWD) with torque vectoring available, the fuel economy is estimated at 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway with RWD, a combined fuel economy of 24 mpg with AWD.

The rest of the lineup comes with a GT 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, able to generate 368 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque, available with the same drivetrain options, all trims also come with an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. A new electronic variable exhaust system enhances the sound of the Stinger as it revs up and takes off. The GT1 and GT2 trims have a fuel economy of 18 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway with RWD, and a combined 20 mpg fuel economy with AWD.

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When the new generation models for the 2021 Kia Sorento and 2021 Kia K5 were first being talked up by Kia Motors, there was no holding back. All the highlights about the Kia Sorento, and all the performance of the Kia K5 was taking up the spotlight near the end of 2020. Fast-forward to 2021, and there is no stopping them. In recent years, Kia Motors can’t be beat. Whenever a new model is released, like the award-winning Kia Stinger, or ever-popular Kia Telluride, the accolades stack up fast. In February 2021, the Kia K5 and Sorento won Best Cars of 2021 by Autotrader, and just a month later, another award goes to the very same models. This time, it’s the honor of landing in the Top 10 for this year’s World Car of the Year (WCOTY) Awards.

WCOTY, not to be confused with NACTOY (North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year), a competition Kia Motors also performs well in, has been going on for 17 years. Held to recognize, reward and inspire excellence, leadership, and innovation within the auto industry on a global scale, WCOTY is one of many sought after lists. Once again entering the semi-finals, Kia Motors gets one step closer to the winner’s circle with the all-new Kia Sorento and Kia K5.

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Kia Motors is just really busy these days. Winning awards, releasing the new Kia K5 and Kia Sorento, and even announced a new luxury sedan, the Kia K8. Now, for something we’ve all been waiting for. In 2019, Kia Motors announced a new focus on creating all-electric vehicles and becoming an all-electric automaker like Tesla. In the same year, the first Kia electric vehicle concept was the Futuron, followed by another concept in 2020 for Kia electric vehicles. Finally, in 2021, it all adds up to the new Kia EV6.

The EV6 is Kia Motor’s first dedicated battery-electric vehicle (BEV). Boasting a new design philosophy and the automaker’s shift towards electrification with its Plan S strategy, the EV6 is already showing off new technology with the powertrain developed by Kia Motors and the Hyundai Motor Group. Known as the brand’s new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), this was unveiled towards the end of 2020, so we knew something had to be in the works to make use of this, and thus the EV6 is born!

“EV6, as the first dedicated Kia EV, is a showcase of human-centered, progressive design and electrified power. We strongly believe EV6 is a compelling and relevant model for the new EV market…With EV6 we aimed to create a distinctive, impactful design by using a combination of sophisticated, high-tech features on pure and rich volumes, while providing a unique space as a futuristic EV.” – Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Design Center

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We’ve heard a lot about the new Kia Stinger coming to the lineup. Updated with a mid-cycle refresh, the Kia Stinger is getting a boost only after a few years in the market. When it first came out, there was an initial rush to get the Stinger, we couldn’t keep them on the lot. When COVID-19 hit, all automobile sales went down, and some of the newer models suddenly seemed outside of budget for many consumers. Although the pandemic is still worldwide, we have a better handle on it, and the automotive industry is starting to bloom once more. Already nearing the end of the third quarter for 2021, Kia Motors decides to tease the new Kia Stinger a week ahead of schedule.

Oh, why do automakers do this? A tease is good to get people talking and to spread some hype, but too many times is a tease about a year or so too early. We’re hoping that isn’t the case with the newly refined Kia Stinger. Skipping a model year and going straight to 2022, the Kia Stinger was named the best sport sedan in the world, able to outrace luxury sports cars while still costing a fraction of the price. The mid-cycle refresh only chooses to push the envelope further with more power, more technology, and a refined design. Full press materials and specs will be shared next week on March 16, 2020.

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If there is one thing Kia Motors hasn’t been well-known for is luxury cars. Sure, the interiors are roomy and often come packed with technology, and their cars drive as nice as they look. But when it comes to car segments, Kia Motors is not classified as a luxury automaker. Even J.D. Power, that ranked Kia Motor as the highest brand during the 2020 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study did so as the highest non-luxury brand. Considered a mass-market automaker, it’s still a title Kia Motors has held for five years in-a-row now, but luxury? That’s definitely new, and Kia Motors is shooting for the title with its new K8 luxury sports car.

We saw inklings of what luxury means to Kia Motors when the automaker first released the new K5, previously named the Kia Optima, back with a more sporty appeal and high-end materials. Now that the automaker has shown us what it can do, it would seem Kia decided to go all in with a luxury vehicle when it came to designing and producing the Kia K8. A premium sports sedan, the interior is a first-class interior lounge that blends premium luxury style and comfort.

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“The Niro hits the sweet spot by offering the best combination of outstanding mpg, an engaging driving experience, utility, and most importantly, a stunning design that doesn’t shout ‘hybrid…The subcompact CUV market continues to be one of the fastest-growing segments in the world, and the Niro offers a uniquely alluring yet practical package that consumers haven’t seen before.”

Words spoken by Orth Hedrick, vice president product planning Kia Motors America (KMA) when the Kia Niro hybrid was first released. Known as the first hybrid crossover to ever be debuted and actually hit the streets, consumers from all over were shocked. Kia lovers, consumers going green, and fans of crossovers all showed an interest in the Niro. Many people purchased a new one within months of its release. In the years that followed, the Niro was soon joined by the Niro Plug-in Hybrid and Niro EV, or electric vehicle. The crossover was so successful, it came with a mid-cycle refresh in 2020.

This refresh for the 2020 Kia Niro consisted of a redesigned front and rear fascia’s, possibly featuring the new generation of the Kia trademark tiger-nose face. This new front fascia fits in with a new diamond-pattern grille, dual chevron-shaped LED daytime running lights, new fog lamps, and updated projector-type headlights. Towards the rear, a faux skid plate is wider and more pronounced, with rear LED combination lights flashing above new 16-inch and 18-inch alloy wheel designs.

Not every vehicle receives a cycle refresh, but some could use a pick me up when the allure dies down. Other vehicles are so successful, that the automaker sells enough units to warrant a special package or edition of the vehicle to offer a little extra. When it came to the Kia Niro, the automaker released a special edition in 2020, the 2020 Kia Niro Touring SE. Designed to stand out from the rest of the lineup, the Touring Special Edition had its own line of features to set it apart, along with new upgrades.

In terms of style, the Niro Touring SE changed the look of the exterior with LED headlights, and offered an exclusive Solar Orange exterior paint color not yet seen on other trims. Inside, the cabin got a little more upscale with leatherette seating surfaces with orange stitching to match the new paint job, or blue accent stitching if going with a different color for contrast. In addition, technology gets an upgrade with the addition of the large 10.25-inch LCD touchscreen introduced recently by Kia Motors, a premium eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, onboard navigation, and SiriusXM satellite radio.

Available for 2020 (2021 not yet announced), the Touring Special Edition is the fourth trim in the vehicle lineup. With a starting MSRP of $30,790 (plus destination fee), it’s not a bad deal to basically get the Touring with added features for a little over $2k. All trims are powered by the same engine, so no real difference in powertrain between the trims, and it sure beats an extra $4k to get everything the EX Premium adds on – not a huge loss unless you’ll absolutely die without a wireless phone charger and rear parking assist sensors in your car.

Looking to get behind the wheel of a 2020 Kia Niro? Come test drive yours at Miami Lakes Automall.

Photo Source/Copyright: Kia.com

Kia Motors has been busy in recent months, reworking and releasing new versions of some of its popular vehicles, like the Kia Stinger refresh and new generation Kia Sorento. The automaker also recently revealed its Carnival Multipurpose Vehicle (or MPV), following the talk of purpose-built vehicles (PBV). The Kia Stinger received a mid-cycle refresh, and the Sorento is all new. Recently, Car and Driver magazine put together its Editors’ Choice Awards list, and one of the vehicles here made it – along with several other vehicles from Kia Motors – the Telluride, Sorento, Soul, K5, and Rio were all named as “2021 Editors’ Choice Award” winners.

Car and Driver 2021 Editors’ Choice Awards

Most consumers should know the name “Car and Driver”. Founded back in 1955, Car and Driver is one of the top names in the auto industry when it comes to reviews, news, and advice for new car shoppers in the market. Always able to provide expert content and leading-edge insights on all things automotive, Car and Driver has earned its right to be called the “definitive voice for in-market car shoppers, enthusiasts, and industry leaders”. With over 12 million unique visitors to the website every month, and plenty of readers, when Car and Driver puts a vehicle on the Editors’ Choice Award, you know it’s a big deal.

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There has been talk about a mid-cycle refresh for the Kia Stinger sports car since last summer (August 2020). The mid-cycle refresh was destined for the 2021 model year, but it seems that Kia Motors held off for the 2022 model year, because the most recent news about the Kia Stinger is also introducing a new powertrain to the lineup and will be replacing one of the current options. No sense in releasing a less-powerful engine and then replacing it with a more powerful version halfway through the year – that’s just a quick way to get angry consumers feeling cheated. With this new 2.5-liter turbo engine, the new 2022 Kia Stinger should be worth the wait.

New Powertrain

Currently, the 2021 Kia Stinger is powered by one of two engine options. The standard engine, found only on the base GT-Line trim, is a Twin Scroll turbocharged 2.0-liter DOHC I4 engine, optimized with continuously variable valve timing (CVVT) for added performance, can generate up to 255 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The next engine up powering the rest of the GT trims – yes, all trims on the Kia Stinger are GT trims, but only the base is a part of the GT-Line collection – is a twin turbocharged 3.3-liter DOHC V6, also optimized with CVVT, able to deliver up to 365 horsepower 376 lb-ft of torque.

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