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Though not as successful as their music-loving hamster counterparts, Kia’s oddball cast of life-size children's characters from last year’s Joyride commercials are back for a new advertising campaign.

Muno, Sock Monkey, MR. X, the vintage robot and teddy bear will star in two new 30-second TV spots for the 2012 Sorento CUV. As with the original campaign, "Joyride 2" was created by David&Goliath, KMA's advertising agency of choice. The first commercial begins airing today and will be followed up by the second spot next month.

Read more »

Though not as successful as their music-loving hamster counterparts, Kia’s oddball cast of life-size children's characters from last year’s Joyride commercials are back for a new advertising campaign.

Muno, Sock Monkey, MR. X, the vintage robot and teddy bear will star in two new 30-second TV spots for the 2012 Sorento CUV. As with the original campaign, "Joyride 2" was created by David&Goliath, KMA's advertising agency of choice. The first commercial begins airing today and will be followed up by the second spot next month.

The numbers for U.S. auto sales for the month of May are out and as expected, Japanese automakers continue to be hit hard by the ongoing production disruptions caused by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in their home market. As a result, Toyota’s sales plunged 33.4% over the year-ago month to 108,387 units, while rivaling Honda saw its sales fall 22.5% to 90,773 vehicles, Nissan recorded a 9.1% drop to 76,148 units and Mazda 17,875 vehicles, down 20.9%.

General Motors dealers in the United States delivered 221,192 vehicles in May posting a decline of 1%, while the Ford Motor Co. said its sales decreased by 0.1% to 192,253 cars, trucks and SUVs.

Read more »

The numbers for U.S. auto sales for the month of May are out and as expected, Japanese automakers continue to be hit hard by the ongoing production disruptions caused by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in their home market. As a result, Toyota’s sales plunged 33.4% over the year-ago month to 108,387 units, while rivaling Honda saw its sales fall 22.5% to 90,773 vehicles, Nissan recorded a 9.1% drop to 76,148 units and Mazda 17,875 vehicles, down 20.9%.

General Motors dealers in the United States delivered 221,192 vehicles in May posting a decline of 1%, while the Ford Motor Co. said its sales decreased by 0.1% to 192,253 cars, trucks and SUVs.

The success of the popular Hamster advertising campaign that promoted the Soul in the U.S. in 2010 inspired Kia to launch a new special edition model of its boxy crossover model. Previewed by the Hamstar concept at the 2011 SEMA show, the red and black 2011 Hamstar is the sixth special edition Soul. The car sports unique exterior graphics and interior refinements, including a 315-watt audio system with pulsing speaker lights. Read more »

The success of the popular Hamster advertising campaign that promoted the Soul in the U.S. in 2010 inspired Kia to launch a new special edition model of its boxy crossover model. Previewed by the Hamstar concept at the 2011 SEMA show, the red and black 2011 Hamstar is the sixth special edition Soul. The car sports unique exterior graphics and interior refinements, including a 315-watt audio system with pulsing speaker lights.

In the realm of U.S. automotive sales, 8% is a magic number. When an automaker hits 8%, they know they’ve become one of the big guns. Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, Dodge and Nissan have all made it, and 2011 is expected to be Hyundai’s year.

So sayeth market research firm Polk, and I’m tempted to agree. Hyundai and its partner-brand / internal rival Kia have steadily been evolving into truly world-class carmakers. They’re keenly priced, inoffensive to look at and comprehensively covered quality-wise – everything the vast majority of new car buyers want in this day and age.

Read more »

In the realm of U.S. automotive sales, 8% is a magic number. When an automaker hits 8%, they know they’ve become one of the big guns. Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, Dodge and Nissan have all made it, and 2011 is expected to be Hyundai’s year.

So sayeth market research firm Polk, and I’m tempted to agree. Hyundai and its partner-brand / internal rival Kia have steadily been evolving into truly world-class carmakers. They’re keenly priced, inoffensive to look at and comprehensively covered quality-wise – everything the vast majority of new car buyers want in this day and age.

Kia is ready to talk pricing on its first ever hybrid vehicle in the States, the all-new Optima Hybrid, which we first saw at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. A sister model to Hyundai’s Sonata Hybrid, with which is shares the same gasoline-electric powertrain, the Optima Hybrid will reach U.S. showrooms in June with a starting price of $26,500, not including a $750 destination and handling fee that lifts the cost to $27,250. By comparison, the hybrid version of the Sonata starts at $25,795, excluding destination charges. Read more »

Kia is ready to talk pricing on its first ever hybrid vehicle in the States, the all-new Optima Hybrid, which we first saw at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. A sister model to Hyundai’s Sonata Hybrid, with which is shares the same gasoline-electric powertrain, the Optima Hybrid will reach U.S. showrooms in June with a starting price of $26,500, not including a $750 destination and handling fee that lifts the cost to $27,250. By comparison, the hybrid version of the Sonata starts at $25,795, excluding destination charges.

South Korea’s largest automaker, Hyundai Motor Co. is leaving no stone unturned in its quest for world domination. Having already pushed its Hyundai brand into new territories with the Genesis and Equus premium sedans as well as the sporty, rear-wheel drive Genesis Coupe, the Koreans now appear to be focusing on the company’s second brand, Kia.

We first heard rumors about a range topping Kia sedan referred to by most as the K9 in late 2009, but now, the word is coming from two company officials.

"We have an interest in all new models under development. A rear-wheel-drive premium sedan could be seen as a logical step from the Optima to the next level of Kia development," Kia Motors Australia COO Tony Barlow told Drive, an Australian car site. "It is far too early at this stage to be any more precise about the car but we will definitely maintain a watching brief,” he added.

Read more »

South Korea’s largest automaker, Hyundai Motor Co. is leaving no stone unturned in its quest for world domination. Having already pushed its Hyundai brand into new territories with the Genesis and Equus premium sedans as well as the sporty, rear-wheel drive Genesis Coupe, the Koreans now appear to be focusing on the company’s second brand, Kia.

We first heard rumors about a range topping Kia sedan referred to by most as the K9 in late 2009, but now, the word is coming from two company officials.

"We have an interest in all new models under development. A rear-wheel-drive premium sedan could be seen as a logical step from the Optima to the next level of Kia development," Kia Motors Australia COO Tony Barlow told Drive, an Australian car site. "It is far too early at this stage to be any more precise about the car but we will definitely maintain a watching brief,” he added.

South Korea’s Kia Motors said Friday it will recall certain Spectra LD vehicles from the 2004-2007 model year in the United States over a corrosion issue that could cause the fuel tank to fall from the car. The recall covers 58,322 Kia Spectra models build from November 7, 2003, through March 6, 2007, and sold or currently registered in states that rely heavily on road salt to melt ice in the winter. Read more »

South Korea’s Kia Motors said Friday it will recall certain Spectra LD vehicles from the 2004-2007 model year in the United States over a corrosion issue that could cause the fuel tank to fall from the car. The recall covers 58,322 Kia Spectra models build from November 7, 2003, through March 6, 2007, and sold or currently registered in states that rely heavily on road salt to melt ice in the winter.

Kia has revealed its Naimo (pronounced neh-mo) electric concept car at the Seoul Motor Show.



Powered by a motor producing 107 bhp (80 kW / 109 PS) and 280 Nm of torque, it’s claimed that the Naimo will achieve a top speed of 93 mph (150 km/h).

Not bad outright performance, but the more relevant issue for any electric vehicle is always going to be how far it can travel before running out of juice.



Thanks to a 27 kWh lithium ion polymer battery pack, which is housed under the boot floor, the Kia should be good for a range of around 124 miles (200 km). By comparison, that’s slightly more than a Nissan Leaf manages.



Recharging time is another area that has clearly received plenty of attention, because the result is that the Naimo’s battery can be restored to 80 percent of its capacity in a reasonable 25 minutes. A full recharge would take five and a half hours, though.



Promising figures then, but the disappointing news is that this particular concept isn’t going to make it to production. Rather, Kia will be using it as a test-bed to help develop future models.

Kia has revealed its Naimo (pronounced neh-mo) electric concept car at the Seoul Motor Show.



Powered by a motor producing 107 bhp (80 kW / 109 PS) and 280 Nm of torque, it’s claimed that the Naimo will achieve a top speed of 93 mph (150 km/h).

Not bad outright performance, but the more relevant issue for any electric vehicle is always going to be how far it can travel before running out of juice.



Thanks to a 27 kWh lithium ion polymer battery pack, which is housed under the boot floor, the Kia should be good for a range of around 124 miles (200 km). By comparison, that’s slightly more than a Nissan Leaf manages.



Recharging time is another area that has clearly received plenty of attention, because the result is that the Naimo’s battery can be restored to 80 percent of its capacity in a reasonable 25 minutes. A full recharge would take five and a half hours, though.



Promising figures then, but the disappointing news is that this particular concept isn’t going to make it to production. Rather, Kia will be using it as a test-bed to help develop future models.

Following a strong showing at the Business Car Awards in January, BMW has been similarly rewarded by the 2011 Fleet News Awards. As well as being voted manufacturer of the year, it also secured four individual vehicle accolades.



There’s no doubt that the combination of badge appeal, driving dynamics and strong residuals make the honours deserved, but surely such ever increasing popularity amongst fleet users risks eroding the exclusivity of the brand?



However, BMW didn’t get everything its own way. The new Ford C-Max / Grand C-Max scooped the company car and people carrier prizes, the former being voted for by Fleet News readers.



Meanwhile, Volkswagen Group secured wins for its Polo, Golf and Superb, while the Kia Sportage was declared the best crossover.



2011 Fleet News Awards winners



Voted for by Fleet News readers



New company car of the year: Ford C-Max / Grand C-Max

Fleet manufacturer of the year: BMW

Fleet News Hall of Fame: Phil Redman

New company car of the year and best people carrier: Ford C-Max / Grand C-Max

Voted for by Fleet News jurors



Manufacturer Awards



Best small car: Volkswagen Polo

Best lower-medium car: Volkswagen Golf

Best upper-medium car: Skoda Superb

Best people carrier: Ford C-Max / Grand C-Max

Best estate car: BMW 5 Series Touring

Best SUV: BMW X3

Best premium car: BMW 3 Series

Best boardroom car: BMW 5 Series

Best crossover: Kia Sportage

Most improved fleet manufacturer of the year: Renault

Green fleet manufacturer of the year: Peugeot

Best boardroom car: BMW 5 Series

Supplier Awards



Environment: The Miles Consultancy

Customer service: Leaseplan

New product / service: Arval

Safety award: Peak Performance

Short-term rental company of the year: Hertz

Leasing company of the year: Arval

Fleet supplier of the year: The AA

Fleet manager of the year: Val South, Xerox



Fleet Awards



Fleet initiative of the year: Balfour Beatty

Fleet of the year (under 250 vehicles): The Independent Group

Fleet of the year (251-500 vehicles): Iron Mountain

Fleet of the year (501-1,000 vehicles): Kelly Communications

Fleet of the year (>1,000 vehicles): Johnson & Johnson



Related posts:

2011-12 company car tax

Business Car of the Year

Following a strong showing at the Business Car Awards in January, BMW has been similarly rewarded by the 2011 Fleet News Awards. As well as being voted manufacturer of the year, it also secured four individual vehicle accolades.



There’s no doubt that the combination of badge appeal, driving dynamics and strong residuals make the honours deserved, but surely such ever increasing popularity amongst fleet users risks eroding the exclusivity of the brand?



However, BMW didn’t get everything its own way. The new Ford C-Max / Grand C-Max scooped the company car and people carrier prizes, the former being voted for by Fleet News readers.



Meanwhile, Volkswagen Group secured wins for its Polo, Golf and Superb, while the Kia Sportage was declared the best crossover.



2011 Fleet News Awards winners



Voted for by Fleet News readers



New company car of the year: Ford C-Max / Grand C-Max

Fleet manufacturer of the year: BMW

Fleet News Hall of Fame: Phil Redman

New company car of the year and best people carrier: Ford C-Max / Grand C-Max

Voted for by Fleet News jurors



Manufacturer Awards



Best small car: Volkswagen Polo

Best lower-medium car: Volkswagen Golf

Best upper-medium car: Skoda Superb

Best people carrier: Ford C-Max / Grand C-Max

Best estate car: BMW 5 Series Touring

Best SUV: BMW X3

Best premium car: BMW 3 Series

Best boardroom car: BMW 5 Series

Best crossover: Kia Sportage

Most improved fleet manufacturer of the year: Renault

Green fleet manufacturer of the year: Peugeot

Best boardroom car: BMW 5 Series

Supplier Awards



Environment: The Miles Consultancy

Customer service: Leaseplan

New product / service: Arval

Safety award: Peak Performance

Short-term rental company of the year: Hertz

Leasing company of the year: Arval

Fleet supplier of the year: The AA

Fleet manager of the year: Val South, Xerox



Fleet Awards



Fleet initiative of the year: Balfour Beatty

Fleet of the year (under 250 vehicles): The Independent Group

Fleet of the year (251-500 vehicles): Iron Mountain

Fleet of the year (501-1,000 vehicles): Kelly Communications

Fleet of the year (>1,000 vehicles): Johnson & Johnson



Related posts:

2011-12 company car tax

Business Car of the Year

The current Kia Rio is inoffensive but nondescript. It’s the kind of vehicle that usually goes unnoticed or, if by chance it is, gets instantly forgotten.



Even Kia seems to have realised this, and so it’s stressing the bold styling of the next-generation Rio, which will be unveiled at next month’s Geneva International Motor Show. Soon-Nam Lee, Director of Overseas Marketing, Kia Motors Corporation, said: ‘This new model is a big step forward. The Rio has always been successful, and with this new incarnation we have a car which is extremely attractive, that people will want to buy for its looks.’

And the new model certainly looks infinitely more striking than its predecessor, even if Kia’s assertion that the Rio ‘combines European finesse with Korean spice to create a form language that communicates Latin flair’ is probably stretching the hyperbole a bit too far.



The changes in dimensions convey the new Rio’s enhanced proportions and stance. Its wheelbase has grown by 70 mm to 2,570 mm, but the overall length has only increased by 55 mm; width has expanded by 25 mm, yet the car sits 15 mm lower.



Kia is promising fuel efficiency and low emissions from the Rio’s engines. The full line-up is still to be confirmed, but it will include a 1.2 litre turbo Gasoline Direct Injection unit and a 69 bhp (51 kW / 70 PS) 1.1 litre diesel that could produce as little as 85 g/km of CO2.



Available initially in five-door hatchback guise, a three-door will follow soon after for European markets. In other territories, a saloon version with a 390 litre luggage capacity will be offered.



Related post:

2012 Kia Picanto revealed

The current Kia Rio is inoffensive but nondescript. It’s the kind of vehicle that usually goes unnoticed or, if by chance it is, gets instantly forgotten.



Even Kia seems to have realised this, and so it’s stressing the bold styling of the next-generation Rio, which will be unveiled at next month’s Geneva International Motor Show. Soon-Nam Lee, Director of Overseas Marketing, Kia Motors Corporation, said: ‘This new model is a big step forward. The Rio has always been successful, and with this new incarnation we have a car which is extremely attractive, that people will want to buy for its looks.’

And the new model certainly looks infinitely more striking than its predecessor, even if Kia’s assertion that the Rio ‘combines European finesse with Korean spice to create a form language that communicates Latin flair’ is probably stretching the hyperbole a bit too far.



The changes in dimensions convey the new Rio’s enhanced proportions and stance. Its wheelbase has grown by 70 mm to 2,570 mm, but the overall length has only increased by 55 mm; width has expanded by 25 mm, yet the car sits 15 mm lower.



Kia is promising fuel efficiency and low emissions from the Rio’s engines. The full line-up is still to be confirmed, but it will include a 1.2 litre turbo Gasoline Direct Injection unit and a 69 bhp (51 kW / 70 PS) 1.1 litre diesel that could produce as little as 85 g/km of CO2.



Available initially in five-door hatchback guise, a three-door will follow soon after for European markets. In other territories, a saloon version with a 390 litre luggage capacity will be offered.



Related post:

2012 Kia Picanto revealed