2011 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2011 Kia Sorento Recalled for Defective Brakes

The Hyundai Group has issued a separate recall for each of the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2011 Kia Sorento over the same issue concerning the rear brake calipers that may not have been properly machined.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the defective calipers could lead to brake fluid leak, followed by illumination of the malfunction indicator light indicating the brake fluid level is low and should be checked, then a soft or spongy brake pedal feel. If the problem is not taken care of, it will lead to reduced braking power.

The recall affects some 7,697 Kia Sorentos manufactured from September 14, 2010, through October 4, 2010, and 1,783 Hyundai Santa crossovers Fe built from September 28, 2010, through November 25, 2010.

Naturally, dealers from both automakers inspect the rear calipers and replace it if necessary free of charge. The two companies have not yet provided an owner notification schedule.

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http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/12/2011-hyundai-santa-fe-and-2011-kia_10.html

Kia Recalling 2010 Soul and 2011 Sorento for Electrical Issues

The first recall of the month comes from Kia, which is recalling approximately 23,973 Soul subcompacts from the 2010MY and around 11,213 Sorento crossovers from the 2011MY, all built from September 7, 2009 through July 30, 2010, due to a potential fault with the vehicles' electrical system.

In a letter to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the South Korean automaker said a limited number of wiring harnesses supplied by JCI and used in the Soul's lighting speaker system, located in the front door trim panels, and the Sorento's interior accent illumination, placed in the front and rear door trim panels, may have been improperly soldered.

Even though there are no reports of accidents or injuries, the safety agency said under certain conditions, an electrical short may occur and result in a fire.

Company officials said dealers will replace the wiring harnesses for the lights on both vehicles, free of charge with the recall expected to begin later this month.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/09/kia-recalling-2010-soul-and-2011.html

2010 Kia Sorento SUV Geared up by Cobra Technology & Lifestyle

The new generation Kia Sorento that made its debut earlier this year is the latest object of Cobra Technology & Lifestyle's tuning affections. Not that most Sorento buyers will actually ever need bull bars - that is, unless your parking skills are worse 16-year-old that just got his license, but Cobra offers a variety of front, rear and rocker panel guards including a lower front bar with integrated LED daytime running lights.

Once you're done with the body armor, you can also choose from numerous alloy wheel designs with diameters of 19 and 20 inches. The largest alloy wheels can be fitted with tires in size 265/45 R 20.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/12/2010-kia-sorento-suv-geared-up-by-cobra.html

Kia to Drop the Ball on 2011 Sorento Billboard at Times Square on New Year's Eve

Hyundai's Times Square billboard in Manhattan will soon be joined by a new outdoor campaign from the Korean automaker's sister company, Kia. In preparation for the arrival of the all-new 2011 Sorento, Kia has announced that it has secured a 60 by 40 foot billboard showcasing its CUV / SUV at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue in Times Square. The new advertisement will become visible when the famed ball drops on New Year's Eve.

"From tourists and theatergoers to the New Year's Eve ball drop, millions of people from all over the world will get their first glimpse of the all-new Sorento, the latest chapter in Kia's design-led brand transformation," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, KMA.

"Kia Motors' U.S. marketshare is growing quickly, and establishing a presence in America's most iconic advertising venue is a natural fit for the first Kia vehicle to be built on U.S. soil."

The Korean automaker said that in addition to the Times Square campaign, the new Sorento is also the "Official Vehicle of the NBA" for the current basketball season.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/12/kia-to-drop-ball-on-2011-sorento.html

First U.S.-Built Kia Rolls off Production Line at Georgia Plant

The first ever U.S.-made Kia, a 2011 Sorento, rolled off the production line, at the South Korean automaker's newly built factory in the state of Georgia, on Tuesday. The US$1 billion manufacturing plant is expected to produce 300,000 vehicles a year at full capacity and employ 2,500 workers directly, with on-site and nearby suppliers creating another 7,500 additional jobs in the area.

"The start of production at our first manufacturing facility in the United States further demonstrates our commitment to growth in North America and we are proud to be adding 2,500 jobs to the local economy," said B.M. Ahn, President and CEO, Kia Motors America (KMA) and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG).

With the opening of the Georgia plant, Kia's total global production capacity currently stands at 2.56 million vehicles per year of which 1.53 million units are built at the firm's factories in Korea, 430,000 units in China, 300,000 units in Slovakia and now, 300,000 units in the US.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/11/first-us-built-kia-rolls-off-production.html

Kia Presents U.S. Market 2011 Sorento SUV, Available with 2.4L and 3.5L V6 Engines

Following its European debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Kia has now released details on the U.S. market 2011 Sorento that will be the first vehicle to be built at the firm's new plant in West Point, Georgia. The second generation Sorento that ditches the previous model's ladder-frame chassis for a unibody design has grown in size measuring 184.4 inches in length and 74.2 inches in width and can fit up to seven passengers in three rows of seats.

According to Kia, aside from the increased head and legroom, the 2011 Sorento also boasts nearly five cubic feet more in cargo capacity (9.1 cu.ft. with all seats up; 37.0 cu.ft. with the third row down; 72.5 cu.ft. with all rows down).

The U.S.-spec model will be offered with two gasoline engines that can be mated to either front- or all-wheel-drive configurations.

The line-up includes an entry-level 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine outputting 172 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 166 lb-ft of torque at 3,750 rpm that can coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox or optionally, an electronically-controlled six-speed automatic transmission.

The FWD Sorento 2.4 returns 21mpg city and 28mpg highway with the manual gearbox and 21mpg / 29mpg with the automatic while the 4WD model with the auto box, 20mpg / 28mpg respectively.

The range-topping Sorento comes with a larger 3.5-liter V6 unit producing 273 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 247 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. Offered exclusively with a six-speed auto, the Sorento 3.5 returns an estimated fuel economy of 20mpg city and 28mpg highway for the FWD model and 19mpg / 27mpg for the 4WD version.

The vehicle's standard equipment in the States will include an AM/FM/CD/MP3/Sat audio system with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service, auxiliary and USB audio input jacks for connecting personal MP3 players, and Bluetooth connectivity with steering wheel-mounted voice activation controls.

Available options include push button-start ignition; voice-activated navigation; rear sonar back-up cameras; air ionization purification technology and a large panoramic sunroof.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/09/kia-presents-us-market-2011-sorento-suv.html

Kia to Build 2011 Sorento at its first U.S. Plant in Georgia

The all-new 2011 Sorento CUV will be produced at Kia's first U.S. plant in West Point, Georgia, making it the company's first domestically built vehicle, the Korean automaker announced today. The first examples of the new Sorento that has already been unveiled in its home market are scheduled to begin rolling off the assembly line before the end of the year.

"It will be a historic milestone when the first Sorento rolls off the assembly line at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia later this year," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing, KMA. "Our first domestically built vehicle, the all-new Sorento will be built by team members who have undergone rigorous training and who have great pride in their newly learned skills."

The 2011 Sorento gets seating for seven while it also features a unibody design rather than the previous model's body-on-frame setup.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/08/kia-to-build-2011-sorento-at-its-first_18.html

Frankfurt Preview: Euro Spec 2010 Kia Sorento SUV

The all-new, second-generation Sorento SUV will have its European debut alongside the facelifted Cee'd at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, Kia announced today. Featuring a all-new unitary monocoque set up instead of the current model's ladder-frame chassis, the new Sorento promises to offer sharper driving dynamics and greater body control. Furthermore, at 4,685 mm long, the seven-seater SUV is also bigger than its predecessor while Kia claims that its drag coefficient is now 0.38, down from 0.43

The Korean automaker has yet to release full details on the European market line up, but Kia said that it expects the all-new 2.2-litre diesel unit to be the most popular engine choice in Europe. The new diesel produces 197 horsepower and 421 Nm of torque, and will be offered with either a six-speed manual or Kia's all-new world-class six-speed automatic transmission.

Panu Vainamo, General Manager Marketing, Kia Motors Europe said: "With the new Kia Sorento, we have created an all-new, 'Highline Cruiser' that we believe offers buyers the benefits of an exciting all-rounder with a much broader appeal."

"Kia engineers have ditched the original Sorento's body-on-frame structure and designed an all-new monocoque bodyshell – achieving a weight loss of up to 215 kg, greatly improving fuel economy and contributing to a more controlled ride than expected from a 4x4," Vainamo added.

Sales of the new Sorento are expected to start in most European markets towards the end of 2009 while the UK will get the SUV in February 2010.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/08/frankfurt-preview-euro-spec-2010-kia_10.html

Kia Releases Limited Run Sorento "Edition by Irmscher"

Kia's German arm has joined forces with the tuning firm Irmscher for the development of a supposedly special edition version of the soon-to-be replaced with a newer generation model, Sorento. Offered exclusively in black or a silver metallic finish, the Sorento "Edition by Irmscher" gets two-tone leather seats embossed with Irmscher's logo which also appears on the side sills and the tailgate. Other features include a choice of two different alloy wheel designs (18-inch), protective side bars and a roof-mounted DVD player with a large 8.5'' screen.

The special edition version of the Sorento is available in LX and EX models with customers having the choice between manual and automatic transmissions. Kia has yet to announce pricing details on the model.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/08/kia-releases-limited-run-sorento-by_03.html

China-Made Kia Forte Debuts at Shanghai Show

Korea's Kia Motors is extending its Chinese portfolio with the introduction of the locally-built Forte sedan (known in many markets as the new Cerato) as well as the Korea-produced new Sorento Crossover that made its world premiere earlier this month at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show. The vital for Kia's future success in China, Forte sedan, will be produced at its joint venture Donfeng Yueda Kia (DYK) plant in the Jiangsu province and it will be sold alongside the current generation model, called the Cerato.

The Korean automaker said that it also plans to introduce to the market the Forte Koup, which was unveiled last week at the New York Motor Show and is scheduled to go on sale globally in late 2009.

For the Chinese market, the four-door Forte sedan will be offered with a choice of a 2.0-litre gasoline and a locally produced 1.6-litre gasoline engine, with manual or automatic transmissions, in a selection of 10 exterior and two interior colors.

As for the new Sorento SUV / Crossover, Chinese buyers will be able to choose from two engines, a Theta II 2.4-liter gasoline with 4WD and 6-speed automatic transmission and a R 2.2-liter diesel also with 4WD and 6-speed automatic transmission.

Even though it is expected that the new Chinese car market will slow down to single digits in 2009, Kia said that its sale target for the year is over 195,000 units, or 30 percent more than 2008 when it achieved sales of 151,000 vehicles.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/04/china-made-kia-forte-debuts-at-shanghai.html

Kia: Live Photos of KND-5, Sorento and Forte Hybrid from Seoul Show

Boasting an impressive lineup for the magnitude of the Seoul Motor Show, Kia performed the world debut of three new vehicles at the South Korean capital including the firm's first ever hybrid model, the Forte LPI Hybrid that will go on sale in Korea this August. Also on stand were the second generation Sorento that will make its European premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this fall and the KND-5 concept sedan that has gathered a lot of positive reviews for its tasteful exterior design.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/04/kia-live-photos-of-knd-5-sorento-and.html