Kia's Soul And Sorrento Recalled for Possible Electrical Fire

Vehicle Make / Model:     Model Year(s):      KIA / SORENTO     2011      KIA MOTOR / SOUL     2010 Manufacturer: HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC Mfr's Report Date: AUG 31, 2010 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 10V388000 N/A NHTSA Action Number: N/A

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Potential Number of Units Affected: 35,185

Summary: HYUNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 SOUL AND MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 7, 2009 THROUGH JULY 30, 2010. A LIMITED NUMBER OF WIRING HARNESSES SUPPLIED BY JCI AND USED FOR THE LIGHTING IN THE KIA SOUL VEHICLES ADVANCED LIGHTING SPEAKERS, LOCATED IN THE FRONT DOOR TRIM PANELS, AND THE KIA SORENTO VEHICLES INTERIOR ACCENT ILLUMINATION, LOCATED IN THE FRONT AND REAR DOOR TRIM PANELS, MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY SOLDERED.

Consequence: WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MAY OCCUR THAT CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESSES FOR THE LIGHTS IN THE KIA SOUL VEHICLE¿S ADVANCED LIGHTING SPEAKERS, AND THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE KIA SORENTO VEHICLE¿S INTERIOR ACCENT ILLUMINATION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING SEPTEMBER 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

Notes: KIA'S SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS SC083. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

2010 Kia Forte Sedan: A Worthy Player in the Compact Segment

What’s New:

The stylish looking wedge style exterior design of the Kia Forte compact sedan is new to the line up, replacing the aging Spectra. For the first time the Korean automaker has a vehicle, which competes head-to-head with Honda’s Civic and Toyota’s Corolla, offering more content and horsepower than the vehicle it replaced at virtually the same price.

More importantly, according to the American Leasing Guide, which sets the residual value of vehicles, the Forte is expected to be worth at least 50 percent of its MSRP in three years, which is approximately 7 percent more than the average compact vehicle, making this a first for Kia in this segment.

Must Have Goodies:

For the first time Kia offers optional leather heated seats in a compact, if you upgrade to the EX or SX trims. Ironically, power seats aren’t available with the leather seating package. However, consumers will still be able to find a comfortable seating position, with the supportive, roomy seats.

In addition to Kia offering a value packed vehicle, audio lovers will be glad to know that every Forte has been outfitted with an AM/FM/CD/MP3. The compact Forte also includes a three month complimentary subscription to Sirius Satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity.

Furthermore, the Forte is equipped with a number of standard safety features. While all compacts are built with the typically front air bags, the Forte stands apart from the crowd with the standard side mounted curtain airbags, ABS, Electronic Stability Control and Traction control.

And for those seeking to inch some extra miles out of the fuel-efficient compact, consider ordering a $600 Fuel Economy Package, which includes a five-speed automatic transmission, a Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS), a Smart alternator, low-rolling resistance silica tires and aerodynamic enhancements. Drivers can also order the Premium Package, too, which includes a power roof and 16-inch tires. Unfortunately, the roof is only available as a stand alone option on the upgraded Forte SX trim. The SX trim comes with standard 17-inch tires, too. Furthermore, power windows and a keyless remote entry are standard with the EX and SX trims.

What Rocked:

The Forte offers one of the roomiest interiors in the compact segment, with a neatly organized layout of the controls on the instrument panel. We also found the front seats to be large and comfortable like a midsize vehicle. Yet, unlike most compacts, the upright front seating position and the wide leather seats are comfortable for driving across country.

Moreover, we were surprised at the amount of rear seat leg room. You could actually seat occupants comfortably in the rear. And to aid in their comfort, rear occupants can use the center armrest and the dual adjustable integrated rear headrests, which is available as an option on the base LX and standard on the EX and SX models.

And added to that, Kia offers one of the best warranties for a compact sedan – a 10-year/100,000 mile warranty, which covers engine and powertrain related components.

What We Hated:

While we were extremely impressed with the Forte, the vehicle lacked a temperature gauge. Moreover, the optional leather heated seats in the LX and SX trims didn’t offer a power package. Although this seemed somewhat odd, we were able to find a suitable seating position, with the manual controls. Moreover, unlike some of its competitors, the Forte is lacking a navigational system.

Any Juice:

The Forte provides two, four-cylinder engine configurations, with either a manual or automatic transmission. By stepping up to SX trim, this will give drivers looking for a little more juice, 17 additional horses underneath the hood. Conversely, the extra horses mean you’ll sacrifice around two to three miles per gallon in city and highway driving, according to the federal government’s fuel economy guide.

The Verdict:

Kia is known for offering a high level of equipment at an affordable price. Because of the extremely roomy interior, one of the best in the compact segment, you won’t feel like you’re packed inside of a sardine can. Buyers seeking the new Forte can opt for three trim levels: LX, EX and SX.

Pricing for the Forte start at $13,695 and can easily climb to $21,000, when fully optioned. Kia is definitely making waves, with their fresh designs, improved quality, well equipped vehicles and the automaker’s industry-best warranty.

Competition: Chevy Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla

To configure the Forte or another vehicle, visit our New Vehicle Pricing Guide.

2010 Rides with High Residual Values

2010 Subaru Legacy MSRP*: $17,995- $29,995
Category: 3-yr/5-yr Residual
Legacy Average Residual: 54%/36% of MSRP
Subaru Average Residual : 49%/34% of MSRP
Midsize Car Average Residual: 39%/25% of MSRP

2010 Ford Taurus SHO MSRP*: $37,170
Category: 3-yr/5-yr Residual
Taurus SHO Average Residual: 44%/29% of MSRP
Ford Average Residual: 37%/24% of MSRP
Full Size Car Average Residual: 36%/24% of MSRP

2010 Kia Forte MSRP*: $13,695-$18.195
Category: 3-yr/5-yr Residual
Forte Average Residual: 50%/27% of MSRP
Kia Average Residual: 33%/20% of MSRP
Mid-Compact Car Average Residual: 43%/29% of MSRP

2010 Buick LaCrosse MSRP*: $27,085-$33,015
Category: 3-yr/5-yr Residual

LaCrosse Average Residual: 46%/31% of MSRP
Buick Average Residual: 36%/24% of MSRP

Fullsize Car Average Residual: 36%/24% of MSRP

Here are four all-new re-designed vehicles which are expected to have a higher resale value than other competing vehicles in its category over a 3-year period. Residual value is based on the percentage of the MSRP a new-vehicle will retain after a period of time, which could be 2 years, 3 years, 4 years or 5 years. Typically, after 5 years, the value of your vehicle greatly diminishes. Resale value is important for two reasons: if you plan on trading in your vehicle within a specified period of time and if you plan on leasing a vehicle. In the case of leasing, higher residual values leads to lower car payments than traditional financing. This is why many automakers depend on leasing as a significant percentage of their monthly new-vehicle sales and why Chrysler and GM recently recommitted to leasing.

On the other hand, if you plan on holding on to your vehicle until the wheels fall off, resale value should be the least of your concern. In fact, quality and long-term reliability should be at the top of your list. Ironically, while the Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus SHO and Subaru Legacy have a higher resale value than its brand and its segment over a 3-year and 5-year period, the Kia Forte, which replaces the Spectra, actually is expected to roll in 2 points lower than the mid-compact car average segment at the end of five years. Yet, the Forte still manages to pull in a residual value 7 points higher than the Kia brand as a whole. Conversely, the Kia Forte has a longer powertrain warranty than the competing vehicles in its segment like the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla.

With the exception of the Taurus SHO, which we have reviewed, look for upcoming car reviews of the aforementioned new rides soon. To check out the features and options of each of the vehicles, visit the Car-Buying Toolbox on this site, accessing our New-Vehicle Pricing Guide.

*The base MSRP excludes the destination charge, advertising fees and options.

Sources: American Leasing Guide and JeffCars.com