Ward’s Automotive has just announced its new 10 Best Interior awards list, highlighting some of the nicest cockpits in the business. Some are hardly surprises, like the $93,525 Audi A8, while at the other end of the list are the Chevrolet Cruze 2LT RS, Ford Focus Titanium and the Hyundai Elantra Limited. Chrysler Group, which would previously not have even been considered for even one spot on the list, was the only automaker with two vehicles in this prestigious category, with the Dodge Charger Rallye Plus and Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit ranking. Hyundai sister-company Kia did, however win a spot with the Optima EX.

Notable absentees include brands like Mercedes-Benz, Acura, Lexus and Infiniti.

The list was compiled by Ward’s editors, who drove 51 new or significantly updates 2011 model year cars.

For a full list of the Ward’s Automotive Top 10 Interiors, see after the jump:

After a best finish of second during the team’s inaugural run last year, this past weekend Kia topped the podium for the first time ever in the automaker’s history.

We had our doubts about making it to the rink. While there were only three of us, we also needed room for three large hockey bags, plus six sticks. Using every inch of the trunk space (and our honed Tetris skills) we managed to get all three bags in the sizable 14.7 cu-ft trunk. The sticks were the issue, but thanks to the Forte’s 60/40 folding rear seat, we were able to drop one side (with levers from the trunk) and pass the five and a half foot sticks through into the cabin.

Kia is forging ahead with plans to build a rival to the Volkswagen Golf GTI, complete with a turbocharged engine and class-leading driving dynamics.

The all-new 2012 Kia Rio will sedan will debut at the New York Auto Show, with a strong possibility that it will house a significantly more powerful engine than its European counterpart.

Yesterday, we told you about the rising influence women of different ethnicities have when it comes to vehicle purchases. And now, R.L. Polk & Co. has released new information about the correlation between women and the Asian automakers.

Autoblog has revealed that the 2012 Kia Rio will make its debut at this April’s New York Auto Show, with an expected 1.4L 4-cylinder making 108 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque.

With the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid delayed due to a change to the pedestrian warning system, the Kia Optima Hybrid will face similar delays, with units expected to arrive at dealers sometime in the summer, a full 5 months later than planned.

Kia has just revealed its third in a string of electric car concepts, debuting the Naimo at the Seoul Motor Show. Unlike past mini cars, this sub-compact B-Class model is a crossover and may be the most realistic example yet of Kia’s plan to bring an EV to market in the near future.

ALG, a company best known for predicting residual values on vehicles in its automotive lease guides, also conducts ‘Perceived Quality’ studies. And the findings of its most recent one (Spring 2011); indicated that of all automakers that sell cars and trucks in the U.S., the most improved in the mainstream category was Kia Motors.

Rumored to be in the production pipeline since 2009, Kia will reportedly move ahead with plans to introduce a flagship K9 sedan.

Kia is currently investigating a plan to bring a small two-seat roadster model to market to help set the tone for the brand. The car has even been called Kia’s MX-5 by company execs, including European CEO Paul Philpott.

The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety awarded the Mazda 3 with its Top Pick honor in the small car category. The Mazda 3 met the criteria by scoring a “Good” rating in all crash test categories (front, side, rear and rollover) and has electronic stability control.

While forced induction has long been in favor in the rest of the world, Americans have often favored big displacement motors, but recent trends towards fuel economy have necessitated a shift to smaller motors, and turbocharging is considered the optimal way to stretch 4-cylinders into feeling like 6.

Kia‘s new designs are helping brand the Korean automaker in a more positive light, particularly here in North America with the stylish new Optima. But in other parts of the world mid-size sedan’s don’t hold the same cache, nor do they sell all that well, so Kia is looking at alternative ways to create a boost in brand image.

If you own a 2006-2008 Kia Optima sedan, there’s a good chance that it might need to be recalled. The automatic transmission features a cable for the shifter mechanism and according to the automaker, said cable could detach, causing the car to remain in gear even if the driver moves the shifter into park.

After the car quietly popped on the scene at the Montreal Auto Show a few months back, Kia has confirmed the SX Turbo version of its Sportage crossover for America. Powered by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged direct-injection 4-cylinder as found in the Optima sedan, it makes 256-hp and 264 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is rated at 27-mpg with the FWD drivetrain.

The Kia Rio used to have the ignominious honor of being a “penalty box”, a car you didn’t want to spend time in unless absolutely necessary. But with the upswing in quality from Kia, and shared underpinnings from the promising new Hyundai Accent, the all-new Rio, shown for the first time at the Geneva Auto Show, might just be a solid little car for entry level buyers.

Kia has just released the first details and photos of the new Rio sub-compact ahead of its world premiere at the Geneva Auto Show in March. A sister car to the Hyundai Accent ( details on the 2012 model here), the Rio gets a unique styling and for now will only be available as either a 3-door or 5-door hatchback. The 2012 Hyundai Accent, revealed at the Montreal Auto Show, will be sold as both a 5-door hatch and a sedan.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

After advertising during the Super Bowl for the first time ever last year, Kia is back with a new spot to promote its all-new Optima sedan.

Kia’s ‘Epic Ride’ add will be followed by an Epic Contest, using ads and social media to give participants the change to win one of five Optimas.

To get involved visit www.oneepiccontest.com.

Watch the ad after the jump and read AutoGuide’s 2011 Kia Optima Review here:

Mid way through 2010, Hyundai Motor Group surpassed Ford Motor Company to become the world’s fourth largest automaker, and just-released year-end numbers have confirmed the Korean auto-giant has held on to close out the year.

You may want to pace yourself during this year’s Super Bowl. You’re going to need your wits about you if you want to win a 2011 Kia Optima.

At the recent Montreal International Auto Show, Kia Canada rolled out a new turbocharged version of the Sportage crossover.

Kia‘s Rondo small minivan and Borrego SUV have been dumped from the U.S. lineup, ostensibly after slow sales forced Kia to cease importation.

Hyundai was able to achieve a 45 percent market share in South Korea in 2010, falling well below its target of 52 percent. Luckily, the failure to meet the target thanks to phenomenal growth from the Kia brand, owned by Hyundai and Kia’s new Optima and Sportage.

The Kia Rio is well overdue for a replacement, and with a new Hyundai Accent on the way, it stands to reason that its platform-mate will also get a thorough re-design.

Although only a sketch has been released so far, the familiar design language brought forth by Kia styling boss Peter Schreyer. Mechanically, the car should share the new Accent’s 1.6L Gamma 4-cylinder, which is estimated to return 37 mpg in the city and an astounding 50 mpg on the highway.

Full details will be revealed at the Geneva Auto Show in March. Until then, see AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Geneva Auto Show preview here.

Hit the jump to see the official press release

If any other automaker announced they wanted to bring back the van, we would have expected something practical and utilitarian. We’d picture a family-friendly minivan or perhaps a commercial vehicle for small businesses. But when a company like Kia says it, we expect something entirely different. After all, this is the company that gave us giant hamsters.

Having already released a profile image of its upcoming KV7 concept, Kia has now provided an additional teaser of the van-ish model ahead of its debut at the Detroit Auto Show next week.

The 2011 Kia Sorento is the second generation of the Korean utility vehicle. But rather than the new generation being an evolutionary product, it’s more revolutionary.  The first Sorento was a truck-like body on frame vehicle, with all the negative qualities that come with that set-up, while the new Sorento is a crossover unibody set-up with much more car-like qualities.

Hyundai and subsidiary brand Kia are poised for more solid growth in 2011 after a huge spike in 2010.

Kia has just released a lone image of a new concept vehicle it will debut at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January. Called the KV7, the small van looks to be sized between the Soul and a conventional minivan, perhaps suggesting it could be a replacement for the Rondo MPV.

There’s a definite resemblance to the Ford Edge and the ‘7’ in the name no doubt refers to the number of seats in the vehicle.

In a press release accompanying the photo, Kia states that its recent production models have stayed very close to the original design concepts that preceded them and so there’s no reason to think that will change with the KV7.

Obviously a production model won’t come with gullwing doors (we can already hear the designers telling us about how the doors are supposed to represent ease of access and a spacious cabin).

Check back for the KV7 Concept’s reveal with full Detroit Auto Show coverage starting January 10th. Until then, get more info on all the debuts at our Detroit Auto Show Preview by clicking here.

Official release after the jump:

Automakers know how important customer loyalty is to the success of their companies. That’s why the good ones concentrate not only on making a safe and reliable vehicle, but one that’s fun to drive as well, and then back it up with great service. And J.D. Power is on top of which automakers are doing just that with their 2010 Customer Retention Study that shows which car buyers coming back for more.

Kia is recalling 7,697 Sorentos due to a problem with the rear brake calipers, according to a release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Kia has issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) to dealers, instructing them of potentially unresponsive gas pedals on the new 2011 Optima.

The latest sister car to its Hyundai counterpart, the Kia Sportage is in many ways mechanically similar to the Tucson, a fact that is particularly important to our review of the new compact crossover.

Along with the 2006 Honda CR-V, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently announced an investigation into the 2007 Kia Optima. Both NHTSA probes have been sparked by just three complaints, with the Kia Optima being investigated for transmission shifting issues.

A report by insurance comparison website InsWeb suggests that the priciest car to ensure in America isn’t a Nissan GT-R or some other foreign exotic favoured by the young and reckless, but the strange looking Acura ZDX crossover.

Thanks to a slight bump in sales and continued struggles by Toyota, Hyundai is now the number one Asian automaker in Europe by volume. So far this year Hyundai (including Kia) has seen a four percent rise in units moved, while Toyota (including luxury brand Lexus) has seen its sales drop drastically by 17 percent. This puts Hyundai’s total volume at 521,369 units for the first 10 months of the year compared to 511,754 for Toyota.

Poor Kia, always playing second fiddle to big brother Hyundai, including when it comes to Hybrids. Many months after the debut of the new Sonata Hybrid, the car’s twin, the new Kia Optima, now gets its own hybrid variant.

Kia took the wraps off their Optima Hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto Show today, and no surprise here, it’s exactly the same as it’s corporate sibling, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.

Are you more likely to by a car that’s been made in the good ol’ U.S. of A.? Chances are the answer is “yes,” according to a recent Harris Poll survey.

Kia‘s Sedona minivan, an often ignored but solid bargain in the minivan segment, gets a new grille for 2011, along with an upgraded powertrain.

The Sedona’s new V6 puts out 271 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque with power being put down through a 6 speed manual transmission. This gives the Sedona a 27 horsepower gain over the old motor, but a 5 lb-ft loss…not that it matters.

With all new versions of the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Town & Country and Nissan Quest about the flood the market, the Sedona has a tough fight ahead. But with a low MSRP, it’s destined to achieve at least some success.

[Source: Kia]

Generation Y has come of age and are now setting their sights on what new car to buy. And according to research firm AutoPacific, younger car buyers are choosing vehicles made by Toyota, Honda and Ford.

Also among the top 5 brands are Chevrolet and Nissan. Making their way onto the 2010 Gen Y (people born around 1983) list are Kia and Hyundai, who squeezed out Mazda and Jeep for a coveted spot on the list.

“The fact that Generation Y has a bigger footprint in brands like Hyundai and Kia than in past years means these brands are definitely doing something right to gain Gen Y’s attention,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific.

The Ford Fiesta is popular with this generation, not only because of its size and cost, but also because it’s featured sponsorship on popular shows such as American Idol and various online contests and promotions.

You’ll find the results of AutoPacific’s top 10 list after the jump.

[Source: USA Today]

That being said, it’s no trivial statement when Schreyer recently told Automotive News that “sooner or later” the brand will get a sports car that will help define Kia and serve as a halo model.

To help show the versatility of the new 2011 Sportage, Kia has unveiled two “dueling” versions of the crossover at the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Sporting plenty of aftermarket accessories (this is SEMA after all), a matte-red “Play” Sportage looks to the more adventurous side of the crossover and its owners, while the matallic blue “Work” Sportage highlights the urban side.

Reconfirming its commitment to its motorsports program and showing just how much their street cars can benefit from track competition, Kia unveiled the Forte Koup Type R Concept at the 2010 SEMA Show today.

No specifics have been given, but a short press release by Kia outlines a total of six vehicles that will be on display. Kia describes them as being a mix of concept and “production-intent” vehicles, meaning that at least one of them is certain to show up at dealers soon.

Consumer Reports has released its latest reliability study and while little has changed in respect to the industry-leading Asian brands, domestic automakers are catching up. Toyota and Honda each recorded the highest scores in five vehicle segments in the 2010 Annual Auto Survey, while General Motors posted considerable improvements while Ford is ranked best among domestic automakers.

Several spy photos of what appears to be the upcoming 2012 Kia Rio reveal that the Korean automaker’s subcompact sedan is posed to borrow heavily from the design of the all new Optima.

In the past, Schreyer has indicated his interest in designing a low-cost rear-wheel drive convertible for Kia, and when asked recently about progress on the project he was particularly evasive – something the folks at Drive seem to think indicates such a car is in the planning stages.

The previous generation Kia Optima was a vehicle struggling to keep up with the times, having emerged on the scene as a lackluster model masquerading as a value proposition, when in reality it was just plain cheap. And the market responded with even Kia Motor America VP of Sales Tom Loveless describing the brand’s presence in the hugely important mid-size sedan segment as, “way down near the bottom.”

While attending the launch of the 2011 Kia Optima, AutoGuide has just learned that Kia is planning to launch an Optima Hybrid, based on the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The new model will make its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, with sales beginning in early 2011.

A week after Hyundai announced its first electric car, sister company Kia Motors will continue the Korean automaker’s EV plans with a battery-powered crossover set to debut next year.

It’s one of the most unique and perhaps gruelling motorsports events in North America, but the Targa Newfoundland, now in it’s eighth year, can also be one of the most rewarding.

After its popular Rapping Hamsters ad, the Korean automaker has just launched a new commercial featuring the 6-foot 1-inch 20-year-old pro golfer Michelle Wie. Kia’s soul is already thought to be somewhat of a chick-car and so the ad is a smart one, with Kia obviously appealing to women by using the young, confident and talented Wie. And it’s sure to appeal to men for other reasons.

Check out the video after the jump:

Jeong Sung Eun, Kia‘s Vice Chairman, took the rare step of resigning his post on September 3rd, as he accepted responsibility for a large recall of Kia vehicles.

Kia‘s top of the line Sorento SX comes with special Dual Flow Dampers, which apparently offers a great blend of performance and comfort, while giving the Sorento a slightly lower ride height.

Kia is recalling both the 2011 Sorento and the 2010 Soul after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation confirmed the interior lighting wiring harnesses could be faulty. The harnesses could develop an electrical short, which could then lead to a fire.

The recall affects 35,185 vehicles built between September 7, 2009 and July 30, 2010.

Owners of vehicles involved in the recall will be asked to bring their crossovers in shortly, with the recall process starting later this month. The parts will be replaced free of charge by Kia.

For complete details on the recall, see the official release after the jump: