2014 Kia Cadenza Premium on 2040-cars

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Hurricane Sandy cost automakers 15,000 vehicles, may have ruined up to 200k

Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic storm in US history, and its total economic impact is just now coming into view. According to Automotive News, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda are set to scrap around 15,000 new vehicles ruined by the storm. Nissan alone accounts for about 40 percent of those, with 6,000 Nissan and Infiniti models deeded "un-saleable" due to damage. The company saw 56 dealerships shuttered due to the storm, but 51 of those have since reopened.
Toyota, meanwhile, had some 4,000 vehicles at its Newark port facility, and of those, 3,000 may be scrapped. An additional 825 were dealer inventory when they were ruined. Honda and Acura dealers are reportedly sending 3,440 vehicles to the salvage yard. By comparison, Chrysler weathered the storm fairly well with 825 units destroyed, while Hyundai suffered only 400 lost units and Kia scrapped around 200.
As you may recall, Fisker also suffered some losses, and Automotive News reports the manufacturer saw 320 Karma models damaged beyond repair. Ford and General Motors have yet to come up with estimates, and no automaker has commented on the full cost of replacing the vehicles.

2014 Kia Forte Koup bows with new look, new engine

Third time's the charm. The final member of Kia's Forte trio has been revealed here at the New York Auto Show, and this new coupe Koup will join the sedan and five-door models when it goes on sale near the end of this year.
The two-door Forte looks sharp, and we like the way Kia's new design language for its compact car has translated onto this coupe model. LED running lights are found up front, matching the LED taillmaps at the rear. EX models will ride on 16-inch alloy wheels, while the upgraded SX model will use 18-inch rollers.
Two powertrains will be offered in the Forte Koup: a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-four in the EX, producing 173 horsepower and 154 pound-feet of torque, mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission; and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four in the SX, rated at 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, available with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The five-door Forte also gets this turbocharged mill, and if its specs sound familiar, it's because this engine is also found under the hood of the Hyundai Veloster Turbo.

2015 Kia Sedona

Minivan sales have stagnated in recent years, and Kia tells me that no fewer than 15 models have been completely eliminated from the market since crossovers rose to prominence. So why in the world is the company not only sticking by the Sedona, but also actively investing in it, giving it a complete overhaul for the 2015 model year?
The Korean automaker isn't convinced that the minivan's "family box" reputation is truly warranted, and it sees an opportunity to snare younger, more active buyers by designing, engineering and marketing the Sedona as something versatile, edgy and comfortable. While that logic may seem both a bit familiar and somewhat far-fetched, Kia says forty-five percent of minivan buyers don't actually have kids and are instead simply looking for space, so the approach should be based at least in part on sound reasoning.
I spent an afternoon in Northern California behind the wheel of Kia's new non-minivan with a healthy does of skepticism about its new strategy, but an open mind, as well. Does the Sedona's execution live up to Kia's lofty criteria and expectations of what a nontraditional minivan should be? Will buyers ditch their CUVs for something with a little more junk in the trunk? Read on to find out.