It's A Bird! It's A Plane! Nope, It's Another Superhero-Themed Kia Optima!

Kia made an impression at last years SEMA show (open the week of Halloween) with one-off Justice League-themed vehicles including a Batman-themed Kia Optima. For Kia, Halloween isn't over yet; the automaker has just released a sneak peek at the latest Justice League-themed car, the Superman Optima Hybrid.

The Superman Optima Hybrid joins a Kia-fied Justice League consisting of the Batman Optima, Aquaman Rio hatch, Cyborg Forte hatch, Flash Forte Koup, and the Green Lantern Soul. The teaser of the Superman Optima Hybrid shows Kias stylish four-door wearing Superman's signature blue, red, and yellow, with a proud Superman shield painted on the hood. Other Man of Steel touches include a custom grille with Superman's shield, red accents, and red-tinted headlights.

While some may feel the Justice League Kias are getting a bit played out, they all benefit a good cause each custom Kia is built in support of DC Entertainments "We Can Be Heroes" charity, which helps families affected by drought and famine in the Horn of Africa. The Kia Superman Optima Hybrid will debut on February 7 at the Chicago auto show.

Courtesy of Google News

Monday Maintenance Tip!

Tires

A car tire inflated to 35 pounds per square inch (psi) can lose one psi every month or for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature change, so your car maintenance checklist should include checking tire pressure. Find the recommended level in the owner’s manual or on a sticker on the driver’s side door jamb. And don’t forget the spare.

Rotate tires every 6,000 miles to prevent uneven wear, replace them when they become worn and have the alignment checked if the car pulls to either side when driving or if you notice uneven tire wear.

Thank you for the tips, Nationwide.com!

Kia Hamsters Host Virtual Dance Party With Auto Show Guests

There is plenty of hamster-themed fun to be had at the Kia Auto Show exhibit this year. Tracy Horn, Product Specialist for Kia gave a demonstration of the video system allowing guests to virtually dance with their brand ambassadors, the hamsters.

"They create the culture of our company and what we stand for and its fun, youth," said Horn.
After dancing with the hamsters, the video can be sent via email.

Each hamster represents a car at the Kia exhibit including themes like Rastafarian, renaissance royalty, hip-hop dancer and a composer dressed like Mozart.

Courtesy of Google News

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: Clean brake dust off regularly!

Brake dust contains all sorts of nasty stuff. If you leave it too long, the combination of road grime, moisture and heat from your brakes will bake it on to your wheels. Brake dust normally clings to wheels with static electricity so a damp sponge and clean cold water is the best way to get it off.

2013 Kia Optima Blake Time Travels - 1997 Football

High Praise For Low-Cost Ride High Praise For Low-Cost Ride

It's time for a bit of re-education. We're definitely living in an era where there's no such thing as a truly "bad" new car, but the two cars that have come closest to earning this distinction in recent memory are the Chevrolet Aveo and Kia Rio.

Both of them were entry-level compacts that had the general misfortune of being in the room when the whole class suddenly got a lot better with the arrival of cars like the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and Ford Fiesta.

Well, the choice was to adapt or die. The Aveo went away pretty quickly. The Rio, on the other hand, has successfully evolved, and can be counted with the rest of the class as a great little commuter. A thorough makeover in 2012 gave it a face like a downsized Forte and interior appointments to match.

That's not condemning with faint praise.

Make no mistake, the Rio may have a base price of just $13,600, but it has stepped decisively out of the cheap-car ghetto. The upgrade is immediately obvious, thanks to fresh exterior styling that stands out on the road. Kia's family look translates well to the smaller Rio. A chrome-trimmed grille is flanked by large quad headlamp units and a sizeable lower air intake. The Rio is available as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback. Both versions feature a large greenhouse with A-pillars that dip below the level of the windshield to bring more light into the interior and emphasize the human-space inside. The fivedoor is the cuter of the two thanks to a

cut-off tail and nearly vertical hatchback.

Gentle side sculpting and available body-colored mirrors provide a more upscale look to the exterior.

Interior appointments are equally comfortable. Two-tone trim shows that Kia's paid attention to detail rather than cheaping out on the interior bits, and it's comfortable on the road thanks in part to a comparatively long wheelbase. With four passengers aboard, the Rio got compliments on its interior comfort from folks who didn't have a clue

what it cost. Available amenities include Bluetooth phone connectivity, a rearview camera, satellite radio and Kia's UVO infotainment system, which enables voiceactivated control of paired smartphones. UVO is accessed through a 4.3-inch touch screen. There's even a navigation system available.

The sedan's 13.7 cubic-foot trunk is decently sized, while the five-door's 15 cubic-foot cargo area provides an underfloor cargo tray and almost fifty with the rear seats folded. It's not a hybrid, but the frugal Rio has a measure of environmental friendliness nonetheless. Kia uses a high percentage of recyclable materials in this car, including biodegradable seat foam.

A138-horsepower, 1.6-liter engine provides motivation.

The Rio gets high-efficiency gasoline direct injection, which improves emissions as well as enabling more thorough burning of fuel for maximum power. Astop-start function is available, enabling the Rio to shut off the engine at traffic lights, automatically restarting when the brake pedal is released, for additional fuel savings. Stopstart systems have previously been the province of hybrids and high-end luxury vehicles, but Kia changes that. Achoice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions is offered.

On automatic-equipped Rios, paddle shifters on the steering wheel enable manual gear changes.

The suspension is straightforward in its design, using MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear. The Rio's light weight makes it responsive and easy to pilot around town; it's a friendly commuter, giving up a bit of refinement to competitors like the Ford Fiesta perhaps, but otherwise comfortable and competent. It doesn't feel fragile, which is an admirable trait in a vehicle that barely weighs a ton.

Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on the Rio five-door, as well as anti-lock brakes.

The Rio five-door is an inexpensive and delightful little errand-running companion. Entry-level cars are best when they're fun and practical at the same time, and Kia's done a good job of creating that balance. The low starting price is a great incentive in these tough times as well. The Rio starts at $13,600, and the five-door at just $200 more. Afully equipped Rio five-door with navigation and all the toys stickers for just over $18,000.

Courtesy of Lowell Sun (Online)

Monday Maintenance Tip: When temperatures affect tire inflation.

When temperatures affect tire inflation.

When outside temperatures drop or soar, tires tend to lose pressure. A drop of 10 degrees F (6 degrees C), in fact, will decrease a tire’s air pressure by 1 or 2 pounds.Tires can lose even more air in hot weather. Under-inflated tires can result in accelerated wear and poor driving performance. If you live in a place where temperatures vary a lot, check your tire pressure often and add air as needed.

Courtesy of Reader's Digest

Check out the Kia K9 Quoris

Kia takes luxury to the next level with the Kia Quoris.

First Drive: 2013 Kia Optima Sx Limited

The Optima has been on the road already for some time, and in Chicago, earlier this year, Kia introduced the SX Limited, the top trim variant. As this model is not available in Europe, I was happy I could drive it when the Los Angeles auto show lured me away to California in November.

I still remember the unanimous media approval when Kia unveiled its new midsize sedan in early 2010 and as soon as the Optima arrived on the market about a year later, it made Kia sales surging.

The new Optima made waves because of its stunning new design, that was honored with the Red Dot Product Design Award 2011. The credit goes to Kia's design chief Peter Schreyer and his team. In 2006, Schreyer joined Kia as Chief Design Officer after two decades at Audi and Volkswagen and he has since coordinated design at Kia's styling studios in Korea, Frankfurt, Los Angeles and Tokyo.
At his arrival at Kia, the Soul was almost production ready and Schreyer replaced the grille by one with the characteristic hexagonal shape, which later formed part of Kia's new, recognizable 'face', known as 'tiger nose'.

But it is not only about design, when we talk about the Optima. It is also about fit, finish and performance. Since its launch, the Optima has won other prestigious awards, such as 'Best Family Car of 2012' and the 'Top Safety Pick' of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), while ranking highest in a tie with the Volkswagen Passat in the midsize car category of J.D. Power & Association and the 2012 Automotive Performance Execution and Layout Study.

When picking up the white SX Limited, I thought how well white becomes cars in sunny California. Contrary to Europe, where white is pretty exceptional. In The Netherlands we even say: "Met een witte, blijf je zitten", which translates into 'with a white one, you'll get stuck' (hard to resell).

Anyway, Snow White Pearl enhances the Optima's styling, shows its lines and makes it look larger. The SXL is based on the turbocharged Optima SX and has LED daytime running lights, chrome accented rear spoiler and lower door sills, while red brake calipers are visible through the SXL's unique 18-inch wheels.
In Europe, the Optima with its length of 191 inches, is considered as a large business sedan and to be honest, it does not look very 'medium' on American roads either.

The interior is well executed and offers a rich standard equipment, that is not common yet in many other models in its segment. To mention some: Nappa leather in white or black, wood interior trim, eight-way power driver seat with memory, dual zone air conditioning, full map navigation with integrated rear view camera, Nappa leather interior, electronic parking brake, instrument panel with LCD display, steering wheel with paddle shifters, metal pedals panoramic sunroof, 4-way power front passenger seat, heated/cooled front seats, heated rear seats and Infinity audio system, and not to forget the first aid kit.
The cabin offers excellent space, the driver seat - eight-way power adjustable with memory - can be easily adjusted and offers enough comfort and support. Six-feet tall passengers in the rear have plenty of leg- and headroom, but the panoramic roof eats away a little bit of space.

Even with a full size spare wheel (YEA!!!!), luggage space is excellent, but when my suitcases were loaded, I noticed the old-fashioned hinges. Of course, they are sturdier and cheaper than hydraulic units, but they are unprotected, meaning they take space when you close the boot lid and then can easily crack your luggage.

Technically, the SXL is the same as the Optima SX and is equipped with the 2.0-liter turbo charged engine that produces 274 hp at 6,000 rpm and has 269 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. The four-cylinder is a strong, but quiet performer and a fair alternative to a V-6 motor. Its response is quick and sophisticated and the six-speed automatic transmission is well tuned to work together with the engine and downshifts smoothly on the right moments to provide engine power, with fuel economy.
The SXL's handling has a sporty touch and there is hardly any body roll. The sport suspension does not completely flatten out bumps, but the ride is not too harsh. A softer compound rubber around the 18-inch wheels will improve this somewhat.

The steering is quick and the Optima feels well-balanced. With its front wheel drive, the car is neutral when turning into corners, but to my taste, could be a bit crispier. The stability is good and the car feels stable in the straight line, also when you push the XSL to higher speeds. When pushing the brake pedal, the Optima comes to a standstill in a smooth and straight way.
I drove the Optima on the freeways around Los Angeles and in the Beach Cities and found it such a nice 'daily driver', that I would not have mind to keep it somewhat longer than the assigned test time.

With an MSRP of $ 35,275 it is not the cheap car, but people who like the looks and the extensive equipment, will enjoy the South Korean car. They do not need to think about 'buying American', as the Optima is produced in Kia's factory in West Point, Georgia. (See Also: Where All Cars Sold In North America Are Built

-Good fuel economy of 24 mpg city, 35 mpg highway Refinement, performance, styling Fuel eco. (although SX models averaged 20.1-21.9 mpg in mostly city driving.)
-Backlit, inset gauges are easy to see in most any lighting condition. This is in direct contrast to the steering-wheel buttons, which are not well-lit at all. The available navigation system absorbs some audio functions, but the most basic settings are controlled with buttons on the steering wheel or center of the dashboard.

Courtesy of The Auto Channel