THE 2014 KIA OPTIMA REVIEW AND PRICE

2014 Kia Optima

A few aesthetic and equipment updates for Kia's most stylish car.

When the current Kia Optima launched in 2010, its gorgeous styling was, frankly, a little stunning. Conceived and executed at Kia's design studio in Frankfurt, Germany, the Optima helped launch the brand as a major aesthetic force. With its subtle wedge shape, its clean and discreet application of the corporate "tiger-nose" grille, and excellently executed interior, Kia's mid-size sedan put the established segment players on notice. That it was good to drive was almost a bonus.
Now comes time for the update, with the 2014 model year bringing freshened styling and a revised equipment roster. While the body shell remains unchanged, Kia has replaced the front fascia with a more playful and more futuristic unit, which—depending on the selected trim level—incorporates regular or LED fog lights that crib their pod-like look from the European "Pro  cee'd GT". The nonfunctional fender vents receive a pronounced chrome wing, the LED taillights are updated, and the rear diffuser and trunk have been re-shaped. While the car is still quite handsome overall, the new detailing somewhat lacks cohesion with the rest of the design. It’s an odd hiccup from a company quickly becoming synonymous with great styling
The Optima's interior now includes a 4.3-inch TFT screen in the instrument panel and a newly optional eight-inch navigation and telematics screen. Occupants sit on redesigned seats, and a new optional blind-spot detection system incorporates rear cross-traffic alert. One more feature available only on the sporty Optima SX: a drive-mode selector, which sharpens the transmission's responses and allows the driver to toggle the power-assist levels of the steering.
That's it, as far as changes for the 2014 model year go. The trim levels remain identical: entry-level LX, which packs 16-inch alloys, fog lights, tinted glass, and a dual exhaust; mid-level EX, adding leather seats, 17-inch alloys, and a power driver's seat; the upscale SX, which comes with 18-inch alloys and more aggressive fascias; and the top-of-the-line SX Limited, complete with chrome wheels, Nappa leather seats, an electric park brake, and LED fog lights. 

                                                                 The Dashboard
The engine portfolio also carries over. The entry-level powerplant is a 2.4-liter gasoline direct-injection engine with 200 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque. On the SX, there is an optional 2.0-liter, direct-injected turbo with 274 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. Kia also offers the Optima hybrid, which was updated for 2013 with more torque and additional options. Its 2.4-liter four and electric motor deliver a combined output of 206 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. All powertrain options come with a six-speed torque-converter automatic.
The face lift will help the Optima continue to woo buyers into Kia showrooms until an all-new successor arrives in another two to three years. With the new, larger Cadenza going on sale soon, the Optima will no longer be Kia's flagship model in the U.S.—but it will continue to be the brand’s standard bearer for style.
Price
Price is  within the range of  $28000-$30000

THE 2014 RANGE ROVER SPORT REVIEW AND PRICE

2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

More athleticism, more luxury.

The original 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was a triumph of chassis tuning over weight, achieving admirable back-road composure despite its nearly three-ton bulk. It was never quite as athletic as a BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne, but that didn’t seem to matter much. The Sport quickly became the brand’s bestseller, the plaque clogging the village arteries of Greenwich and Palm Beach. Its appeal seemed rooted less in its dynamics than in its tradition and its flouting of tradition—it was one part old stone manor house and one part Burberry diaper bag.

Sic transit gloria. Drive a 2006 Sport now, and it feels hopelessly out of date; its steering wooden, its interior shabby. Drive the new one, however, and you’ll find that it doesn’t so much triumph over physics as it traipses through a realm where physics don’t apply. It feels like a hot hatch on two-lanes and an M1A1 Abrams tank on two-tracks—despite a 7.1-inch-longer wheelbase.

The key is its structure. The 2014 Sport ditches the LR3/LR4’s steel ladder frame for an aluminium unibody like the one used for the new Range Rover. LR says this cuts about 800 pounds, but we’re dubious. The company made a similar weight-loss claim for the Range Rover, which proved to be optimistic by about 500 pounds on our scales. Still, the vehicle no longer feels like there’s a gorilla clinging to the roof. It seems stiffer and quieter, too, because it is.

The unibody makes the Sport even more at home on the road, with an isolated and controlled ride that obliterates head toss. A new suspension revised from the Range Rover’s muffles rough pavement down to a murmur, and here’s an example where electrically assisted steering helps improve the driving experience, sharpening response and filtering out noise. Handling? Yes, there’s quite a bit: With the active-roll-control system, an optional rear electronic locking differential, and a torque-vectoring unit on uplevel models, the Sport has shocking directional agility. We’d call it gecko-like, but then there’d be two zoological similes in this story.

Two engines, both supercharged, define the model range: a 340-hp, 3.0-liter V-6, which starts at $63,495, and the $79,995 510-hp, 5.0-liter V-8. Both are mated to ZF’s eight-speed automatic. Gear engagement is polished, which is good, because the box does a lot of shuffling to make its improved EPA numbers (2 and 4 mpg combined for the V-8 and V-6 models, respectively). Power from the supercharged 3.0-liter is always available but leaves us longing for the relentless, effortless whomp of the blown 5.0-liter. We expect a mid-four-second 0-to-60 time for that one.

Off-road stats are just as impressive. The Sport offers two all-wheel-drive systems, one with a Torsen center diff (V-6 only) and a more serious one with an electronic center diff and a two-speed transfer case. Standard are aggressive approach, departure, and break-over angles; at least 11 inches of ground clearance; crazy wheel articulation; and enough wading depth to ruin everyone’s afternoon at Six Flags.

 

Not all the innovation is down where people who like to be seen can’t see it. The interior is awash in leather and piano-black accents—the Sport looks as ritzy inside as the Range Rover. There is also a new power-split-folding third row of seats, which makes for what Land Rover charitably calls a “5+2” passenger configuration; don’t venture back there unless you’re a working gymnast. At least the rear seat puts the Sport among the few SUVs with a rear weight bias.

About the only thing we don’t like is the info/nav system. It’s a version of the one found in other Jag-LR products, where it has always seemed like a work in progress. Apparently not. It’s a user-unfriendly, graphically confusing touch screen that doesn’t belong in a vehicle this polished.

But with its greatly expanded dynamic range, deluxe interior materials, and go-anywhere, do-anything bona fides, the new Sport fully justifies its $2000-to-$5000 price bump. We can’t wait to put it up against the Germans.

THE 2014 HYUNDAI SONATA REVIEW AND PRICE

2014 Hyundai Sonata Review and Price

HYUNDAI

Hyundai has in past several years gradually changed the design and look of most its most valuable cars. Now it has come time for facelift and gradual changes that will made on the new model car 2014 Hyundai Sonata. Soon the new 2014 Hyundai Sonata will emerge and before it comes to the light of day, here are some details that are concerning it’s look and specification. Also it has to be mentioned, that Sonata has been most successful midsize sedan car in the production line of Hyundai and top selling car in the U.S.A, well we can't really say that about Nigeria.

This new sedan car, 2014 Hyundai Sonata, will get great redesign and people from Hyundai said that this styling has been finished, it is been developed and it is a mater of moment when it will be premiered. Exterior design will be more fluent with stylish lines and extremely elegant. New Sonata is going to have redesign of headlamps and fog-lights will be made from LED technology-almost all car manufacturers are going LED these days. The 16 inch alloy wheels will be replaced with some larger wheels like 18 inch which is considered big plus to new 2014 Hyundai Sonata.

In the cabin of 2014 Hyundai Sonata, passengers will have a feeling of class and comfort and driver will in front of steering wheel on the dashboard have very large information screen that has implemented Audio Visual Navigation (AVN) system. This is more that  enough to give driver all the important info without disturbing his driving. This is big innovation considering that previous model had plain Multi-Information Display with basic information’s. Also the buttons on the dashboard will be rearranged. In the center of dashboard will be big enough for features like climate control and else.

Engines that will be used on the new 2014 Hyundai Sonata are 2.4 liter four cylinder petrol engine with 200hp and 2.0 liter petrol engine that develops 270hp. Both of these engines have fuel efficiency of 35 miles per gallon on the highway. These are engines that are sweeping competition. Transfer of power to the wheels will be done with 6-speed manual or automatic transmission.

These will be only miner tweaks because Hyundai is going with idea of building new 2014 Hyundai Sonata that buyers can recognize old Sonata but with better classy look. The competitor, on the American market will be 2014 Toyota’s Camry model car. When we speak about the price of cars, we have to say that basic price, for 2014 Hyundai Sonata, will be favorable to the buyers and it will be $21.000 but for model with full equipment price will be around $28,000. New information that has been gathered says that new 2014 Hyundai Sonata has already been launched in South Korea. Release date is not yet revealed but we are expecting the new 2014 Hyundai Sonata at the end of the 2013 year.

    

THE 2014 MERCEDES BENZ S-CLASS FULL SPECS

The S-Class full-size luxury sedan has long been the face of class, sophistication, and cutting-edge technology for Mercedes-Benz. Completely redesigned for the new model year, the latest S-Class continues the tradition with perhaps the most pampering cabin on the market and enough gadgetry to put technophiles into a state of utter bliss.
Supple leather, exquisite wood garnishments and genuine metal trim covers every inch of the S-Class' interior, creating an air of old-world opulence. Fire it up and bring the electronics to life, however, and it immediately becomes clear that the big sedan has all four wheels firmly planted in the 21st century.

The S-Class is the “World's First” and I mean “The Worlds First Car to be able to detect and react to bumps thanks to an optional "MAGIC BODY CONTROL" system”. This technology uses stereo cameras to scan for imperfections in the road surface ahead and actually prepare the chassis to smooth out any potholes or humps.
Mercedes has also made the sedan available with the closest thing yet to an autonomous driving system. Known as Distronic Plus with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, what the setup lacks in terms of catchy branding it more than makes up for with convenience: using the aforementioned cameras and multistage radar sensors, it can read the lines in the road and actually steer and brake the car by itself at lower speeds on relatively straight stretches of road. It's just the thing for getting through long traffic jams with one's sanity intact.
While letting the S-Class handle piloting duties, passengers can admire the two mammoth 12.3-inch TFT screens that sit in front of the driver and atop the center stack. The left-hand unit replaces a conventional analog instrument cluster, while the right-hand screen displays climate, entertainment and Google maps-integrated navigation info.
A touch-sensitive telephone keypad with 12 customizable memory settings lets users access more complex functions without having to move their hands around the dashboard. In addition, Mercedes' Linguatronic speech recognition system allows "one shot input" commands to be spoken, and text message and email reading are part of the package.
The standard mbrace system includes a host of cloud-based goodies, including a concierge service, location-based traffic and weather updates, stolen vehicle location assistance, automatic collision notification and more. Available apps add internet browsing, Google local search with street view, Yelp reviews, Facebook access and news reports. Owners can even use an mbrance smartphone app to remotely lock, unlock or locate their S-Class.
The S-Class can be outfitted with the buyer's choice of a rear bench seat or executive-style reclining rear seats that, like the front thrones, can be outfitted with heating, ventilating and "hot stone" massaging systems. Further coddling rear seat occupants are available features such as individual TFT screens with wireless AKG headsets, pillow head rests, cooling/heating cup holders and fold-out trey tables. Topping it all off are industry-first heated center and door panel-mounted armrests.
Two different high-end Burmester Surround Sound systems are on offer for the ultimate in concert-quality audio, but the S-Class doesn't stop at providing a feast for the ears: it also seeks to create an optimal olfactory experience with an active perfuming system that discreetly emits a choice of four different scents to cover up any undesirable odors from the outside world.
To sum it up, the S-Class is in the top of the range on automobile comfort, Hmmm
Style and Power
Outside, the S-Class combines traditional touches like a formal, upright version of the corporate Mercedes grille with flowing surface detailing borrowed from the automaker's rakish four-door-sedan models. Notably, the lighting system is comprised entirely of LED units - in fact, there's not a single incandescent lightbulb to be found inside or outside of the car.
To save weight, each and every exterior panel is made from aluminum, helping to trim weight by roughly 300 lbs. compared to the previous model.
For now, the S-Class is offered in two forms - the rear-wheel-drive S550 and all-wheel-drive S550 4MATIC. Hybrid, diesel and high-performance AMG models will follow after launch.
Both S550 models are powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.7-liter V8 with 455 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque from just 1,800 rpm all the way up to 3,500 rpm. Regardless of drive-wheels, the S550s scoot to 60 mph from a stop in just 4.8 seconds before topping out at a limited 130 mph.
Fuel economy has not been announced, but Mercedes-Benz will include a start/stop system to reduce consumption. A seven-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is electromechanical rack-and-pinion steering.
The default chassis setup consists of a comfy and sophisticated full air suspension with adaptive dampers, while MAGIC Ride CONTROL swaps in coil springs.
Standard and Optional Features
Every S-Class model comes standard with a navigation system, a Burmester AM/FM/CD/Sirius XM stereo system, a panorama sunroof, heated seats, leather upholstery, a rearview camera, full LED exterior and interior lighting, a power rear window sunshade and adaptive highbeam assist.
The Premium 1 Package adds active ventilated, active multicontour and massaging front seats, a proximity key, power rear window sun-blinds and parktronic with active parking assist.
The Driver Assistance Package builds on the Premium 1 Package with Distronic Plus with PRESAFE brake, active blind spot assist, active lane keeping assist, PRE-SAFE PLUS, PRE-SAFE Brake and CMS rear (for a detailed break-down of these safety systems, scroll down to "occupant safety").
The Warmth Comfort Package brings power memory rear seats with heating and ventilation, front and rear heated armrests, and a heated steering wheel.
The Rear Seat Package includes rear seat belt buckles that rise up when the rear doors are opened, rear seatbelt airbags, easy adjust headrests, four-zone automatic climate control, an electronically adjustable footrest for the right rear seat and a front passenger seat that can be move forward an additional 77mm for additional rear seat space.
The Sport Package nets a body kit and 1—inch AMG Twin 5-Spoke wheels. The Sport Package Plus One adds bigger wheels in the form of 20-inch AMG Multispoke rims.
The Rear Seat Entertainment Package brings a rear seat entertainment system with dual TFT screens and AKG headsets.
Highlights from the stand-alone options include a Burmester 3D surround sound system, Nappa leather upholstery, MAGIC BODY CONTROL, Night View Assist Plus and a rear refrigerator box.

                                                                    The Cockpit

Night View Assist Plus
Mercedes engineers managed to improve the S-Class' night-vision system with the introduction of Night View Assist PLUS, which is equipped a special pedestrian detection function. The Pre-Safe braking system has also been improved to reduce injuries in unavoidable crashes. Mercedes says the car can apply maximum braking pressure automatically around 0.6 seconds before what is recognized as an unavoidable accident. The system therefore acts as something like an "electronic crumple zone," Mercedes contends.
Occupant Safety
In addition to ABS and ESP stability control, the S-Class boasts nine supplemental restraints including two-stage front air bags, a knee air bag for the driver and pelvic air bags which work together with curtain and side air bags to provide extra protection for front occupants in dangerous side-impact collisions. Rear seatbelt airbags are optional.
A standard "ATTENTION ASSIST" system can alert the driver to the first signs of drowsiness, a factor that causes more than 100,000 accidents a year in the U.S.A steering sensor is coupled to smart software that uses 70 parameters to establish a unique driver profile during the first 20 minutes of driving. Between 50 and 112 mph, the system identifies the erratic steering corrections drivers make as they begin to get drowsy and triggers an audible warning and a "Time for a Rest?" message with a coffee cup icon in the instrument cluster.
Collision Prevention Assist uses radar to determine whether the S-Class is in danger of colliding with a vehicle or object up ahead. Active at speeds above 20 mph, it automatically prepares the brakes to apply the ideal leveling of stopping power once the driver hits the pedal.
Optional safety gear includes Active Lane Keeping Assist, a new technology that warns the driver if it detects that the S-Class is drifting into an adjacent lane and can apply steering inputs to remain on the proper course. Also available is Active Blind Spot Assist, which uses radar to detect if a vehicle is in the blind-spot area. It provides driver alerts and can also steer the car out of harm's way if the driver accidentally starts to merge into a vehicle.
Pre-Safe Brake detects impending collisions with vehicles or pedestrians and can automatically apply 100 percent of the S-Class' braking force to avoid or mitigate the severity of the crash. It also includes Cross-Traffic Assist, which can detect potential collisions with vehicles approaching from either side of an intersection. Both are part of the Distronic Plus with Steering assist system, an active cruise control setup that can maintain a set distance from the car ahead and also keep the vehicle centered on straight roads or in gentle curves.

 Pricing 
Hasn't been announced
Key competitors
The S-Class competes against a wide range of full-size luxury sedans such as the Jaguar XJ, Audi A8, BMW 7-Series and Lexus LS 460