They're back. And this time they've gone way back in their time-traveling Kia Soul!

Top 10 Driving Emergency #1: Tire Blowout

To survive a tire blowout, pretend you're the bad guy in a police
chase: Push the gas and drive straight ahead. The shotgun-blast noise of
a tire blowout makes most law-abiding drivers do exactly the wrong
thing: attempt to slow down quickly and get off the road. With a
rear-tire failure, any turning at high speed will likely result in a
crash.

I've taught hundreds of drivers how to correctly handle a tire
blowout: I sat in the passenger seat and exploded a gaping hole in the
tire with plastic explosive. Not one lost control. Here's how they did
it.

If a tire blows:

• Squeeze the gas pedal for a couple of seconds. This puts you in
  control of the car and directs the car straight down the road. It also
  prevents you from committing the mortal sins of braking and turning.
  After a couple of seconds, gently and smoothly release the accelerator
  pedal. The drag force of a completely flat tire is so potent that
  pushing the gas will not allow the vehicle to go faster.
• Most importantly, drive straight down your lane. Keep your feet away from the brake (or clutch).
• Allow the car to coast down to as slow a speed as is safe (30 mph is good). Engage your turn signal and gently
  turn toward the shoulder of the road that's on the same side as the
  blown tire: This lessens your chance of losing control and will make the
  tire change safer. If the situation requires, you may ever so lightly squeeze the brakes.

Almost all highway blowouts and tread separations occur with the car
traveling in a straight line on a very hot day at high speeds with an
underinflated tire. The repeated flexing of an underinflated tire causes
the failure. Check your tire pressures!

 

Courtesy of Edmunds

Victor's outstanding work earns us another exceptional 5 star review on DealerRater!

elayne1117
Phoenix, AZ
Aug 29, 2012

This is the 2nd KIA I purchased from this dealership. The sales agent (Victor) was so warm, friendly, honest and most of all NOT pushy in anyway. In the extreme Arizona heat, he did his utmost to help me choose a car from the lot and then had one driven up from Tucson in the color I wanted.
Very friendly service and the GM was most helpful with his incentives.
I would very highly recommend Victor and the dealership. The finance dept. was extremely helpful as well.

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Kia Racing Scores Double Top-Five Finish In 2012 Pirelli World Challenge Season Finale At Sonoma Raceway

SONOMA, Calif., Aug. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Like sun-soaked grapes sprawled across the rolling hills surrounding the beautiful Raceway at Sonoma, Kia Racing's young Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Optima program is quickly maturing and ripe for a championship run in 2013.  Mark Wilkins, driver of the No. 38 Infinity Audio Optima, finished the PWC season finale on a high note, taking fourth at Sonoma, while teammate Michael Galati crossed the line fifth in the No. 38 turbocharged Optima. It was the seventh time in the twelve-race season – which was supposed to be a development year for the program – that both Optimas finished in the top ten. With the dual top-five finish, Kia claims fourth in the manufacturer's championship, Galati finishes similarly placed in the driver's championship, and the team turns its focus to 2013.

"We couldn't be happier with the season we've had in 2012.  Six podiums in 12 races is a fantastic achievement for this program in its development year, and to have zero mechanical issues all season is a testament to the hard work and dedication by the entire team who built two solid racecars," said Russell Smith, co-owner, Kinetic Motorsports and the winning driver of the Kia Rio 5-door for Saturday's B-Spec race.  "I want to thank Kia Motors America for providing us with a great platform in the Optima and our fans who cheer us on at every racetrack we visit.  I really think with some more development over the winter that we can do great things in 2013 and beyond."

Wilkins started his No. 38 Optima in second place after a solid qualifying run on Friday and ran third for much of the 50-minute race.  With a little over ten minutes to go, however, he began battling handling issues as a result of worn front tires. Finally, on the last lap, Mustang-driver Justin Bell managed to slip past and Wilkins' chances to finish the season with another podium went with him. 

"What an incredible year for Kia Racing.  We brought the No. 38 Infinity Audio Optima home in fourth today, but I really feel like we could have stood on the podium. We just lost the handling at the end a slipped a spot," said Wilkins.  "I feel honored to be the driver of this car each weekend. It's so much fun to drive and is a threat to win at any track we visit throughout the schedule. I'm looking forward to climbing back behind the wheel come spring and making a run for a championship."

Galati in the No. 36 Infinity Audio Optima started and finished fifth Saturday, picking up his third-straight top-five finish to close out the 2012 season.

"Finishing the season with another top five is fantastic," said Galati. "The Kia Optima is such a great car. It loves purpose-built road courses with high speed corners, and we know what we need to do to make it even better for next year. We surprised some people by finishing fourth in the Manufacturer and Driver standings, but with a little more development over the off-season, I believe the Infinity Audio Optimas will be ready for more in 2013."

Kia Racing closes out its first Pirelli World Challenge season fourth in the Grand Touring Sport (GTS) points with Galati and Wilkins fourth and eighth in the Driver standings.  Televised coverage of Round 12 of the Pirelli World Challenge from the Raceway and Sonoma is scheduled to air on the NBC Sports Network Sunday, September 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET. (Time and date subject to change. Check local listings).

 

Courtesy of Kia Motors America

Wacky Car Fact #2

The first car radio was invented in 1929. What people listened to on long trips before this is beyond me!

Big thanks to the author of this 5-star review on DealerRater! Great job Carlos and keep up the fantastic work team!

 

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2014 Kia Soul Makes Appearance in Spy Photos

As the second best selling car in its American lineup, the redesign of the Kia Soul has a lot riding on it, and our spy photographers have caught the next generation of the car out testing. 

 

A slightly lower roof line and a wider stance look to be the major appearance changes for the new Soul. The nose has also grown a bit, with the Kia grille moving up to accommodate a new larger air intake, and the headlights getting a square shape.

The Soul will likely get it’s power from the 1.6-litre, direct-injected four-cylinder that powers the Rio5, which makes 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. A larger 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 164 hp and 147 lb-ft of torque may also be available. Sourced from Veloster, the new Soul will probably also get a dual-clutch transmission, and might even have a manual option.

 

Courtesy of AutoGuide.com

The Optima Hybrid traveled almost 8,000 miles through the contiguous 48 states on less than 123 gallons! Check it out.

Great job Juan for earning these kind words about our team!

skylynn.young
Phoenix, AZ
Aug 22, 2012

This dealership was quick, fast, with quality service. Especially with the help of Juan Martinez, and they also had an amazing shuttle so you wouldn't be bored at the dealership. I highly recommend this dealership for their services.

 

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Kia planning onslaught of new product

Kia is hard at work cranking out a rash of new models, according to Automotive News. The South Korean automaker has plans to launch a new 40-mile-per-gallon version of the Forte Koup in January 2013, and the two-door will likely be trailed by a new five-door hatchback and yet another larger coupe. The latter two will likely see dealers by next summer, though Kia says those of us waiting to get our hands on the new Quoris flagship will have to twiddle our thumbs until 2015 at the earliest. As you may recall, the Quoris is a rear-wheel-drive sedan otherwise known as the K9.

In addition, Kia is expected to unveil the Cadenza front-wheel-drive sedan next summer as a 2014 model. Powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, the four-door will be positioned above the smaller Optima and will likely carry an MSRP in the high $30,000 range. Meanwhile, forces inside Kia are still pushing to see the GT Concept translated into a legitimate production vehicle. The company is having trouble building a proper business case for the 395-horsepower sedan, however.

 

Courtesy of Autoblog

Top 10 Driving Emergency #9 Front-Tire Slide

 

Manufacturers work hard to make their cars lose front traction before rear grip. When front tires lose grip, most drivers' natural reaction is the correct reaction; that is:

• Say "Oh, fudge" (or similar) and have your adrenal gland increase your heart rate.
• Remove your foot from the gas pedal (and stay away from the brake pedal).
• Leave your hands where they are. More steering won't help and might hurt.
• Wait for the traction to return.
• Pray that the grip comes back before you get to the trees or concrete barriers.

Turning the wheel more or stepping on the brake is like writing additional checks from an already overdrawn account: You're already asking for more grip than the tires can provide. But something bad can happen if you turn the wheel more and the traction suddenly returns. Let's say it was a narrow strip of ice. On the other side of the ice, the road is barely even damp. The tires now have plenty of grip. And they think you just asked them to make a very hard left into oncoming traffic. "Yes, sir!

 

Courtesy of Edmunds

2012 KIA Soul Tops "10 Best Back-To-School Cars" List by Kelley Blue Book

The award-winning Kia Soul has been spotlighted once again, this time being named as this year's No. 1 vehicle on the coveted "10 Best Back-to-School Cars in 2012" list by Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, a leading provider of new and used car information. Lauded for its exceptional value, reliability and style, the Soul is a uniquely eye-catching and affordable way for students to get to class this fall. The funky urban passenger vehicle also was praised for its roomy interior, responsive powertrain and frugal fuel economy. The KBB.com accolade comes on the heels of the Soul being honored as class best by two major back-to-back J.D. Power and Associates Studies: IQS and APEAL.

"The Soul being named to the top spot on the '10 Best Back-To-School Cars of 2012' list by Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com shows just how relevant the Kia brand has become with the younger consumer," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing & communications, Kia Motors America. "This honor recognizes the Soul for a host of attributes ranging from innovative styling to smart personalization options to outstanding safety, all of which make it a favorite among students and their parents, alike."
Editors from Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com evaluated the most affordable vehicles of 2012 and then selected the 10 offerings which best met the needs and wants of students. All vehicles on this list are available for under $16,000.
"With a low price tag, roomy interior and singular looks, the Kia Soul charms with a practical but youthful exuberance," asserted the editors of Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com. "And it gets even better for 2012, gaining direct injection technology and six-speed transmissions that yield bumps in power, responsiveness and fuel economy. Stir in tastefully refreshed exterior and interior bits, and the Soul convincingly grabs the top spot on our list of Best Back-to-School Cars for 2012."
Source: Kia Media

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