New Cars
Kia Continues To Ride The Soul Train With New Trail’ster Concept
Kia knows how to milk a good thing for all its worth. The Soul is a popular car – and Kia continues to tweak it in an attempt to throw the biggest net it can out there. And there could be more changes on the horizon if you believe the hype at the unveiling of the Kia Trail’ster concept at the Chicago Auto Show.
Prior to the Trail’ster being rolled out, Kia’s Michael Sprague talked about how the Kia Trackster concept turned into the inspiration for the newest Soul redesign. He then mentioned that “history might just repeat itself” with the new Trail’ster.
The presentation was essentially an attempt to make the Trail’ster seem like a “rugged” version of the Kia Soul. This new Soul Trail’ster concept wouldn’t be afraid to leave the city behind and “go where no Soul has gone before.” Cute play on words.
The controls are “beefy.” The ignition button is red. There are accents on the wheels. It has a skid plate. And oh yeah, it’s an AWD hybrid so it sips fuel as well. The engine is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder that produces 185 horsepower but can be supplemented by an electric motor on the rear axle that bumps up the total output to 220 horsepower.
It was announced that the fuel mileage would improve by 25-30% in city driving. Even though the Soul is meant to leave the city…
It’s hard to imagine that the number of people that are currently taking the Soul off-roading was as high as Kia thinks. But, the AWD hybrid option is certainly going to be intriguing to some. Will the Trail’ster concept inspire a new generation of Soul or become a stand-alone version? Time will tell.
If this is the future of electric pony cars, I’m on board.
We’ve heard rumors of the next iteration of the Dodge Charger. We’ve seen the concept pictures. But after seeing it in person at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show, I can say, the electric future is pretty bright at Stellantis (aside from the Ram overkill).
From a design perspective, nobody beats the designers of Dodge cars, in my opinion. The lines on this car pay tribute to Chargers of the past, while also being very modern. Even the triangle-shaped logo, known as a Fratzog, harkens to its Mopar past.
Where the design gets more modern, without losing us in the new wave is the unique aero hood that is undetectable looking at the front of the car. But a look from around the windshield clearly shows a full scoop at the front of the hood that is unlike anything in the class.
The concept is also a two-door, which is a deviation from the modern-day Chargers that only came in four-door. Whether the company will release a four-door version still remains to be seen.
2024 Dodge Charger Engine Specs
While the design is catching many eyes, it’s still Dodge we’re talking about here. People are going to want to know about the power. After all, Dodge making an electric vehicle seems like a clear departure from the gas-guzzling, tire-burning Dodges of the past.
However, the company put out a teaser video with clear messaging that performance will not be lost. With the capability of electric powertrain torque, they are likely leaning on takeoff power, and I’m confident the car will be fast. That being said, there’s no replacing the sound of a traditional hemi engine. But, with the electric revolution, some concessions will need to be made.
Right now, all we know about is three engine options under the hood for the 2024 Dodge Charger Electric. They are:
- 340 with 440 horsepower
- 440 with 590 horsepower
- SRT 800 with horsepower not yet released
2024 Dodge Charger Electric Price
While pricing hasn’t been released, since the 2024 Dodge Charger Electric is still listed as a concept, we have a rough idea of where things could land – within an accepted range of error.
Our estimates of price of the 2024 Dodge Charger Electric are:
- Dodge Charger Electric 340, $55-65,000
- Dodge Charger Electric 440, $65-75,000
- Dodge Charger SRT, $90-100,000
No matter how you feel about electric vehicles – especially with Dodge – the world is heading that direction. But with the 2024 Dodge Charger Electric, there is hope.
The 2020 Corvette is here – and it’s the one we’ve been waiting for.
Having seen and sat in the car in person, I can confidently say that Chevrolet nailed it with the G8 Corvette that only shares a single part with its predecessor.
The biggest change is clearly the engine of the car moving from the front to a mid-engine. This has become a high-end performance car staple, but not something Chevrolet has entertained until the release of the newest version for 2020. The mid-engine gives the Corvette better balance and handling dynamics, while it is slightly heavier than the last edition.
The new Corvette will be available in three trim levels, the 1LT, 2LT and 3LT. There will be a single engine offered initially – the 6.2-liter V8 that produces 495 horsepower paired to an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The 2020 Corvette Stingray 0-60 time, according to Chevrolet, is 2.8 seconds and it can conquer the quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds, reaching 122 mph.
The overall appearance of the Corvette has changed a bit, but it’s still very recognizable as a Corvette, which is key to an evolution that still harkens back to the car’s rich history that began in 1953. The door handles have been hidden and the car has an incredibly sleek and clean look. It retains its convertible option, but has a first-ever production retractable hardtop. It can activate at speeds up to 30 mph.
Inside, the car feels amazingly natural to sit in. You almost become part of the car, which is how you want to feel when navigating a sports car – especially if you are lucky enough to be able to pilot the car around a real track.
There are three seat combinations to choose from, so everyone can find the Corvette that best suits them. There’s even a trunk behind the mid-engine, which the professionals at the Chicago Auto Show were quick to point out “can hold two sets of golf clubs.” While the actual golf bags would have to be pretty small, funnier to me was the assumption that I like golf.
Arriving for sale now, the 2020 Chevy Corvette is sure to impress. It’s already been named the 2020 Motor Trend Car of the Year – and I have a feeling the awards will keep coming.
2020 Chevy Corvette Key Stats
| Horsepower | 495 |
| Torque | 470 lb-ft |
| Top Speed | 194 mph |
| 0-60 Time | 2.9 seconds |
| Quarter-Mile | 11.2 seconds |
Kia promised the new 2021 Seltos to start under $22,000. And thanks to some leaked Kia Seltos pricing information, the brand appears to have made good on it. Barely.
The base Seltos LX (and S) from the information that’s out there, appears to be sneaking just under the bar at $21,990. Yes, $10 MSRP does equal a promise fulfilled.
Yes, we are going to wait until Kia officially gives out the pricing to fully speculate. But for now, it’s up to you to decide if a Kia SUV is in your future.
2021 Kia Seltos Pricing
| Model | Price |
|---|---|
| LX AWD | $21,990 |
| S FWD | $21,990 |
| S AWD | $23,490 |
| EX AWD | $25,290 |
| S 1.6L Turbo | $25,490 |
| SX 1.6L Turbo | $27,890 |
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