SCOOP: Kia Readying a Facelift for the 2012 Soul

It appears that the Soul is the next vehicle in Kia’s list to receive an update. Caught here in testing in Germany by our spy photographers, the bagged-up ends do their job to hide the Soul’s stylistic upgrades with the only visible change being the redesigned exterior mirrors that house the turning lights.

However, it is expected that the Soul will take some cues from the new Picanto and Rio hatchbacks (both of which were revealed at the Geneva Motor Show) such as the pulled back headlamps and more pronounced bumpers. An interior rework may also be in the cards.

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U Spy: New Kia Cadenza Sedan Spotted Again in California

An undisguised example of the new Kia Cadenza sedan has been spotted by a Cascoop reader rolling around in California for the second time since the beginning of the year. This one was caught by Sanjay Patel. "Saw this Kia Cadenza with Michigan plates going 55 North in Orange County, California," Sanjay told Carscoop.

The sleek looking sedan which is already on sale in South Korea as the K-7, is longer and wider than the Amanti it will replace. It is expected to be revealed this year in U.S.-spec with sales to follow before the end of 2011. In its home market, the K7/Cadenza is offered with three gasoline engines ranging in output from 165HP for the four-cylinder unit to 295HP for the 3.5 liter V6.

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Carscoop Reader Spots New Kia Cadenza Filling up in California

It's been a little over a year since Kia lifted the wraps off its stylish replacement for the Amanti, called the K7 in South Korea and Cadenza in other countries, but we're still waiting for the firm's flagship sedan to show up in the USA. However if these (fuzzy) photos are anything to go by, Kia may be getting ready to launch the Cadenza onto the U.S. market.

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SCOOP: 2012 Kia Rio Spotted out on the Road

Like sister company Hyundai, Kia is in the midst of a new-product blitz that started a little over a year ago. Since the second half of 2009, the South Korean automaker has refreshed its lineup with a slew of new models such as the Forte Koup, Cadenza sedan, Venga mini MPV, Sorento, Sportage and Optima sedan.

Now, following the announcement on the completely redesigned Picanto city car that will break cover at the Geneva Show, our spy photographers snapped the next new model to be added to Kia's range, the 2012 Rio subcompact, while testing in Germany.

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2011 Kia Pro_cee'd Facelift Leaked Ahead of Geneva Salon Debut

Photos of the mildly refreshed Kia Pro_cee'd are making the internet rounds before the car's scheduled world premiere at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in early March. The most obvious visual changes concern the restyled front end that brings the three-door version of the European market Cee'd more in line with Kia's latest offerings.

Along with the new H-shaped front grille finished in black, the 2011 Pro_cee'd also gains restyled headlamps and a reworked bumper. It is also possible that Kia may have upgraded the three-door model's interior as well as its engine line-up, but we won't know for sure until we get the official press release in our hands. Until then, follow the break to check out the rest of the pictures.

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Sigh... Viral Marketing Tricksters Knock on our Door with a Kia Called Mediocrity

We not sure how Kia's marketing people are going to feel about this one (unless they're part of it...), but photos of an older generation Optima covered in beige cladding and featuring a badge with the word "MEDIOCRITY" have just landed in our mail box. Tony B, the tipster-reader-scooper who sent in the photos, claims he snagged the car in LA.

Of course, it didn't take long to figure out that this is a viral campaign of some sort. However, since we're gearing up for this week's Paris Motor Show, we're not going to waste our time looking for answers about a covered up Kia...

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Next-Gen Kia Optima Spotted Undisguised in Korea (The Good One)

Kia's newest Optima (or Magentis/K5, depending on the market), that's set for a New York Auto Show debut at the end of the month, has been caught out on the town, somewhere in Korea. Found on TheCarBlogger (courtesy of the tall, dark and handsome Sanghoon), the site points out that this is likely the base model due to the seriously-undersized wheels. We'll agree.

What remains questionable is the Kia's C-pillar, which is reminiscent of an upside-down Hofmeister kink. Looks like we're going to have to see that in person; otherwise, looking pretty crisp.

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2011 Kia Sportage Compact SUV Revealed in Official Patent Filings

The next generation of Kia's Sportage compact SUV has been given away through a series of designs that were made for the European Union's patent office. Note however that there's a small chance that the patent images could be depicting an almost production-ready study destined for either the Geneva Salon in March or the Seoul Motor Show in April.

The reason why we're saying this is the use of some specific styling features such as the chrome trim, the tail lamp arrangement, the alloy wheel designs and the styling of the lower part of the front bumper, all of which look suspiciously conceptual (see the spy shots here).

But even so, what you're looking at here is what you'll get more or less when the 2011 Sportage arrives at the Korean automakers dealers either towards the end of the year or early 2011.

Like all Kias penned under the guiding hand of former Audi designer Peter Schreyer, the new Sportage is a much more attractive proposition than the outgoing model.

Under the bodywork, the Sorento's smaller sibling shares its hardware with the new Hyundai Tucson (called iX35 in Europe and other markets).

That said, don't expect any surprises under the hood with the North American Sportage being offered with the same 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter four cylinder engines coupled to six-speed transmissions as the Tuscon.

Likewise, the European market Sportage will get three diesels including a 115HP 1.7-liter unit, and a 2.0-liter engine with 134HP and 184HP, and two gasoline units with a displacement of 1.6-liter and 2.0-liters producing 140HP and 166HP respectively.

Source: EU Patent Office , Via: RyanoKeefe

Kia Developing High-End K9 Sports Saloon to sit Above the Cadneza / K7?

If we are to believe the reports coming in from Korea, Kia may be testing the grounds for a new flagship sedan positioned above the Amanti's replacement, the 2011 Cadenza saloon that is known as the K7 in the Korean firm's home market.

The news comes from a Korean site claiming that at a design conference in Seoul, Korea, Kia's design boss, Peter Schreyer showed the teaser sketch pictured above while he was talking about expanding the brand's portfolio into new territories.

Many sites claim that the photo depicts a sports saloon proposal, possibly named K9.

We have no way of confirming the reports or rumors -take your pick- nor if the photos shows a high-end saloon or some other vehicle (to be honest, it could be a sketch for the next Forte for all we know...), but it would come to no surprise if Kia does present a flagship model, maybe even based on the Hyundai Genesis' RWD platform, in the very near future.

Source: Aboutcar , Via: Worldcarfans

2011 Kia Sportage Compact SUV Spied Inside and Out

Kia is continuing the development of its next generation Sportage that is scheduled to enter the market in the first half of 2010. Our spies captured a camouflaged prototype of the compact SUV in Germany giving us a taste of the Sportage silhouette and interior styling. As you may have already guessed, the 2011 Sportage (or 2010, depending on which side of the Atlantic you're located) is based on the new Hyundai ix35 utilizing the same platform and hardware.

At least in what concerns the European market model, the next Sportage will most likely be offered with the same engine line up as the Hyundai Tucson's replacement.

That said, European buyers should expect three diesels including a new 1.7-liter unit rated at 115hp and 188 lb-ft of torque, and 136HP and 184HP versions of the Korean firm's 2.0-liter 'R' turbo diesel.

The gasoline engine range should consists of the Hyundai- Kia Group's forthcoming 1.6-liter GDI direct-injection four-pot that makes 140 hp and 123 lb-ft. of torque and a more powerful 2.0-liter unit with 166HP and 145 lb-ft.

2011 Kia VG Sedan: First Official Photos of Production Model Leaked

This past Aprli at the Seoul Motor Show, Kia gave us a foretaste of its upcoming flagship sedan with the KND-5 concept car. And even though we weren't supposed to see it yet in production form, the first official photos of the model that is currently known by its code name VG were leaked onto the internet today. The VG is set to replace the existing Opirus / Amanti in Korean, North American and European markets - with the exception of Britain as Kia said that it has no plans to import the model in the UK.

Oddly enough, and even though at a first glance it appears that the production model has kept all the distinct features we liked on the concept car, the end result -always judging by these photos- looks far less aggressive when compared to the KND-5.

Of course it's a stunner when put side to side with the current Amanti / Opirus, but then again, find a four-door saloon that isn't...

The 'VG', or whatever else Kia decides to call it will, most likely have similar dimensions to the concept that measured 194.5-in. (4,945mm) in length, 72.8-in. (1,850mm) in width and 57.9-in. (1,475mm) in height with a wheelbase of 111.8-in (2,845mm).

The mid-size saloon that will sit atop the Optima / Magentis in Kia's lineup will be offered with a choice of two engines, either the Hyundai Group's new 2.4-liter four-cylinder direct-injection petrol engine producing around 200 horsepower or a Lamba V6.

Sales will kick off in Korea before the end of the year and the U.S., Europe and other international markets sometime in the first half of 2010.

Via: fiatgroupforum

2011 KIA VG SEDAN PRODUCTION MODEL

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KIA KND-5 CONCEPT CAR