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Sales incentive growth clustered around brands with few CUVs, trucks

While it's arguably been around the longest, the dominance of the four-door sedan has been under threat for many years. As a further sign of the hurtin' that SUVs and crossovers have put on today's four-doors, a new report from Automotive News points to the increasing use of incentives by brands reliant on cars and light on CUVs and pickups.
Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen and Kia have all been stung by double-digit increases in their incentives-to-transaction price ratio, according to AN, which cites data from TrueCar. Honda's ratio is up 14 percent, while Toyota, VW and Kia are up 18, 15 and 19 percent, respectively.
"Most of the incentive growth we have seen is in product segments with low demand - midsized or large sedans," TrueCar CEO John Krafcik told AN. "As this trend goes on, the brands with three-sedan strategies are going to be in worse shape on incentive spending than the crossover brands."

Kia Sorento spotted high-altitude testing after 'Ring run

Some models stick around the market longer than others. The Kia Sorento, for example, lasted for a good eight years in its first iteration, and the second-generation model has been around for five years now. Sure, it had a facelift a couple of years ago, but if it's going to make it in the highly competitive midsize crossover market, Kia is going to have to do better than that.
And that appears to be just what it has in store. Following the previous spy shots we brought you from the Nürburgring the better part of a year ago, the next-generation Sorento has now been spotted shlepping a trailer up a mountain.
Expected to debut as soon as the Paris Motor Show in October, the third-generation Kia Sorento appears to have grown longer in order to better accommodate third-row passengers. You can also expect the latest technologies on board and maybe, just maybe, a plug-in hybrid powertain option. Watch this space for more and scope out the spy shots in the gallery above for a closer look.

Kia debuts Forte 5-door with available 201-HP turbo engine

The US-bound 2014 Kia Forte first showed up in sedan form back at the LA Auto Show last year, but Kia unveiled the hatchback version of the car today at the Chicago Auto Show. Unlike the current Forte five-door the 2014 will feature styling that is distinct from its sedan counterpart, but the big news is it will also get a few extra ponies under the hood.
Since the Forte five-door will only be offered in EX and SX trim, the sedan's 1.8-liter inline-four is not offered on this model. The base engine in the EX is the 2.0-liter direct-injected four, producing 173 horsepower and 154 pound-feet of torque. Those looking for more power should check out the Forte SX, which uses the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine currently found in the Hyundai Veloster Turbo. This engine produces 201 hp and 195 lb-ft, and it can be paired to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission; the latter of which is optional and comes with paddle shifters.
Aside from the obvious styling changes required for the added cargo area, the 2014 Kia Forte five-door gets numerous design elements to set it apart from the sedan. The face of the new hatchback will get a much smaller tiger-nose grille than the sedan, but it will get a larger lower intake, which we can't help but compare to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. Kia also gave the Forte dual exhaust outlets and LED taillights, and the SX model will get stylish 18-inch wheels. Inside, the five-door design allows the Forte to increase its cargo volume to 23.2 cubic feet, and the cabin can also be equipped with features such as heated front seats, ventilated driver's seat, navigation, leather seating and dual-zone climate control.