If you’re traveling this Memorial Day holiday weekend, you won’t be out there alone: AAA is predicting 34.8 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, the highest volume in last five years.

But as you hurry to reach your holiday destination, be careful about stepping on the gas: Holiday traffic brings out the traffic cops, the speed traps and the likelihood of bringing home a speeding ticket among your holiday souvenirs.

Mobile apps such as Trapster and websites such as the National Speed Trap Exchange, sponsored by the National Motorists Association (NMA), do their bit to warn lead-footed drivers of what lies ahead on the road.

The NMA, a grassroots motorists’ rights group, has also updated its 2010 rankings of the cities and states that are generally more likely to dun speeding drivers.

“Most states don’t have a central collection point for traffic ticket data,” said NMA spokesman John Bowman. So the group analyzed eight ticket-related search queries using Google’s Insights for Search, which shows search trends across the country.

The NMA found that:

    Nevada is the state most likely to issue traffic tickets, followed by Georgia and Alabama. (In 2010, Florida took the top spot; Georgia and Nevada tied for second place.)
    Wyoming is the state least likely to issue speeding tickets, followed closely by Montana. These two ranked at the bottom in 2010 as well.

Bowman said the list of top 25 states hasn’t really changed that much since 2010 and that the bottom 10 are also much the same, with a few exceptions.

“Three states moved up into the top 10 in terms of volume of tickets: Maryland, Louisiana and California. That didn’t surprise us at all as it jives very well with the calls we get from members looking for help,” said Bowman.

He also said that something has changed, ticket-wise, in Nebraska. “Two years ago Nebraska was in the bottom 10, but it has moved up to number 33 in the rankings. We’re not sure what’s going on there.”

In addition to the state rankings, this year NMA also ranked the top 10 metro areas for traffic tickets. Atlanta, Los Angeles and Dallas-Fort Worth topped the list of cities most likely to ticket drivers. Miami, New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C, Houston, Orlando and San Diego also made that list.

In addition to the irritation (and embarrassment) of getting pulled over for a speeding ticket on your vacation, there is, of course, the cost.

“More people are traveling this holiday, but many are economizing by cutting entertainment expenses, traveling shorter distances, booking hotels with value added features and staying with friends or family instead of hotels,” said Cynthia Brough, spokesperson for AAA National, which doesn’t monitor speed traps but does warn members of strict enforcement regions. “And most people don’t include the cost of speeding tickets in their travel budgets.”

Total Car Score, one of the most comprehensive automotive ranking and comparison websites, has named the 2012 Kia Soul as a "Top Scoring 2012 Economy Car," and the 2012 Kia Sorento as one of its "Top Scoring 2012 Midsize SUVs and Crossovers."  The inaugural Total Car Score awards recognize up to two models in each automotive category.  The Soul urban passenger vehicle, which received significant enhancements for the 2012 model year, earned high praise for its ease of entry, abundant headroom, standard Bluetooth®(1) and USB connectivity and a variety of colors and interior fabrics offered.  The Sorento – Kia's best-selling vehicle in the U.S. in 2010 and 2011 – outranked its peers with available third-row seating, a comprehensive array of standard equipment, available UVO powered by Microsoft®(2) voice-activated infotainment system and spacious cargo capacity.

"The popularity of the Soul and Sorento have contributed to Kia's rise to become the fastest growing car company in the U.S.(3) over the last five years, and being named to Total Car Score's 'Top Scoring Cars for 2012' list illustrates the strength of both of these offerings in their respective segments," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing and communications, Kia Motors America (KMA).  "Both vehicles bring a unique set of attributes – from standout styling and comprehensive equipment packaging to upmarket amenities – and are emblematic of the Kia brand's success as a whole."

Total Car Score provides a comprehensive auto rating system that lets car buyers and enthusiasts compare models from all automotive segments.  The "Total Car Score" assigned to a vehicle is an overall industry assessment that combines quantitative car reviews from various major automotive authorities, including the Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

"Brands like Kia are raising customer expectations across every vehicle segment," said Karl Brauer, chief executive officer and editor-in-chief of Total Car Score. "The Soul and Sorento have earned industry-wide respect for their quality and value, as reflected in their high Total Car Scores."

For more information about Total Car Score's coverage of the 2012 Kia Soul and Sorento, please visit http://www.totalcarscore.com/kia/soul/2012 and http://www.totalcarscore.com/kia/sorento/2012. />< a=""> />
Kia's Unprecedented Growth<>

Kia Motors is the one of the world's fastest moving global automotive brands; from 2009-2011 Kia launched more new vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker, and under the guidance of chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, earned a reputation as an industry leader in automotive styling.  Kia Motors America's full line of fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive cars and CUVs has earned critical acclaim and dramatically increased consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand.  In 2011, KMA recorded its 17th consecutive year of market share growth, thanks in part to the largest increase of any major brand in perceived quality(4) and the industry's highest brand loyalty ranking (5).  Kia's U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia – KMMG – is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 plant and supplier jobs and builds two of the company's best-selling vehicles in the U.S. – the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan.*  Kia's value and technology-laden 2012 model year lineup also includes the Sportage compact CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Optima Hybrid, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and Sedona minivan.

SOURCE Kia Motors America

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Kia engineers have taken advantage of the good weather in Germany right, and found a window to test the Kia Sorento on the famous high-speed Nurburgring test track there.

This is a significant mid-life change for the popular Kia crossover that’s sold globally, and it’s good to see that engineers are making sure the vehicle is fun as well as safe on a track.

We’ve seen the Sornento facelift before, as it was undergoing winter testing in Sweden, but this time it’s dropped the fabric camouflage with padding in favor of a less concealing wrap.

Overall, the design changes aren’t major, but we can make out differences in the lower bumper, the fog light, headlights, which have either LEDs or a reflective bar at the top, and taillights. The grille honeycomb structure has also changed, but this sort of car isn’t al about the looks.

Of far more importance would be the arrival of some new engines. It’s been rumored that a new 2.2-liter turbo will over 200 horsepower will be introduced to the range, together with more efficient and powerful versions of the existing units.

The current generation of the Sorento SUV was first previewed at the New York Auto Show in March 2009. This new generation uses a uni-structure body and is Kia's first model built in the United States. We can expect the facelift to debut at the same venue next year.

Courtesy of Autoevolution

Ask most people how they track the maintenance of their car, and it’s likely they’ll reference the tell-tale or the ubiquitous static cling oil-change reminder tucked in the corner of the windshield.
But if Korean auto maker KIA motors has its way, these analog mainstays could give way to something a bit more high tech.

Kia this year rolled out UVO eServices, which includes a suite of telematics tools to monitor your vehicle’s performance and help you stay current with factory maintenance schedules. UVO eServices also includes navigation and location-based services that help monitor your car’s location — whether lost in a parking garage or keeping tabs on where your teen took it the night before. UVO eServices is based on the UVO infotainment system that Kia and Microsoft first announced in 2010, and which is powered by Microsoft ’s Windows Embedded Automotive software platform. The core of the UVO experience is built around features that enable a driver to access music files, change radio stations, and make or answer phone calls, all by using the vehicle’s color touchscreen or voice recognition powered by Microsoft Tellme.

UVO eServices exemplifies the intelligent system, a new category of technology solutions that Microsoft identified last year, in conjunction with Intel and industry analyst firm IDC Research. Intelligent systems harness data and use it to drive greater insight — whether on the factory floor or behind the wheel of a car.

According to Microsoft , with the move to UVO eServices, Kia is expanding the driving experience into your day-to-day life, a concept Kia’s head of infotainment and telematics, Henry Bzeih, calls a “vehicle relationship management” system.

“There’s a lot of data potential locked inside the average vehicle, and with UVO eServices we’re making that data usable beyond the immediate driving experience through the PC, smartphone or the in-dash touchscreen,” Bzeih says. “The driver can view, share and manage the data for their car when and how it’s convenient for them. It takes this nice-to-have feature and makes it an essential part of vehicle ownership in the 21st century.”A Connected Experience Designed for the Practical Like any other intelligent system, UVO eServices takes the data from these sensors and sends it to a datacenter where it can be analyzed. In this case, the information is focused on improving the way a vehicle is made or, at your request, offering suggestions on how to drive more efficiently.

Kia designed UVO eServices specifically with the needs and desires of the millennial generation —especially young families with children. The result is a connected driving experience that fulfills this generation’s penchant for technology, along with providing practical applications to address a variety of needs.

In addition to the diagnostics and maintenance scenarios mentioned earlier, UVO eServices includes a few really slick tools for keeping tabs on your vehicle when you’re not behind the wheel. Known as Geo Fencing, Speed Watch and Curfew Limits, they constitute My Car Zone, a key feature in UVO eServices. Using the car’s GPS and telematics capabilities, each of these tools set limits around how late someone — a teenage driver, for example — is allowed to be out on the road, how fast they’re able to drive and where they’re allowed to go.

An audible alert notifies the driver that a limit is about to be broken. If the limit is exceeded, the next time the owner pairs his or her phone with the car, UVO eServices will provide details on the severity of the violation, along with when and where it took place.

Features such as My Car Zone help demonstrate why Kia UVO was recognized with the Industry Newcomer Award by Telematics Update in 2010. And as Kia puts the finishing touches on UVO eServices for its 2014 model year, it seems sure to impress.

Courtesy of The FINANCIAL 

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What happens when a desire becomes reality? In the case of the Kia Trackster idea revealed at the 2012 Chicago, illinois Auto Show, car fanatics begin to salivate. In the midst of the generating beat of heavy-metal music, smoking and stunning lighting, Kia Engines The united states (KMA) took the parcels off a performance-oriented three-door Heart coupé proven fact that suggestions at what could possibly be the near future of Kia's extremely effective Heart.

"The idea was to make the Trackster challenging looking, like a bulldog," said Tom Kearns, Primary Developer for KMA. "But the car had to be friendly as well. We desired to platform the car in fact so people immediately realized it was a Heart, but with a lot of mind-set. It had to be a strong presentation that would change individuals ideas of what a fantastic Kia could be."

The strong mind-set Kearns represents begins with the eye-catching Whiteout and Inferno Red colour program. While the white shows complicated levels and colors that promote extraordinary level, the orange is completely matched for rushing. Kia's trademark grill features an air consumption cunt and is clipped in light and portable graphite. Easily incorporated head lighting brush back suggestively over the attractive front-wheel archways. The greatly recessed contacts replicate the trapezoid styles found throughout the Kia Trackster Idea and are adorned with powerful LEDs.

Most stunning in advance side is the Trackster's reduced consumption grill. Between tremendous LED generating lighting with billet aluminum encompasses, the Trackster is capable of consuming vast amounts of air to keep the engine running awesome even under the most constant circumstances. The reduced valance, clipped in graphite and adorned with Inferno Red, trips just inches wide off the earth and gives to the vehicle's scary position.

The Kia Trackster Idea is not just another pretty face; it has a body to match. Attractive materials seem to flow into each other naturally. The flanks are sleek but ornamented with well-defined wheel enclosures. Nestled within the Trackster's waist are custom HRE-K1 monoblock billet efficiency tires that were a joint effort of Kia's Florida design team and HRE. The tires are covered in 245/40-19-inch front side and massive 285/35-19-inch back Michelin Head Sport PS2 high-performance car tyres.

The wheelbase on the style is expanded to 101.2-inches, almost an inches wide longer than the Heart. As expected on a car with the Trackster's efficiency objectives, large 14-inch Brembo venting and cross-drilled dvd braking system are accepted by six-piston callipers in advance side and 13.6-inch disks are combined with four-piston calipers at the back.

Soul lovers will immediately recognize the Trackster's set at an angle roof, ornamented with Inferno Red. Closer examination shows this idea, while Heart motivated, is losing the vehicle's back gates. The top side gates have been prolonged and ornamented with sleek billet push-style manages which replicate the racing-inspired billet fuel product door. Graphite lower side window valances are also ornamented in Inferno Red and incorporate efficient rear-brake cooling tubes. The back hatch out carries a horizontally Inferno Red "backpack" section that enhances the Kia Trackster Concept's 75.5-inch size, which is more than 5-inches greater than a development Heart.

With performance as the top concern, the Trackster comes into Chicago, illinois with a concept drivetrain sure to boost any driving enthusiast's heart. KMA's design team believed big, but also kept their perspective strongly based in reality. A 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line-four website places 250 power to the street, a 66 per cent increase over that of the production Heart. Power is provided to all four tires via an digitally managed four-wheel-drive system. The short-throw six-speed stick switch is to cap it with a stubby rounded switch handle. The Trackster trips on a reduced game revocation updated for monitor performance.

Opening the driving entrance shows a light and ethereal internal outlined with greatly supported Inferno Red suede-covered rushing chairs. Marble Greyish natural leather covers the internal surroundings and imparts a feeling of strength and balance. Marble Greyish suede parcels the game rim and entrance sections. Situated deep within red-glowing nacelles, the primary equipment are huge and easily legible. Additional vehicle information such as oil temperature and battery current is found on top of the rush while routing, enjoyment and air flow manages are utilized through a huge touch-screen section located just above the website Start/Stop push-button.

Behind the front chairs is where The Kia Trackster Idea takes a considerable step away from its Heart constant friend. The back chairs have been eliminated and changed with a completely incorporated devices plate and spare-tyre well. "We saw the Trackster as a performance-inspired proven fact that could spend some time on the street and track," said Kearns. "The idea was to make the devices necessary to keep the car doing in top condition readily available." Large panelled containers store rushing items such as boots, matches, work gloves and resources while urgent situation resources are located within a individual and extremely noticeable Inferno Red package. A customized back swagger prepare carries a quick-release manage to allow for fast rim changes.

While there are no current plans to generate the Trackster, Kia's Florida style hub group happily took on the venture. "Concept vehicles are frosting on the food," said Kearns. "They allow KMA's style group to desire about what could be. Whether that desire becomes a actuality or not is a individual concern.

Courtesy of Hot Car Review

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