Kia Comparisons Cars

The new Kia K900 caused a divide here at Top Speed headquarters. Some of us liked the way it looked, but some of us were less thrilled about. By contrast, everyone agreed that the Genesis G70 was designed like a proper luxury sedan. There lies the (perceived) divide between the two saloons. When it comes to all-around design, the G70 takes the cake over the K900.

There once was a time not too long ago when station wagons were becoming irrelevant. They still had a following, but fans of wagon we’re dwindling. Fast forward to the present, and the script has flipped entirely. Wagons are popular again, and a big part of that is the design reinvention they’ve enjoyed in recent years. Need two examples? Look no further than the Kia Optima Sportwagon and the Volvo V60.

Ahead of its world debut at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the third-generation Kia Ceed is already generating plenty of attention. The new model arrives with a fresh design born from Kia’s latest style language. It adopts plenty of the automaker’s distinctive features, most notably the “Tigernose” front grille that’s flanked by a pair of more aggressive swept-back headlamps. The new Ceed also has a sportier profile, emphasized in part by a more sculpted hood, aggressive body lines, and a more pronounced rear section than the model it’s succeeding. The Ceed’s new presentation sets it up nicely as a viable competitor to the Volkswagen Golf. The question then has to be asked: which looks better, the Kia Ceed or the Volkswagen Golf?

It really has to suck for BMW to get beat out so badly by a Korean economy brand.

The Kia Forte and the Lamborghini Aventador are two cars that couldn’t be more different from each other. One is a compact four-door sedan while the other is, well, you know what the Aventador is. On the surface, the Aventador beats the Forte in just about every meaningful discussion. But is the Lamborghini really that much better than the Forte? Kia (obviously) doesn’t think so, and believe it or not; it actually makes a compelling case for its own sedan.

Go ahead and watch the video. Tell me you didn’t get a good laugh out of it. I certainly did. Kia’s justifications for the Forte are all fair. The sedan does have two more doors than the supercar. It also has a big advantage in rear seating, cargo space, touch-screen capability, and wireless charging. It even has the Aventador beat in fuel efficiency and cost. It’s true that you can buy a Forte for a tenth of the price of an Aventador. You can even use the money you saved on something else, including that villa in Italy the voice-over guy suggested. By these metrics, the Forte wins hands down!

In all seriousness, the “rivalry” between the Forte and Aventador is tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek humor. Give credit to Kia for thinking outside the box with the angle for this commercial. It takes a certain kind of confidence to roll out an Aventador opposite a Forte, and then actually make a compelling case for the latter as the better car.

Well done, Kia. It’s a great commercial, though, I think it would’ve probably been better if you saved this one for Super Bowl LII. Just a thought.

In my mind, the most exciting thing to debut in Detroit this year has to be the Kia Stinger GT. Based on the brand’s GT Concept car that debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2011, as well as the GT4 Stinger concept that debuted in Detroit in 2014, the Stinger GT is a watershed moment for the South Korean automaker. Long story short, this is Kia’s new halo performance machine, and it arrives ready to tangle with some of the most popular European four-doors on the planet. That said, it might seem like a bit of a stretch to put this thing up against a $115K Porsche, right? I mean, have we gone completely loony?!

Woah there, Internet warrior. Put down the keyboard. There’s a method to our madness. While it’s true that any Porsche buyer worth his PDK wouldn’t step within 100 miles of Kia dealership, a gearhead with some 911 wallpaper on his phone making a third as much money a year just might. If there happens to be a few Stinger GT’s waiting for a test drive.

And why not? It’s got a similar body style, and if you get the base model Panamera, straight-line acceleration is roughly the same.

Still… seems like a bit of a stretch, no? Maybe… but maybe not. Continue reading to see what we’re on about.

Continue reading for the full comparison.

Every fall, dozens of journalists from all over Texas and around the country gather to compare, test, and crown the winner of the “Truck of Texas” competition. It’s a coveted award from the Texas Auto Writers Association that signifies Texas’ collective approval of a truck. And not only are trucks involved, awards go out for the SUV and CUV of Texas.

I already touched on the topic in the preview piece, but awards are also given to the winner in each vehicle category and for various things like “best connectivity” and “best powertrain.”

This year’s competition was fierce. There were 84 vehicles present from 21 automakers entered into 17 different categories. Evaluating the field were 69 TAWA members comprised of journalists and social media influencers.

So let’s get down to the results. Keep reading for the full breakdown.

Continue reading for the results of the 2015 TAWA Truck Rodeo

I’ve already given the introduction to how much Texans love their trucks and how every year the Texas Auto Writers Association gathers to crown the winner; the coveted “Truck of Texas” award. Now let’s get down to some results.

Besides the main award, there were 17 other categories that each of the 75 vehicles fell into. These consisted of titles like “Midsized Crossover Utility Vehicles” and “Luxury Pickup Trucks.” Awards were also given for best connectivity, best powertrain, and best technology.

Each vehicle was subjected to a battery of tests that measured its ability to perform its intended function, whether that be towing, going off road, surrounding its occupants in luxury, or proving a great all-round family hauler. The vehicles were all competing within their respective category for the win.

So which truck, SUV, or crossover took home the Truck of Texas award? Continue reading to find out.

Not much goes together quite like Texas and trucks. It’s the U.S.’ largest truck market by a long shot and it’s plain to see as you peruse any given parking lot. Texans love their trucks. That’s why the Texas Auto Writers Association crowns a Truck of Texas winner every year after an extensive evaluation process.

As a member of TAWA, I spent the better part of a week in the dusty hills outside San Antonio testing 75 contenders vying for the prized top spot. Eighteen automakers from around the world were in attendance, the majority bringing more than a handful of vehicles.

Ground zero for testing was the famed Knibbe Ranch, with hundreds of acres of sprawling across the Lonestar state. Muddy creek crossings and rocky hill climbs, combined with twisty country roads and newly paved highways provided the test beds. Those trucks, SUVs and crossovers brave enough to tackle the off-road section were subjected to rock-strewn dirt roads that punished suspension parts and underbody skidplates. More road-biased crossovers were thrown around narrow roads and up steep hills. The new pavement along the Texas highway was still covered in loose asphalt with orange caution cones proving a tempting (yet highly illegal) slalom course. Thankfully no one attempted that obstacle.

The 60 journalists judging the event had a huge decision to make. What truck, SUV or crossover would be crowned the Truck of Texas? Well, you’ll just have to stay tuned to find out. We’ll announce the top winner and the winners of sub-categories on Wednesday.

Click past the jump for a full photo gallery