FW: 2010 Kia Soul Sport - Short Take Road Test

>> Friday, March 20, 2009

 

 

Feed: Automotive News Blog at CARandDRIVER.com - Car News Resource
Posted on: Thursday, March 19, 2009 3:22 AM
Author: Car and Driver
Subject: 2010 Kia Soul Sport - Short Take Road Test

 

A practical, upbeat errand hopper.

BY JOHN PHILLIPS

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Kia needs a “breakout” vehicle that—like Hyundai’s latest Sonata—finally achieves what marketers call front-of-mind awareness. Kia’s Borrego V-8might have been that vehicle, had its debut not ­coincided with $4-per-gallon gas and the wholesale cratering of heavy-metal SUVs.

But hard on the butch Borrego’s heels comes the bubbly five-door Soul, awash in political correctitude and practicality. So excited is Kia about this car that it shipped one Korean-spec Soul to each of its 640 dealers just so buyers could peek at the thing before U.S.-legal cars alighted.

The Soul, which rides on a modified Rio platform, was styled in California and takes a pugnacious, upright stance that will naturally pit it against Scion’s xB and Nissan’s upcoming Cube. Compared with the latest xB, the Soul is 5.7 inches shorter and rides on two fewer inches of wheelbase. With the rear seats up and down, cargo volume is 19 and 53 cubic feet, respectively, versus the xB’s cargo room of 22 and 70 cubic feet.

The base Soul comes with a 122-hp, 1.6-liter engine mated to a five-speed manual. Amen­ities then accrue through three swankier models: the Plus (+), the Exclaim (!), and the Sport, all front-wheel drive. Naturally, we opted for a loaded Sport, which includes a 142-hp 2.0-liter, 18-inch alloys, and a suspension with stiffer springs, shocks, and bars. On the Sport, the only options are a four-speed automatic and a power sunroof, although Kia is keen to hawk 50-some dealer-installed gewgaws—everything from non-body-color side-view mirrors to “dragon tattoo” graphics. Soul prices range from $13,995 to $19,295.

Keep Reading: 2010 Kia Soul Sport - Short Take Road Test

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FW: Infiniti Readies Direct Injection for M37 and G37, Unsure About New Q - Car News

 

 

Feed: Automotive News Blog at CARandDRIVER.com - Car News Resource
Posted on: Thursday, March 19, 2009 2:26 AM
Author: Car and Driver
Subject: Infiniti Readies Direct Injection for M37 and G37, Unsure About New Q - Car News

 

Nissan’s luxury arm dishes on its plans for the future.

BY AARON ROBINSON

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The windblown puddle of mercury known as the Infiniti Essence concept car shown at this year's Geneva show tells volumes about where Nissan's luxury division is headed both stylistically and technically. The twin-turbo 3.7-liter direct injection V-6 in the Essence will debut, sans turbos, in the redesigned M sedan due in early 2010, making about 340–350 hp. The complex direct-injection technology, in which fuel is injected directly into the cylinder rather than in the intake ports as is more common, most likely will also make its way into the G37 coupe and sedan as mid-cycle upgrades before the cars are completely redesigned in about three years. Besides making more power, gasoline direct-injection technology is also needed to meet tightening emissions and fuel-economy regulations around the world.

Where’s the Q?

As yet, Nissan remains unsure whether to replace Infiniti’s former flagship, the Q45. Infiniti's U.S. office wants a $70,000–$80,000 car to seal its position as an aspirational luxury performance brand against Lexus, BMW, and Audi. The idea is being explored; recently, dealers from around the world visiting Japan went wild when shown a Q concept which was basically a four-door extrapolation of the fabulous Essence show car.

But Larry Dominique, Infiniti's vice president of product planning for the U.S., says he wants to see how the economy shapes up before he decides for certain whether to invest in the project. And he has other priorities for the division's limited resources. Mainly, he says, the division needs to keep its bread-and-butter products fresh, namely the 10Best-winning G and the M. The company also has a replacement for the QX56 sport-utility in the works, which will debut after the redesigned Nissan Armada probably later in 2010. Both trucks will be built in Japan on a traditional ladder frame shared with a new Nissan Patrol, which remains for overseas markets only.

Keep Reading: Infiniti Readies Direct Injection for M37 and G37, Unsure About New Q - Car News

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FW: 2009 Nissan Versa 1.6 Base - Feature

 

 

Feed: Automotive News Blog at CARandDRIVER.com - Car News Resource
Posted on: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 12:46 AM
Author: Car and Driver
Subject: 2009 Nissan Versa 1.6 Base - Feature

 

A Stripper Exposed.

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Nissan made its most affordable car, the Versa sedan, even more affordable for ’09 when it lowered the price by $2890. The result is the $10,685 Versa 1.6 Base. We wondered: Just what does a cheapskate have to give up?

 

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