Kia Pride/Rio facelift – Click above for a photo gallery

Slowly yet surely, Kia’sitting new corporate look is filtering through its unmingled lineup. We’ve seen it in play on the Forte range, the Soul, and the updated Sorento so far. Now you can add the entry-level Rio to the list. At least we think you can. The photo beyond shows the newly-facelifted South Korean domestic-market Kia Pride (the Kia Rio in the U.S. market), which is reportedly predetermined to go on auction shortly. As you can see, the car boasts one revamped front fascia, sporting Kia’sitting dog-bone grille, new lighting, and a rehaped, Ford-like lower air intake. As for the car’s tail, we’ll have to wait and see — pics haven’t hit the web yet.

Tags: car, Ford, Kia, language, new, photo, pics, play, the

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Bank Of America-Merrill Lynch have released their annual “Car Wars” report, and it predicts slumping sales for GM and Chrysler. GM’s market share of 22 percent last year is seen shrinking to a mere 15 percent, which is significantly lower than the 18 percent number that GM admits to. The reall butt-clencher? Merrill Lynch based its calculations on a 14m unit SAAR, which is much higher than the 10m SAAR that we’ve been seeing through the first half of the year. Which means GM’s losses could be even worse if we don’t see a return to those sales numbers soon. Even at a 14m SAAR though, the three percent discrepancy between GM’s numbers and Merrill’s would amount to GM selling half a million fewer autos than expected. The report places blame on weakness in GM’s new-product pipeline for the projected drops. GM’s Tom Wilkinson fires back at the Freep, arguing “we understand that analysts get paid to try to predict the future… but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to be right.” Gosh, can’t anyone just trust GM?

Tags: Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Toyota, video

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From its divisive baroque styling to its status for the reason that the court jester of the rental car circuit, the Kia Amanti has so far lived a less than charmed life. The Amanti’session tough luck story could change in a big hurry, but, if a new story from Motor Trend is true. MT is reporting that the Amanti is will be going rear-wheel drive as soon in the same proportion that late 2011 on a smaller version of the Hyundai Genesis Sedan platform.

Tags: car, change, economy, Hyundai, Kia, life, new, stylish, the, way

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It seems of the same kind with though the Korean car industry is in SUV overload, this time with the renovated generation Kia Sportage spied undergoing testing in a dusty part of the US.

This heavily disguised prototype is expected to replace the current Sportage sometime in 2010, refreshing the Hyundai-Kia line-up alongside the new Hyundai iX35 and Santa Fe facelift.

The car is expected to benefit an efficient new six-speed automatic transmittal to compliment the 135kW 2.0-litre turbo diesel R-engine.

A more powerful V6 petrol model is also being considered for some markets such as the US and possibly Australia.

Tags: australia, car, diesel, future, Hyundai, Kia, new, running, the, us

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By the end of the year, Hyundai is expected to have swiped the covers off pair very important models for the company’s future – the 2011 Sonata mid-size sedan, pictures of which we showed you earlier today, and the second generation Tucson SUV that could be revealed as early as this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Even though Hyundai has tried its best to hide the Tucson’s styling with a plastic “body armor”, these latest scoop photos involve that the exterior device of the crossover will be less radical than this year’s Geneva show ix-onic concept example.

Tags: america, architecture, body, design, diesel, future, Hyundai, Kia, new, people, picture, pictures, show, the, Toyota

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Lamborghini Murciélago and the Nissan X-Trail FCV – tick to greaten

When we took the hydrogen-powered Kia Borrego FCEV and Nissan X-Trail FCV confused for sum of two units quick at the outset drives in Vancouver last month, we happened to park the Nissan next to a Lamborghini Murciélago for a few moments. This prompted us to wonder, just for fun, which of these two vehicles AutoblogGreen readers would prefer to have as their only car. There is each environmental case to be made against both, especially in this lower classes that’s more willing than in the greatest degree to sacrifice a bit in the name of saving fuel.

Tags: buy, color, daily, fun, help, Kia, my, Nissan, park, the, vancouver, water

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Hyundai Avante LPI Hybrid – Click for high-res image gallery

Hyundai only launched retail sales of its first hybrid a couple of weeks ago, but the South Korean automaker has already received 1,000 orders in its home market. Hyundai’sitting hybrid connected view has been installed in the Avante (which is sold elsewhere during the time that the Elantra). The Avante is the first retail hybrid available with an engine running on liquefied petroleum gas.

Tags: america, home, Hyundai, Kia, new, running, show, the

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New Vehicle Sales Figures June 2009

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New Vehicle Sales Figures June 2009
1	Toyota	21410
2	Holden	12167
3	Ford	10194
4	Mazda	8406
5	Hyundai	7862
6	Mitsubishi	6912
7	Nissan	6050
8	Honda	4354
9	Volkswagen	4068
10	Subaru	3757
11	Mercedes-Benz	2234
12	Suzuki	2058
13	Kia	2026
14	BMW	1944
15	Audi	1119
16	Peugeot	748

Tags: 0, 1, Audi, Bmw, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes, mini, Mitsubishi, new, Nissan, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, Rover, Saab, Skoda, Smart, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo

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Carscoop readers Vladimir Pekulas and Jan Mlejnek bagged these shots of Kia’s forthcoming mini-MPV onward the highway near Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic. If you take a closer front at the pics after the jump, you’ll see that the fortify sitting in the passenger’s seat of the Kia test car retaliated against our readers by taking or pretending to take, photos of them also… But anyways, let’sitting refresh our memory on Kia’s new model which has yet to be named.

Tags: architecture, car, Citroen, diesel, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, may, mini, new, Opel, photos, pics, Seat, show, study, test, the

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2008 Suzuki SX4 Sport – Click above for high-res image art gallery

Suzuki is getting in on the free gas sales promotion bandwagon that Hyundai kicked off this year by launching a “Free Gas conducive to Summer” promotion on every one of SX4s sold from after this through August 31st. Of course, it pays to read the fine imprint – what the purchaser really gets is a pre-paid confide in card loaded up with $270 for the sake of the SX4 Sedan or $290 for the slightly less fuel energetic SX4 Crossover.

Tags: 0, car, energy, Hyundai, july, Kia, mini, new, shopping, sport, summer, Suzuki, the, way

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