CHICAGO, Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The refreshed 2020 Kia Cadenza premium sedan made its debut today at the Chicago Auto Show.  Brimming with new design elements, technology and available convenience features, the 2020 Cadenza remains true to its mission of offering luxurious interior surroundings combined with a quiet and composed ride. Significant interior enhancements for 2020 improve ergonomics and a number of newly standard Kia Drive Wise¹ driver-assist technologies make time behind the wheel of the Cadenza more pleasant than ever.

“The Cadenza continues to introduce new and luxury-minded customers to the Kia brand,” said Michael Cole, president, Kia Motors America (KMA). “We recognize there are many customers who don’t want or need an SUV, but still desire a vehicle with plentiful interior room and a large trunk.  The Cadenza is the perfect choice for these people and the refreshed 2020 model is well-suited to their needs.”

When it goes on sale later this year, the 2020 Cadenza will be available in two trims: Technology and Limited, while last year’s Premium trim has been eliminated. Pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date. 

Exterior Enhancements

• Redesigned hood and grille with deeper vertical waterfall fascia
• Standard multi-lens LED headlights with redesigned LED DRL lamps
• New lower front fascia with integrated turn signals
• Redesigned rear bumper and trunk lid
• New LED combination rear taillights
• Redesigned 18-inch (standard) and 19-inch wheels (available)

While the exterior design is the first thing many will notice, it’s on the inside that the 2020 Cadenza sees the most change. Interior design changes include:

• Completely redesigned dash and instrument cluster with relocated audio controls above the climate switchgear
• Standard 4.2-inch TFT color screen in the instrument panel
• New 12.3-inch touchscreen with multi-device Bluetooth®² connectivity is standard
• New available multi-color ambient LED mood lighting (Limited only)
• Two new nappa leather-trimmed seating colors: Saddle Brown and Gray, with Limited models offering quilted seat bolsters
• Three additional USB charging ports (one in the front passenger area, two in the rear seat)
• Enhanced 10-watt wireless fast-charging phone charger
• New standard Smart Key based Engine Start

For 2020, Drive Wise, Kia’s advanced suite of driver-assisted technology, sees a number of significant enhancements to the Cadenza. New standard features include:

• New standard “Sensor Fusion” combines Forward Collision Warning, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian/cyclist detection, Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go and High Beam Assist³
• Lane Following Assist follows visible lane markings or a preceding vehicle and provides steering inputs to maintain the vehicle’s position in the lane³
• Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist – Rear with Lane Change Assist³
• Highway Driving Assist uses federal highway speed limit information to automatically adjust vehicle speed to be within the posted speed limit³
• Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control – Curve uses navigation data to lower the vehicle’s speed proactively before upcoming curves³
• Safe Exit Assist alerts the driver or passenger opening their door to not exit the vehicle when approaching traffic is detected⁴

Powered by the same smooth 3.3-liter V6 from last year, the all-aluminum engine delivers 290 horsepower to the front wheels through an 8-speed electronically controlled Sportmatic transmission.  NVH improvements for 2020 include reinforced rear sub-frame cross members and resonator wheels (19-inch only) that help to reduce road noise entering the cabin. Redesigned shock valves reduce vibration and larger rear dampers improve rebound over rough surfaces.  

About Kia Motors America

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia Motors America has been the highest ranked mass-market brand in initial quality for five consecutive years according to J.D. Power⁵, and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands by Interbrand. Kia serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly assembled in West Point, Georgia.*

For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.  To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

*The Telluride, Sorento and Optima (excluding Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

¹ These features are not substitutes for safe driving, and may not detect all objects surrounding vehicle. Always drive safely and use caution.
² The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG Inc., and any use of such marks by Kia is pursuant to license. A Bluetooth® enabled device is required to use Bluetooth® wireless technology.
³ Distracted driving can result in a loss of vehicle control. When operating a vehicle, never use a vehicle system that takes your focus away from safe vehicle operation.
⁴ Safe Exit Assist is not a substitute for one’s attention and may not detect all objects surrounding the vehicle. Always pay attention to traffic and to the area around your vehicle when exiting the vehicle.
⁵ Kia received the lowest rate of reported problems among mass market brands in the J.D. Power 2015-19 U.S. Initial Quality Studies of new vehicle owners’ experiences with their own vehicle after 90 days of ownership. Visit jdpower.com/awards for more details.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1087056/2020_Cadenza.jpg 
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/714298/Kia_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Kia Motors America

CHICAGO, Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) awarded the Telluride its 2020 MAMA Family Vehicle of the Year. The Telluride beat out 19 contenders for the award, and in order to qualify, vehicles must be either new or significantly updated for that model year.

“The Midwest Automotive Media Association’s membership includes some of the most prominent and respected auto journalists in the country,” said MAMA president Damon Bell, “and they selected the Kia Telluride as the 2020 MAMA Family Vehicle of the Year over a formidable roster of contenders. The Telluride can add another prestigious trophy to the long list of awards it has earned this year.”

“The Chicago auto show has always had a special place in Kia’s corporate heart,” said Michael Cole, president, Kia Motors America. “And our respect for MAMA and its journalist members goes hand-in-hand with our affinity for the region. Kia is very proud of the Telluride and this award.”

Telluride has garnered more than 40 awards from media outlets around the country since its introduction. Demand continues to outpace supply and more than 60,000 Tellurides have been sold since going on sale early last year.

About Kia Motors America

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia Motors America has been the highest ranked mass market brand in initial quality for five consecutive years according to J.D. Power¹ and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands by Interbrand. Kia serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly assembled in West Point, Georgia.*

For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

*The Telluride, Sorento and Optima (excluding Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

¹ Kia received the lowest rate of reported problems among mass market brands in the J.D. Power 2015-19 U.S. Initial Quality Studies of new vehicle owners’ experiences with their own vehicle after 90 days of ownership. Visit jdpower.com/awards for more details.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1087060/Kia_Motors_America_2020_Telluride.jpg

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/714298/Kia_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Kia Motors America

CHICAGO, Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Today, at the Chicago Auto Show, Kia received two MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Awards. The Niro won in the “Best Eco-Friendly” category and Telluride topped the “Best Large Utility” category. MotorWeek is television’s longest running automotive magazine show. Its editors conduct upwards of 150 car and truck reviews annually, evaluating vehicles on an array of factors, including: price, features, performance, accommodations, fuel economy, reliability records, and resale value. The Drivers’ Choice awards are based on these thorough evaluations.

“MotorWeek editors are some of the most respected and astute in the industry,” said Michael Cole, president, Kia Motors America (KMA). “So, to have them recognize the Niro and Telluride as the best in their categories is incredibly satisfying.”

“With the Telluride, Kia, has in one fell swoop, gone from being under represented in this hugely important 3-row family utility market, to being the new benchmark in roominess, features, and technology that seasoned rivals now must aspire to,” says John Davis, MotorWeek creator and host. “Plus, it’s made in the U.S.A.”

“While in the Niro,” continued Davis, “we loved the fact that environmentally aware buyers can choose between Hybrid, PHEV, and full EV models. So, they can select an efficient powertrain that fits their lifestyle without giving up the Niro’s stellar and equally efficient interior packaging.”

All Drivers’ Choice Award winners are featured on Motorweek.org, and will appear on a special episode of MotorWeek (#3923) airing on public television stations beginning February 8, 2020, and on cable’s MotorTrend Network beginning February 18.

About Kia Motors America

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia Motors America has been the highest ranked mass market brand in initial quality for five consecutive years according to J.D. Power¹ and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands by Interbrand. Kia serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly assembled in West Point, Georgia.*

For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.  To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

*The Telluride, Sorento and Optima (excluding Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

¹ Kia received the lowest rate of reported problems among mass market brands in the J.D. Power 2015-19 U.S. Initial Quality Studies of new vehicle owners’ experiences with their own vehicle after 90 days of ownership. Visit jdpower.com/awards for more details.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1087068/2020_Telluride.jpg  
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1087069/2020_Niro_Touring.jpg  
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/714298/Kia_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Kia Motors America

CHICAGO, Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Fresh from its world debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon last month, the 2020 Honda Civic Type R made its U.S. debut at the Chicago Auto Show today, appearing for the first time in public in its new Boost Blue exterior color scheme. The 2020 Civic Type R brings a number of changes and improvements to Type R’s winning formula, with revised styling, improved handling and braking, better engine cooling and the addition of standard Honda Sensing^® safety and driver-assistive technologies.

Headlining the changes to the 2020 Civic Type R are numerous improvements to its world-beating driving dynamics. New two-piece brake rotors and brake pads are designed to reduce fade and improve high-speed braking efficiency, while suspension revisions for 2020 include updated dampers for improved ride comfort, stiffer rear bushings for better grip, and revisions to the front suspension and steering for even better steering feel. Additionally, the grille has been redesigned to allow better engine cooling under high demand.

Inside, the 2020 Civic Type R will feature additional refinement that includes a new Alcantara™-wrapped steering wheel, and a new shifter with a restyled knob and shorter shift throws. Every 2020 Civic Type R will be equipped with the Honda Sensing^® suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies, making the Honda Sensing^® suite standard equipment on all Civic models and trims when the 2020 Type R it goes on sale.

Under the hood, the 2020 Civic Type R draws power from a race-bred 2.0-liter direct-injected and turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with VTEC™ valvetrain putting out a peak 306 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque (both SAE net), with power to the front wheels delivered through a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential. As before, drivers can choose between three driving modes – Comfort, Sport and +R – that vary suspension firmness, steering and throttle response. New for 2020 is Active Sound Control, which modifies interior sound in concert with the chosen drive mode. The Type R’s selectable drive modes and sophisticated design make it both a thrilling companion on a mountain road or a racetrack and a remarkably civilized daily driver with a degree of flexibility unmatched in its competitive set, especially at the price.

Additional information about the 2020 Civic Type R, including pricing and all specifications, will be available later when it goes on sale later this winter.

About Honda
Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles with advanced safety technologies sold through over 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Insight, Accord and Clarity series passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V, Passport and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for more than 35 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2019, more than 90 percent of all Honda brand vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

For More Information
Additional media information including detailed pricing features and high-resolution photography of all 2019 Honda models is available at hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at automobiles.honda.com. To join the Honda community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/honda.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1087052/01_2020_Honda_Civic_Type__R.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/451598/Honda_Logo.jpg

SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Acura is taking its challenge to “Beat That!” to the next-level by turning its exhilarating new commercial into a competitive mobile racing game: acura.com/playbeatthat. Acura’s “Less Talk, More Drive” television thrill ride of a commercial (acura.us/lesstalkmoredrive) has become a bona fide mobile racing game where players can race through multiple gaming eras in some of the Acura brand’s most iconic vehicles.

Free to play on desktop and mobile devices, “Beat That” the game enables players to race to the finish line of six unique tracks in one of six Acura vehicles featured in the “Less Talk, More Drive” TV spot. Each track represents an iconic era of gaming, from the popular 8-bit style of the ’80s and ’90s, to more photo-realistic treatments of modern gaming. Each Acura vehicle offers its own unique driving character and performance attributes, ranging from an original 1991 NSX to the Acura’s latest design – the Type S Concept.

Levels:

• Level 1: 1991 Acura NSX – 8-bit Beach
• Level 2: 1998 Acura Integra Type R – Warehouse Complex
• Level 3: 2020 Acura RDX A-Spec – Snowy Summit
• Level 4: Acura ARX-05 Daytona Prototype race car – Grand Prix Circuit
• Level 5: 2020 Acura NSX – Super Skyway
• Level 6: Acura Type S Concept – Cyber Tunnel

“Beat That” is the first mobile racing game where visuals from each individual level match the styles that were prevalent in games from that specific car’s era. As the game progresses, so do the years featured in the graphic treatments and music. Beating a specific lap time unlocks the next level of the game for racing. Once a player completes a lap, they can challenge a friend to “Beat That,” by completing a lap at a faster time.

How to “Beat That”

Players can challenge others to “Beat That” in several ways. The game features dynamic share cards allowing players to share times and challenge their social networks. These share cards contain the level, vehicle, and individual lap time that each gamer earned on a specific track. In addition to being able to share across social feeds, players also can send a challenge to friends and family through Facebook Messenger or any other instant messaging platform.

Players also can test their skills through challenge lap times on the daily top 10 or all-time top 10 leaderboard. They can do so by clicking the “Challenge” button next to an individual lap time on the leaderboard. This will overlay a “ghost car” of that run into the game, giving the player the chance to “Beat That” time.

Social Sharing

As an added bonus, Acura continues to utilize GIPHY across social campaigns, this time creating “Beat That” GIFs using assets from the game. Players can use these GIFs to create their own Acura-styled game in the GIPHY Arcade.   

In addition to the mobile and desktop versions, “Beat That” is available for play in the Facebook Instant Games platform. Players can access this version by visiting: https://fb.gg/play/acura-beat-that. The mobile and desktop versions can be played at acura.com/playbeatthat.

About Acura

Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance – a commitment to evocative styling, high performance and innovative engineering, all built on a foundation of quality and reliability. The Acura lineup features six distinctive models – the RLX premium luxury sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the five-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America’s all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV, and the next-generation, electrified NSX supercar.

Five of the six Acura models sold in North America are made in central Ohio, using domestic and globally-sourced parts, including the ILX and TLX luxury sports sedans (Marysville Auto Plant), the RDX and MDX luxury SUVs (East Liberty Auto Plant) and the Acura NSX supercar, which is built to order at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio.

Additional media information including pricing, features & specifications and high-resolution photography is available at AcuraNews.com. Consumer information is available at Acura.com. Follow Acura on social media at Acura.us/SocialChannels.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1086974/Acura_Beat_That_Game.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/458749/acura_logo.jpg  

SOURCE Acura