Archive for the ‘koup’ Category

In June TheCarConnection got behind the wheel of the 2010 Kia Forte, which shares all of its powertrain options and most of the features and equipment available with the 2010 Kia Forte KOUP, its two-door model mate. But until today, pricing on the KOUP has been held back, waiting for the cars to arrive in dealerships.

Well, the cars are rolling onto lots, and Kia has just released pricing information: starting at $16,595, the KOUP carries a premium of about $3,000 over the base Forte sedan.

The comparison isn't strictly fair, however, since the sedan offers a stripped-down LX model to get that low $13,695 entry price. Comparing equal-trim...

As other automakers agonize over idled plants and tough choices, things are looking good for Kia—both overseas and for its rapidly growing operations in the U.S.  Overall, Kia sales are down 6.8 percent versus last year; but that's one of the smallest drops in sales of any brand, second only to Subaru.

Since last year, sales have been quite steady for Kia, which boosted its market share by 47 percent versus last year, to 3.1 percent of the U.S. market. And there will probably be more of a spike from the stylish Soul, which was introduced earlier this spring, and the 2010 Kia Forte sedan that bows this month. Regionally, Kia is growing the...