Car10

Kia has signed up to help clear the world's oceans of dumped plastics, writes Brian Byrne . Partnering with The Ocean Cleanup organisation based in The Netherlands, the carmaker will be providing funds and services to the organisation, which will be working in the oceans and also building devices for cleaning river water before it brings plastics into the seas. Kia will support The Ocean Cleanup financially to initiate ocean and river cleanup projects, and create a resource circulation system that will help avoid harvested plastics ending up back in the environment. Part of the catch from the operations will find their way back into Kia’s production process.  The agreement will run for seven years. Pictured are Ho Sung Song, President & CEO Kia Corporation; and Boyan Slat, Founder & CEO The Ocean Cleanup.

Kia Ireland hit a 7.75pc market share in the first quarter of 2022, the highest it has ever been, writes Brian Byrne. Sales are up by more than a third compared to the same quarter last year. The boost is underpinned by strong interest in the EV6 flagship electric car, and the new generation Sportage.

The new generation Kia Niro will arrive in Ireland in time for the 222 registration period in plug-in hybrid form, writes Brian Byrne . A battery EV version will come later in the summer, and Irish prices will be revealed closer to launch. The 141hp PHEV version will be powered with a 1.6 DGI petrol engine as primary power, with up to 65km range on the battery. The BEV will have a rated 463km range. This is the second generation of the Niro and will come with a full range of driver assistance options, including a remote parking system that allows the driver to complete parking in tight spaces from outside the car.  

Kia’s EV6 all-electric crossover was this evening named Europe’s Car of the year 2022 by a panel of European motoring journalists, writes Trish Whelan .    This latest award is the latest in a growing number of globally renowned awards bestowed on the EV6 since its introduction last year. It is the first time that a Korean brand has won this accolade and comes just two weeks after the EV6 lifted the Continental Irish Car of the Year 2022 award.  EV6 was voted the overall winner by a 61-strong jury consisting of highly respected motoring journalists from 23 European countries. With 279 points, the EV6 came out on top of the other shortlisted cars which were Renault Megane E-Tech (265), Hyundai Ioniq5 (261), Peugeot 308 (191), Skoda Enyaq iV (185), Ford Mustang Mach-e (150), and the Cupra Born (144). Six of the final contenders were electric cars - the Peugeot 308 has an engine.  EV6 can travel up to 528kms on a single charge and takes just 18 minutes to charge th...

Kia Ireland has launched KiaCharge, a European-wide integrated public charging service that will give drivers easier access to public vehicle charging, writes Trish Whelan .   KiaCharge provides more access to the Irish, UK and European public charging network than any equivalent service. This service is now live and the app is available to download from Google Play and Apple App Store.  Owners of the brand’s BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) can access more than 1,400 charge points across Ireland from a single account eliminating the need for drivers to sign up to separate accounts with multiple charging point operators or pre-pay with others. It provides access to major charging networks, including ESB, EasyGo and IONITY. Kia BEV and PHEV owners can access KiaCharge via a smartphone app or radio-frequency identification card.  Payments are made via a single itemised monthly invoice. The service offers a choice of two fully...

Kia has launched the fifth-generation of its new Sportage SUV, writes Trish Whelan .   Sportage is a key model for the brand in Ireland having been its best-selling model for over 10 years. The model, specifically designed and developed for Europe to establish new benchmarks across the SUV segment, combines a sleek yet muscular and modern exterior design with a very stylish interior featuring a swooping integrated curved display that houses the very latest advancements in connectivity tech.  Its everyday practicality and usability is demonstrated by improved luggage capacity, headroom and legroom compared to the outgoing model, including very good legroom for the second-row passengers.  Four powertrains and four trim levels are offered with the entry level K2 model featuring a 1.6 CRDi (115hp) engine priced from €34,300. The K3 (€38,000) offers both the 1.6 MHEV TDGi (150hp) or 1.6 CRDi with 115hp while the K3 HEV is priced from €42,000. The K4 is offered with 1.6 diese...

Are we really well down the electric route, or is it just hype? writes Brian Byrne . Here are a couple of facts, out of many recent that are EV related. In July of this year, two thirds of all cars sold in Oslo, capital of Norway, were electric. In Shenzhen, China, all 16,000 buses serving the city have been switched to electric, as well as 22,000 taxis. Sure, Norway has been an EV leader for some time, and in China there's a state-backed impetus for EVs. But that's the destination for all of us, sooner or later. I was thinking of that when I had my first drive experience in Kia's latest electric contender in the passenger car market. The EV6 has just joined the Soul and Niro in the Korean brand's EV offerings, and in this case is moving the company close to the premium EV business. The Hyundai-Kia group is one of those which have committed strongly to electric (and also to hydrogen fuel cell development, further down the sustainable motoring road). Unlike the Soul and ...

This is the next generation of the Kia Niro, unveiled at the 2021 Seoul Mobility Show this week, writes Brian Byrne . Though no technical specifications have been made available, the car will have hybrid, PHEV and electric powertrain options. The interior follows the theme set by the new generation Sportage, and the car will be officially launched next year. In nods towards sustainability, Kia said the headliner of the interior is made from recycled wallpaper, and the seats from plastics derived from eucalyptus leaves. The paint is water-based.  

This is a teaser for the next Kia Niro crossover which will be revealed tomorrow at the Seoul Mobility Show, writes Brian Byrne . Depending on market, the new Niro will be available in electric and petrol versions. The teaser suggests a quite radical change to the car, similar to what has been done to the Sportage.  

Kia launched a concept of a new electric SUV, the EV9, and the Automobility LA show, to show what its next EV brand car will look like, writes Brian Byrne . The concept car has a strong form and is nearly five metres long. The interior includes an ultra-wide 27-inch display. Vegan leather, which is far more ethical and sustainable compared to conventional animal leather, was used throughout the interior space. Kia plans to gradually reduce the use of animal leather in all its vehicles.  

Kia has released artist renderings of its new EV9 concept car, which will be revealed next week, writes Brian Byrne . The concept previews the next car in the brand's EV nameplate series, showing how a full-size all-electric SUV will develop. The renderings show a very square styling, with the interior featuring an ultra-wide dashboard screen system and an intriguing take on the steering wheel. The concept will be revealed in Los Angeles on 17 November. The first car in the series, the EV6, has just gone on sale in Ireland.