Kia

Kia is rolling out a revamped compact car in the United States even though sales of small cars are dropping as the nation continues to favor SUVs and pickup trucks.

The Kia EV9 large electric SUV won the 2024 North American Utility of the Year award, while the Toyota Prius hybrid took the top car honors, and Ford’s Super Duty pickup won the truck award.

Hybrids gain improved fuel efficiency thanks to specialized powertrains that combine a gas engine with at least one electric motor that’s powered by a battery pack that does not need to be plugged in.

What features do you consider a priority when car shopping? Horsepower or cargo space are often mentioned, but the reality is that today’s vehicles are quite similar in how they drive and how much stuff they can hold.

Nearly three months ago, Hyundai and Kia unveiled software that was designed to thwart an epidemic of thefts of their vehicles, caused by a security flaw that was exposed on TikTok and other social media sites.

Ford is cutting prices on its Mustang Mach-E electric SUV by as much as $6,000 just weeks after market leader Tesla took similar steps.

Electric vehicles took two of three categories for the first time in this year’s North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year awards.

As of Jan. 1, many Americans will now qualify for a tax credit of up to $7,500 for buying an electric vehicle. The credit, part of changes enacted in the Inflation Reduction Act, is designed to spur EV sales and reduce greenhouse emissions.

Some Hyundai and Kia cars and SUVs are missing a “key” anti-theft device — and thieves know. An insurance industry group said these cars are stolen at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the auto industry because their keys lack computer chips for theft “immobilizer” systems.

California set itself on a path to end the era of gas-powered cars, with air regulators adopting the world’s most stringent rules for transitioning to zero-emission vehicles.

California will require all new cars, trucks and SUVs sold in the state to run on electricity or hydrogen by 2035 in an ambitious move away from gasoline-powered vehicles and the pollution they emit.

Clogged oil ports, electrical shorts and leaks of brake fluid are only some of the safety problems that have caused multiple fires and forced Hyundai and Kia to recall millions of vehicles in the past seven years.

New and used car prices remain high as a global semiconductor chip shortage, combined with increased consumer demand, has caused a shortage of vehicles on dealer lots. The situation is expected to last many months, making it hard on people who are in need of a car today.

Toyota says it will roll out two new battery-electric vehicles and one plug-in gas-electric hybrid in the United States this year as the parade of new EVs continues.