Kia’s fun and funky urban hatchback, the all-new
2014 Soul, has received a Residual Value Award from ALG, a leading
provider of data and consulting services to the automotive industry. The
2014 Soul is expected to retain 57 percent of its value after three
years of ownership according to ALG’s November-December edition,
surpassing the industry and segment average residual. Each year ALG
recognizes vehicles that are predicted to best retain their value in
their class, and Soul earned top honors in the subcompact utility
segment with its premium feel and competitive pricing.
“Kia vehicles are well known for their value, and the Soul’s mix of
personality, utility and affordability has made it a huge hit,” said
Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing &
communications, KMA. “Adding the ALG Residual Value Award to the Soul’s
trophy case is a testament to the vehicle’s quality and appeal that
stands up over time.”
ALG determines Residual Value Award winners based on a variety of
factors including careful analysis of the automotive industry, the
vehicle’s performance, quality and the overall price. With its iconic
design, the all-new 2014 Soul offers markedly improved ride and
handling, significantly reduced NVH, a suite of standard features and
options – and now – the Soul is forecasted to retain its value better
than any other vehicle in its class.
“The redesigned Kia Soul offers the economy of a small hatchback with
increased utility and premium feel for the price,” said Eric Lyman,
vice president of editorial for ALG. “Kia is a brand on the rise, and
the Soul combines personality and value to deliver a product poised to
retain its value over time.”
Come test drive a Soul today at Executive Kia, and don't forget to check us out on Facebook and Twitter for further news and updates.
The all-new 2014 Kia Forte was recently named by Cars.com as the best
compact sedan in its league. The multi-day Compact Sedan Challenge
brings together experts from Cars.com, USA Today and MotorWeek
to conduct a series of tests on a competitive set of vehicles and
combines their professional assessments with the real-world opinions of
car shoppers currently in the market for a compact sedan.
“The Forte truly stood out against the competition,” said Patrick
Olsen, Cars.com’s Editor-in-Chief. “Between its dynamic exterior
styling, impressive standard features for the price and excellent ride
and handling, the 2014 Forte is a well-rounded car that checks off all
the boxes of the perfect, affordable compact sedan.”
This years’ competition included the 2014 Ford Focus, 2013 Honda
Civic, 2013 Hyundai Elantra, 2013 Subaru Impreza, 2013 Nissan Sentra and
2014 Toyota Corolla. The Kia Forte bested all the rest with its
roominess, performance and premium amenities. The Compact Sedan
Challenge judges cars based on a series of criteria, including fuel
economy, comfort, styling and drivability.
“The Forte is designed to bring our customers premium amenities at an
affordable price,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of
marketing & communications, KMA. “Cars.com’s recognition of the 2014
Forte as being the best compact sedan among these worthy contenders
clearly highlights Kia’s commitment to quality and value for our
customers.”
With its sleek European-inspired styling, the Kia Forte was designed
to offer more room, more performance and more amenities to an ever
growing segment of compact sedan consumers.
Come test drive the award-winning Forte today at Executive Kia and be sure to check us out on Facebook and Twitter for further news and updates.
Kia Motors America (KMA) provided the perfect rolling
soundtrack to Las Vegas’ never-ending light show as the 2013 Specialty
Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show opened with five music-inspired
all-new 2014 Soul urban passenger vehicles, collectively making their
presence known with a display worthy of the best Las Vegas nightclub
parties. The five sound-blasting creations feature music-themed builds
including a DJ Booth Soul, an “Amped” Soul, the museum-like Music
Memorabilia Soul, a Soul inspired by NBC’s hit show, The Voice, which
Kia has sponsored for four seasons, and a Soul highlighting the brand’s
partnership with the Vans Warped Tour. All five Souls of SEMA tell
their own unique story with music as their common language.
“Since the Kia Soul first arrived on the scene in 2009, it has
established a very real and remarkable connection with music,” said
Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing and communications,
KMA. “After harnessing five major marketing campaigns with songs
spanning from Black Sheep to LMFAO to this year’s Lady Gaga spot, which
debuted during MTV’s Video Music Awards, music has become a core
attribute of the Soul’s persona. The SEMA show presented the perfect
opportunity to bring that personality to life – with the volume turned
up to 11.”
Built by Galpin Auto Sports and LUX Motorwerks, three of the
vehicles feature premium audio components intended for live
performance, while the others showcase musical lifestyles and trends.
Amped SoulPopular Mechanics has
energized this Kia Soul with the power of larger-than-life JBL
speakers. Integrated into the rear-hinged doors, the JBL Pro Live sound
equipment transforms this Soul into a full size boom box on wheels.
With LED ambient lighting and four 12-inch Infinity power subwoofers, this Soul is ready to wow the crowds at any venue.
The Amped Soul features a modern and sleek design enhanced with
blacked out windows and a custom paint job. It rolls on performance
22-inch Forgiato custom three-piece wheels with Hankook 245/30/22
tires. And to make room for the club-sized stereo, the passenger side
B-pillar has been removed. All the world’s a stage when riding in the
Amped Soul; a portable platform invites musicians ready to plug in and
perform for their fans.
Vans Warped Tour SoulEmbodying the youthful and fun spirit of the Vans Warped Tour, Popular Mechanics
designed a Kia Soul ready to hit the road on a musical journey. This
unique Soul features a full custom paint job – inspired by the colors of
the Van’s Warped Tour – with eye-catching air-brush artwork.
The side windows have been replaced with custom-built fiberglass body
panels housing eight Infinity 8-inch speakers to deliver a true concert
experience. And to really put you in the middle of the performance, a
50-inch flat-panel monitor has been mounted atop the car with running
footage from the tour itself.
The Vans Warped Tour is about music, friends and food. To
that end, this Soul has been outfitted with a slide-out rear barbeque
for the full music-inspired tailgating experience. And a specially
designed hood ornament pays homage to the iconic shoe company that
serves as the namesake of the Warped Tour. With 20-inch wheels
outfitted with performance low-profile tires and vibrant LED ambient
lighting, this Kia Soul is made to take music lovers on a rockin’ ride
they’ll never forget.
DJ Booth SoulRIDES magazine totally
transformed this all-new 2014 Kia Soul into the ultimate DJ booth on
wheels. The roof was removed to give the DJ the ability to rise up and
stand on a custom diamond-plated stage—which replaced the rear seats—and
start spinning on the pro-grade Pioneer CDJs and mixer. Influenced by
both EDM and hip-hop, this Soul is painted an eye-catching purple with
turquoise accents. Outfitted with 19-inch Rotiform BRU wheels and
Continental tires, the DJ Soul has been lowered with Ark Performance
springs to give it an aggressive stance. With LED lighting, front and
rear strobes, and a speaker enclosure built into the lower grille, it
promises even the most seasoned club-goers a once-in-a-lifetime
experience.
For the headlining DJ, black leather, graphite suede and turquoise
stitching give the Soul’s interior a vibe reminiscent of an
ultra-lounge. With the Maschine Mikro production studio molded into the
passenger dash, every control is available at any time. Blasting the
beats is a Pioneer audio system that includes five amplifiers, three
component speakers, two 10-inch and two 12-inch Champion Series
subwoofers, and a sound bar housing four coaxial speakers, making sure
the most important part of any DJ set—the music—is heard loud and clear.
Music Memorabilia SoulThis one-of-a-kind Kia
Soul encompasses the passion, raw talent and diversity of music as an
industry and an art form. Creating a music museum on wheels, RIDES
magazine curated music memorabilia spanning rock, hip-hop and EDM
history. The collection includes a signed Slash guitar, a G-Unit
sneaker signed by 50 Cent, a Jimi Hendrix gold album and a signed John
Legend microphone, which are displayed in hand-built Plexiglas
enclosures in the trunk, rear windows and rear hatch insert.
As a nod to industry icons, this Soul was influenced by platinum and
gold records: The Soul’s exterior received PPG waterborne platinum
silver, gold exhaust tips and anodized 20-inch gold HRE 935s. The
interior received gold diamond stitching and painted trim that
highlights the custom black suede and leather interior. Ark Performance
springs and Nitto Invo tires make sure the Soul gives an award-winning
performance at every appearance.
The Voice SoulThe name of this Kia says it all: Soul. With NBC’s The Voice
inspiring so many talented people to sing their hearts out and bare
their souls through music, this car represents the sheer talent needed
to perform in front of a live audience and millions at home. RIDES magazine customized the exterior with a bright red airbrushed The Voice
logo on the side, incorporating vinyl on the window portion, as well as
the inspiring words “I Want You” illuminated in the lower grille, along
with the LED puddle projectors. In order to perform under pressure,
20-inch three-piece Niche Scope wheels color-matched to the vehicle,
coupled with Falken tires, add style and confidence.
The four replicated coaches’ chairs are the highlight of an interior
that is decked out in red leather, black suede and red stitching.
Control the “I Want You” logo with the red button on top of the dash.
Using a unique platform such as The Voice to become a star requires practice; luckily, an iPad Mini connected to a 40-inch LED TV allows you to use the preloaded The Voice
app and sing at the top of your lungs through the wireless microphone,
amplified through Rockford Fosgate speakers in their fiberglass custom
pods.
Come test drive the redesigned Soul at Executive Kia and don't forget to check us out on Facebook and Twitter for further news and updates.
The 2013 SEMA Show is almost upon us and Kia will be revealing five very
special Souls, each one uniquely inspired by the world of music.
Here’s a sneak peek of one of the Kia creations, the Vans Warped Tour
Soul. Embodying the youthful and fun spirit of the Vans Warped Tour experience,
this Kia Soul is ready to hit the road on a musical journey.
With
eye-catching air-brushed artwork, 20-inch wheels with performance
low-profile tires, a slide-out barbeque and a barrage of Infinity
speakers to deliver a true concert experience, the Vans Warped Tour Soul
is built to take music lovers on a rockin’ ride they’ll never forget!
Keep an eye on Executive Kia as the redesigned Souls roll in and be sure to check us out on Facebook and Twitter for more news and updates.
Kia Motors America (KMA) has launched a new national advertising campaign for Hispanic audiences to coincide with this month’s arrival of the redesigned and U.S.-built* 2014 Kia Optima midsize sedan in showrooms nationwide. The light-hearted 30-second spots highlight the Optima’s easy-to-use technology features, turbocharged performance and redesigned front and rear fascias – which stay true to the award-winning original design while introducing several new styling cues – as well as the optional SXL trim which offers premium amenities such as Nappa leather trimmed seats and 18-inch chrome wheels.
“Performance enhancements and high-tech amenities are core to the redesigned 2014 Optima,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of marketing & communications, KMA. “The new spots help to increase Kia’s presence among the important and growing Hispanic demographic by placing the Optima in everyday situations people can easily identify with while highlighting our midsize sedan as not only attractive and stylish but also functional, safe and feature-filled.”
Set to a Spanish-language track from the music company, Human, “Pez” features a frantic father who utilizes the Optima’s Sport driving mode to get home in a hurry. Meanwhile, the Optima’s Blind Spot Detection system1 saves the day for a group of friends in “Cuidando de ti.”
According to the press release, the videos should be found at www.youtube.com/kia, but we couldn't find them at the time of this blog. Stay tuned with Executive Kia on our Facebook and Twitter, and we'll link you to them when they show up.
The iconic Soul enters the 2014 model year with an all-new take on
design, driving dynamics and desirable features that totally transform
one of Kia Motors America’s best-selling cars into an urban utility
vehicle that is as comfortable in the city as it is on the open highway.
The signature Soul design is instantly recognizable yet thoroughly
fresh, with more than a passing nod to the hot Track’ster concept that
was unveiled last year. Riding on a new chassis that is stiffer, longer
and wider, the all-new Soul has grown up without losing its edge,
allowing for more passenger and cargo room while reducing NVH levels. A
flatter torque curve and significant suspension upgrades make the 2014
Soul a nimble and agile companion in congested urban environments.
Honoring Soul owners’ fierce individualism, three unique trim levels
will be available when U.S. sales are expected to begin in the fourth
quarter of this year: Base, Plus and Exclaim.
The all-new Soul
displays its own individuality through a blend of funky personality,
fun-to-drive characteristics and premium upgrades intended to set it
apart from the pack. A playful color palette, including Soul-exclusive
colors such as Solar Yellow, Kale Green, and Inferno Red, along with
sporty new wheel designs, pump up the dynamic equation that has made
Soul such a dominate competitor in the “boxy” car segment.
Keeping
what made the current Soul special while addressing areas for
improvement was no easy task. As the design team at Kia’s California
studio began putting virtual pen to virtual paper, engineers in the U.S.
and Korea focused on making Soul a joy to drive. Starting with a solid
foundation was key, and the new body enjoys a 28.7 percent increase in
torsional rigidity over the current Soul. With the hard points set, the
all-new Soul was boiled down to three focus areas: Maintaining the
iconic design while adding modern cues; providing premium features and
content; and improving driving dynamics to make the 2014 Soul more
desirable than ever.
Keep an eye out at Executive Kia as the 2014 Souls roll in, and be sure to check out our Facebook and Twitter for more news and updates.
Details about the Soul's incredible features below the jump.
At the media launch of the all-new 2014 Soul, Kia announced plans to offer an all-electric version of the
company’s iconic Soul urban passenger vehicle in select markets in 2014.
Already one of Kia’s best-selling vehicles, an all-electric variant is
a natural extension of the Soul’s urban-friendly place in the brand’s
lineup of award-winning vehicles. More details about the Soul EV’s
powertrain, range/MPGe, packaging and go-to-market strategy will be
announced at an upcoming major U.S. auto show.
“Eco-consciousness already comes standard on the all-new Soul with
85-percent of its materials able to be recycled at the end of its
lifespan, and the Soul EV will further demonstrate Kia’s engineering
capabilities as well as our commitment to producing vehicles with
reduced environmental footprints,” said Orth Hedrick, executive director
of product planning, KMA. “The Soul has always been a terrific choice
for drivers in urban environments, and the all-new version’s blend of
technology, refinement, style, improved dynamics and value has allowed
us to create a car that is as efficient as it is fun to drive.”
Kia Motors was recently ranked by Interbrand as one of the “50 Best
Global Green Brands,” and Soul EV will be the second alternative-fuel
Kia vehicle to be offered for sale in the U.S. The award-winning Optima
Hybrid was introduced in 2011 and for 2013 sees a number of enhancements
including numerous powertrain refinements for smoothness and
drivability, including a more robust 47 HP electric traction motor, a
stronger Hybrid Starter Generator (HSG) and a more powerful 47 kW
Lithium Polymer battery.
Check out our Souls at Executive Kia and be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for news and updates.
