It may cost more money to purchase and fill up, but SUVs , trucks and mini-vans are cheaper to insure. This information is coming from a recent government report that based its findings on the fact that some vehicles cost less to fix, and therefore reflects how much it will cost to insure.

Parents magazine has made the list (and assumedly checked it twice) to bring you their top 15 picks of family-friendly vehicles for 2010. Teaming up with Edmunds.com, Parents has only included models that come equipped with antilock brakes and front, side, and side-curtain air bags. These vehicles also come with family necessities such as sliding rear seats, smart storage for toys, and other amenities that make the drive that much smoother. You may be surprised to learn that not many minivans or SUVs made the list. The picks aren’t in any particular order and are broken down into categories such as sedans, hybrids and large vehicles.

They are listed after the jump, along with a few of their top selling points:

[Source: Parents]

Kia as just announced its fourth special edition Soul model, the Ghost Soul. Like the previous three special edition models, the changes aren’t drastic and include a special aerodynamics kit, a new rear spoiler, different front fender vents, special 18-inch wheels and some chrome detailing. There’s also a light gray-blue exterior and gray side-stripe. Interior upgrades include a leather steering wheel and shift knob along with heated, leather front seats.

Hyundai appears to be examining an entry into the full-sized pickup truck market – something which seems to defy the Korean automaker’s recent fuel economy push. According to a report by PickupTrucks.com, Hyundai has been showing a Dodge Ram 1500 to focus groups – rebaged and restyled as a Hyundai.

Several weeks ago we brought you a story about the possibility of a Kia Optima Coupe. Now, thanks to the folks at InsideLine, we have a few renderings of what that car might look like. And as we expected, it’s a stunner.

Having just launched the Optima Sedan at the New York Auto Show, a coupe model isn’t that unlikely. After all, both Honda and Nissan offer coupe versions of their mid-size sedans. And despite being front-wheel drive, we’d still really like to get our hands on an Optima Coupe with the company’s new 274-hp turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.

Rumors of the coupe originate from Kia designer Peter Schreyer, who confirmed a wagon model was coming (but possibly only for Europe). “I would love to do station wagon and coupé versions of the car. The station wagon would only really work for Europe but the coupé would work in the U.S.,” he said.

Only time will tell if Kia decides to move ahead with this project. In the mean time, check out a few more renderings after the jump:

[Source: InsideLine]

Plus, say up to date on Kia Optima news and reviews at OptimaForums.com

Consumer watchdog, Consumer Reports has released its list of 2010 cars, which includes the Hyundai Accent and the Chevrolet Aveo, that do not come with the electronic stability control (ESC) safety feature.

Hyundai‘s new Accent was the star of the companies exhibit at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, but the debut of two new engines and a new automatic transmission will have broader implications for the rest of the company’s lineup.

The Kia Forte took home the 2010 Top Safety Pick, given out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  This is the third model from the Kia/Hyundai brand to win the rating for 2010, following the Kia Soul and the Hyundai Sonata.

Hyundai and its subsidiary Kia will both look to bring start-stop technology to its model lineup in North America in 2012. Start-stop technology is already popular in Europe, allowing the engine to shut off at stop lights or wen in traffic. It’s also part of most modern hybrid setups, allowing the green-machines to get the impressive fuel economy they do. The improvement in fuel economy is said to be roughly 3 percent – which isn’t much, but ever little bit counts.

Kia will build a wagon version of the newly unveiled Optima sedan for the European market and is considering a Coupe. In an interview with the U.K.’s AutoCar, top Kia designer Peter Schreyer confirmed the wagon (or Estate as its likely to be called in Europe) and hinted at a coupe.

Korean car manufacturers Hyundai and Kia have been making quite the buzz lately. From clever marketing campaigns to assistance programs to entice consumers into their products, both manufacturers are now staple competitors in the ever-growing automotive market.

Kia unveiled its shocking new 2011 Optima sedan at the New York Auto Show today with two impressive new engines, also offered in the Optima’s cousin, the Hyundai Sonata. The entry-level engine is a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder featuring gasoline direct-injection (GDI) – the first use of GDI in a Kia. Output for the new 4-cylinder is rated at an impressive 200-hp and thanks to a six-speed automatic transmission, we expect similar fuel economy numbers to the Sonata – which is rated at 22/35 mpg (city/highway). Those numbers, we should point out, are best-in-class.

Kia pulled the covers off a new hatchback version of the Forte at the New York Auto Show but oddly chose not to let the media see any of the five doors actually open. It’s especially strange when the car is called the Forte Five-Door.

Thanks to some spy photos obtained by the folks at InsideLine, we now know that Kia is planning to introduce a five-door hatchback to the Forte lineup. It’s not clear when the car will debut or exactly what it will be called; there’s the obvious Forte hatchback, or the Forte5 name (in reference to the Sectra5). Or perhaps it will be called the Forte Touring – like the Elantra Touring.

Kia has just released a sketch showing the interior of the upcoming 2011 Optima [Magentis] mid-size sedan, ahead of its debut at the New York Auto Show next week. The sketch shows an overall sporty design with well-bolstered seats and a driver-oriented cockpit. Highlights include a three-spoke steering wheel, stitched leather seats and navigation system with a sizable screen.

Kia recently unveiled the sporty SX trim level version of the 2011 Sorento crossover at the Atlanta Auto Show. Unfortunately Kia hasn’t released any photos yet and we don’t have our own because we weren’t at the Atlanta show. In fact, we’re pretty sure no one from anywhere but Atlanta was at the show. So why would Kia unveil the car there, you ask? It’s simple, the Sorento is Kias first vehicle to be built in the United States at the Korean automaker’s West Point, Georgia facility,  Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG).

The SX trim level will be offered exclusively with the 276-hp, 3.5-liter V6 engine and six-speed transmission. Upgrades include a new front and rear bumpers, LED taillights, a chrome exhaust tip, chrome roof rails, stainless steel skid plates and 18-inch wheels. Added sport upgrades include a suspension that has been lowered by half an inch and Dual Flow Damper shock absorbers that are designed to improve handling while retaining ride comfort.

Inside there are stainless steel pedals and a metallic gauge surround, not to mention added standard equipment like heated leather front seats, an auto-dimming mirror, navigation with a back up camera and a 10-speaker Infinity Audio surround-sound system.

Kia should release pricing when the car goes on show next week at the New York Auto Show. We’ll be sure to bring you plenty of photos as well, with live NY Auto Show coverage starting March 31st.

Official release after the jump:

Kia has already released two images of its 2011 Optima [Magentis] family sedan before its world premiere at the New York Auto Show later this month, but thanks to an amateur spy photographer in Korea we now have a few extra shots. These new angles confirm the Optima’s handsome good looks, especially as the car still manages to look stylishly European, even without the help of a pro photographer.

Automakers spend big money to market a particular model, so a model name usually sticks no matter how much a vehicle strays from its original look and core attributes. When the Kia Sorento debuted in 2003, the SUV was a body-on-frame competitor. But this next-generation Sorento abandons the truck-based platform, re-shapes the exterior presentation, adds interior space, and sets out to re-establish its name in the crossover utility segment.

Kia has just released a selection of photos of the all-new 2011 Optima (known as the Magentis in some markets), ahead of the car’s world premiere at the New York Auto Show. Simply put, it’s stunning, looking like a more premium German model with a touch of Ford Taurus muscle.