Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Honda, Kia

The Detroit News reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has concluded its investigations into both the Honda Accord Hybrid and the Kia Sorento without ordering either automaker to issue a recall. NHTSA began looking into Accord Hybrid models after a fatal traffic accident was initially attributed to unintended acceleration. The agency found no evidence of a mechanical or safety issue in the vehicles.

NHTSA had also received 18 complaints of fuel spilling from the filler port on certain 2003-2004 Kia Sorento models. Kia found the vehicles' fuel evaporation system featured a canister filter that could become clogged over time. As a result, excess pressure could build up in the fuel tank, causing gasoline to regurgitate back out of the filler neck. The canister requires regular service, but isn't mentioned in the owner's manual. According to The Detroit News, Kia has agreed to conduct a service campaign involving around 86,000 2003-2004 Sorento models.

NHTSA closes probes into Honda Accord Hybrid, Kia Sorento originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Budget, Kia, Earnings/Financials

In spite of a ridiculous 247WallStreet.com article that simply will not die, Kia appears to be doing anything but going out of business. Hyundai's "weakest brand," as it was called, just posted a 66 percent increase in profit for Q3. Kia's home market sales, in South Korea, rose by 25 percent, while international sales were only a shade off, increasing by 24 percent - in the U.S. specifically, sales were up eight percent.

That has meant 541,884 retail sales, earning net income of 666.6 Korean won ($593 million) and an operating profit of 421 billion won ($375M U.S.). Sales of the new Kia K5/Optima and Sorento have been credited - and we're sure new Sportage sales haven't hurt - and record profits are expected again in the fourth quarter.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Kia reports record third-quarter profit originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 Oct 2010 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Car Buying, Chevrolet, Ford, Kia, Toyota

The number of vehicle models slated to cruise past the magic 100,000 mark this year is up. In a big way. According to Wards, there are around 39 percent more nameplates expected to clear the six-digit hurdle in 2010 compared to 2009. So far, sales-trends point to 32 cars and trucks expected to meet or exceed the goal, compared to 23 last year. So which models are the winners of 2010?

For the first time ever, vehicles like the Kia Sorento, Chevrolet Traverse and Nissan Versa are aiming to close out 2010 with more than 100,000 units sold. They join the ranks of mainstays like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado - two trucks that have already well-exceeded the 100k line, even with another full quarter left in the year. In all, a total of 16 cars and trucks have already performed similar feats of sales wizardry.

And who's the fairest of them all? That honor goes to the Toyota Camry. The Japanese automaker has already delivered a total of 220,061 units through August, putting it well ahead of any competition. That pace doesn't look to be slowing anytime soon, either.



[Source: Wards]

Which models will join the 100,000 sales club this year? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Hatchback, Kia

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall on two Kia vehicles - the 2010 Soul and 2011 Sorento - to replace interior lighting wiring harnesses. These faulty units, supplied by JCI, can apparently cause an electrical short resulting in a fire. This recall affects 35,185 vehicles manufactured between September 7, 2009 and July 30, 2010.

In the Soul, the wiring harnesses in question are located in the front doors and control the funky accent illumination in the speakers. The Sorento has similar problems, but these wires power the lighting in both the front and rear door trim panels.

The full recall is expected to begin within the coming weeks and dealers will inspect and fix the faulty wiring harnesses free of charge. Hit the jump for the full information from NHTSA.




Photos Copyright (C)2010 John Neff and Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Kia recalling Soul, Sorento over wiring faults

Kia recalling Soul, Sorento over wiring faults originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Crossover, Kia

Back in March, Kia debuted a new top-shelf version of its most popular vehicle, the Sorento crossover, dubbed the 'SX.' The announcement included word of a redesigned front clip and more equipment, but we were most interested in the SX's lower ride height and Dual Flow Damper shocks, which Kia says deliver sporty handling without undue ride harshness.

As we would discover after spending a week traversing the Midwest's broken roads with a lesser Sorento EX model, that last bit about ride harshness is particularly important, because while the Sorento had a pleasant highway demeanor and tracked well, it was surprisingly stiff and brittle on potholed roads, acquitting itself more like a body-on-frame vehicle than the unibody CUV that it is. Fortunately, Kia noticed this ride quality issue and decided to take the costlier DFD dampers and employ them not just on the new SX model, but across the model's entire range beginning in the fourth quarter. While Kia officials we spoke with at an Atlanta press event this week stopped short of admitting that the Sorento's ride quality has been an issue, they did note that once engineers sampled the DFD setup on the SX, they liked the ride so much they decided to institute the new units on all Sorentos.

During the event, we had a chance to sample a pair of Sorento SX models, and over some of the city's choppy, unkept stretches of pavement, we noticed a markedly less flinty ride, despite the SX model's large and flashy 18-inch alloy wheels. While we'll wait to drive a DFD-equipped Sorento back on the Midwest's mean streets before we give it a clean bill of health, our backsides were encouraged by what they felt, and we're likewise pleased to see Kia taking quick action to address a sore spot on a new model.

How was the rest of the $32,195 SX? Rather accomplished, actually. We like the SX's new lower fascia and grille (though the standard Sorento's a good-looking proposition as well), and the 276-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 felt predictably more capable than the merely adequate 2.4-liter four-cylinder we drove recently. Other SX-specific alterations include LED taillamps and a healthy dollop of chrome inside-and-out. The added flash won't be to everyone's tastes, but it's quite tastefully done and we suspect Kia won't have trouble finding buyers.

That said, if you're merely in the market for a new Sorento LX or EX and you live in an area where the roads are less-than-perfect, might we suggest holding on to your current ride until the fourth quarter-builds trickle into your local dealer?

Kia to upgrade 2011 Sorento shock absorbers to soften ride originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Safety, Crossover, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Jeep, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has completed a round of rollover testing on 12 mid-sized SUVs (though most are technically CUVs, but whatevs), and the results show that some carmakers are exceeding federal rollover standards. Six of the haulers scored a Good rating, led by the 2010 Jeep Liberty, one scored Acceptable, and the remaining five were Marginal. The Good rating means a tested car has a roof that is twice as strong as the current government safety standard.

Five of the top six - the Chevrolet Equinox, 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota Highlander and Venza, and Kia Sorento - also scored Good marks for front-, side- and rear-occupant protection, and so earn the coveted classification of being an IIHS Top Safety Pick. If your CUV isn't listed, fear not, as the IIHS is testing them in groups.

Follow the jump for the full release, and you can have a look at the entire batch of tested vehicles in the high-res gallery below.



[Source: IIHS]

Continue reading IIHS performs rollover test on 12 mid-sized SUVs

IIHS performs rollover test on 12 mid-sized SUVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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