I didn't see the new 2018 Kia Rio 5-door in person but I did see a photo of the car taken at Kia's Frankfurt Headquarters just recently. This Chief Designer hired away from Audi Motors, Peter Schreyer, is really designing these South Korean cars "German" these days, ain't he? This one has caught my eye, indeed. A few engine sizes available, including a 1.0L 4-cyl turbo. I would consider the turbo or the 1.4L 4-cyl motor. Upper-end 2018 Rio packages will offer a 6-speed or DSG tranny and lower-end (me) offer 5-speed manuals and I would say an automatic without DSG transmission. The car will do the "coming out early in 2017 as a 2018 model" confusatory thing. Mitsubishi did this with my beloved 2008 Lancer GTS - it became available for sale in March of 2007.
Pricing will be critical. Our '11 Soul base 5-speed has only a little over 73,500 miles on it now. That red always gets me. The Soul looks great in Tomato Red, too.
The rear is sharp - I thought of Audi/VW right away here. Yep-it's gettin' me.
The day we traded the hulk of our '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS for the Soul I sat in a '11 Rio sedan. Small - intruding cabin area. I didn't see a 5-dr. hatch Rio on their lot to try out. Sat in a '14 Kia Soul and it felt comfortable. The length is increasing on the '18 Rio and I'll check the width - betcha they've upped it, too. Ahh...happiness.
Love ta see what, if anything Toyota does to their newly-acquired Scion iA. Probably just plopping a shiny Toyota badge on that odd-looking, great driving new small car. Still like it - but not like I am starting ta like the '18 Kia Rio.
I'm getting those butterflies in my stomach again.
There is an article in this week's Business Week noting how ugly and cramped the new Toyota Prius has become. Basically, it states Toyota design is too focused on its home market and not the rest of the world with this anime stuff. It also noted that GM is passing it up as a green leader.
I dunno what's up with Toyota. They've got some nice stuff, but I think also some stuff that is falling behind, or at least just standing still. Opportunity for Detroit perhaps, particularly the newer GM stuff.
can't wait until Friday. Taking my car in for an oil change, and going to the dealer at the local auto mall. So, can check it in, then walk the row to check out anything new I might have missed.
will hit the Honda store (Civic EX-T, hope they have a stick but I doubt it), and Chevy (look at the Cruze hatch). And whatever else strikes my fancy. Want to see the Ioniq, but don't think that will be out for another month or so.
Anyone have any experience with the VW 1.8T? It's been around a while and I believe it's a pretty well regarded engine for both performance and reliability but would love to get some feedback from the Edmunds community here.
Very interested in the new Golf Alltrack with the manual when it arrives next year as a possible replacement for my trusty 07' Subie Impreza hatch
Anyone have any experience with the VW 1.8T? It's been around a while and I believe it's a pretty well regarded engine for both performance and reliability but would love to get some feedback from the Edmunds community here.
Very interested in the new Golf Alltrack with the manual when it arrives next year as a possible replacement for my trusty 07' Subie Impreza hatch
There are a few folks here who have the 1.8T - Golf's and Jetta's both.
I've got a Jetta with the 1.4T engine and I really like it. I imagine the 1.8T is even better (read: faster).
I like it. son has a 2014 Jetta, and daughter a 2015, both with the 1.8. quick, smooth, and gets great MPG (have done 39 MPG on highway runs). No issues to report.
Saw a new Murano today. I noticed that it now has those (IMHO) overstyled taillights - the type where they stick out and the plastic kind of forms a horizontal "shelf" because of the protrusion. I'll say I think that's really ugly, but appears to be a trend. The Toyota Highlander has them as well. Don't like the look.
starting to see a lot of the new Ridgelines out and about. I think 3 different ones while out doing errands Sunday. I think Honda may have a hit on their hands.
really hope that Ford displays the upcoming Ranger at the Philly auto show.
I heard that a co-worker who had an Xterra for 12 years just got an Escape Titanium, loaded. She's thrilled.
Not a new sighting, but a new experience. I took my 84 year old aunt for a ride in my (modern) car. Her car is an aging Dodge Stratus (she's in very good shape, and gets around without issue, looks 10 years older than she is and acts much younger). She was taken aback by the quiet smooth ride, the talking nav system, and all of the buttons. She had fun.
Two car carriers, about 2 minutes apart, carrying full loads of brand new Tesla Model X's. All white on both carriers. Yes, in the Bay Area on the west bay, not too far from Fremont. Heading north toward San Francisco.
My immediate reaction was "Man the owner's lucky he can't see that thing's butt from the driver's seat." Bummer for the person behind him in traffic though.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Stopped by the MB dealer. They had a couple of new C cabrios - one with a 60K MSRP, the other was being driven and I couldn't see the sticker. Hiding in back was an S63 AMG Cabrio with a 195K sticker. Belle Epoque.
My immediate reaction was "Man the owner's lucky he can't see that thing's butt from the driver's seat." Bummer for the person behind him in traffic though.
just about 3 months to go until the Philly auto show. My favorite activity of the year! quite a few new things coming out to see (if I don't get to them before). and I actually need a new car of some kind in 2017 too! Well, 9 months later, but always good to start planning early.
Anyone going to the LA Auto Show? We're thinking about hitting it on Saturday the 19th. Wanna see the 2017 Soul refresh. Found a campground near Malibu.
Today saw a new Prius (ran a red light, almost borderline, but gotta call it), AMG GT that violated a green signaled crosswalk (I yelled at it as I was on foot, this kind of infraction by such a car/driver will never be punished by the enforcement sector), and a new Volt driving normally.
I feel like the front ends are getting almost cartoonish on some cars right now. It reminds me of how crazy fins got in the late 50s. Something has to give. At least GM seems to be going away from the trend.
In terms of bric-a-brac and the simple volume of styling, Toyolex is the 1958 General Motors of the 21st century, with Nissan and Acura not far behind. Sadly, the design world can be the definition of "copycat" and "sycophant", so it eventually spreads like a rash.
I think most design is that way. The talent lies in putting your own spin on it. Ground-breaking design is pretty rare in the automotive world these days. Heavy influencers today are Ferrari, BMW and Audi.
I think today a lot of it is being different for the sake of being different, and trying to appear exciting or youthful - even if your product is not. The bad aspect of the former part is that it can create bad ideas, but the rest of the trade will interpret the chatter as something positive, and copy. Toyolex goes all batty and ugly, and now many others are picking up more overstyling or odd design. I doubt many modern cars will be seen as timeless in 30 years.
I know most of you don't like the Scion iA turned in to Toyota Yaris iA for 2017, I still like it, gaping maw and all. But the new Toyota Prius body design? Whoa...don't get that one at all!
Saw 5 different Golf Alltracks around Boston last weekend. And once again the XC90 is pretty much everywhere in the Cambridge - Concord stretch of Rt2. Must've counted 30 of them in a roundtrip I took on Sat. Can't wait to see what they have in store for the new 60's and 40 series...
Saw a couple of revised MDX's, nice to see they brought back the exhaust tips.
New RAV4 seems more popular than the new CR-V around here. Lotsa the new ones with the LED headlights, it's actually one of Toyotas more handsome styling exercises IMO...
Not so common sightings included an killer F-Type R Coupe, a Red AMG GT, a 650i Grandsport, a couple of Maserati Guilia's (SP?), a smattering of Model X's (I dig the looks), couple f Continental GT's (one HT, one vert).
Seen a lot of new BMWs around Charleston, which makes sense as they are kind of a local brand. Also saw the holding area at the port where X vehicles are being shipped out - all of the X4s you could want
A lot less Tesla presence here than in Seattle, and the Stepford set seems to prefer the Escalade or upper European makes, haven't seen a Model X.
Comments
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Pricing will be critical. Our '11 Soul base 5-speed has only a little over 73,500 miles on it now. That red always gets me. The Soul looks great in Tomato Red, too.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The day we traded the hulk of our '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS for the Soul I sat in a '11 Rio sedan. Small - intruding cabin area. I didn't see a 5-dr. hatch Rio on their lot to try out. Sat in a '14 Kia Soul and it felt comfortable. The length is increasing on the '18 Rio and I'll check the width - betcha they've upped it, too. Ahh...happiness.
Love ta see what, if anything Toyota does to their newly-acquired
ScioniA. Probably just plopping a shiny Toyota badge on that odd-looking, great driving new small car. Still like it - but not like I am starting ta like the '18 Kia Rio.I'm getting those butterflies in my stomach again.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Saw a Q60 coupe in traffic, Lexus and Infiniti are in mild competition for mild flamboyance.
will hit the Honda store (Civic EX-T, hope they have a stick but I doubt it), and Chevy (look at the Cruze hatch). And whatever else strikes my fancy. Want to see the Ioniq, but don't think that will be out for another month or so.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Very interested in the new Golf Alltrack with the manual when it arrives next year as a possible replacement for my trusty 07' Subie Impreza hatch
I've got a Jetta with the 1.4T engine and I really like it. I imagine the 1.8T is even better (read: faster).
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0
really hope that Ford displays the upcoming Ranger at the Philly auto show.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Not a new sighting, but a new experience. I took my 84 year old aunt for a ride in my (modern) car. Her car is an aging Dodge Stratus (she's in very good shape, and gets around without issue, looks 10 years older than she is and acts much younger). She was taken aback by the quiet smooth ride, the talking nav system, and all of the buttons. She had fun.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Stopped by the MB dealer. They had a couple of new C cabrios - one with a 60K MSRP, the other was being driven and I couldn't see the sticker. Hiding in back was an S63 AMG Cabrio with a 195K sticker. Belle Epoque.
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2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Saw a couple of revised MDX's, nice to see they brought back the exhaust tips.
New RAV4 seems more popular than the new CR-V around here. Lotsa the new ones with the LED headlights, it's actually one of Toyotas more handsome styling exercises IMO...
Not so common sightings included an killer F-Type R Coupe, a Red AMG GT, a 650i Grandsport, a couple of Maserati Guilia's (SP?), a smattering of Model X's (I dig the looks), couple f Continental GT's (one HT, one vert).
A lot less Tesla presence here than in Seattle, and the Stepford set seems to prefer the Escalade or upper European makes, haven't seen a Model X.