Kia reveals two new cars at Chicago Auto Show

The exciting new concepts didn’t disappear with the North American International Auto Show held in January: the Chicago Auto Show is proving to be a close match for its more prestigious rival.

Kia chose the event to unveil two new vehicles: the Cross GT Concept (pictured top) and the 2014 Kia Forte Five-Door SX (pictured bottom).

The Kia Cross GT is said to be purely conceptual: it represents the possibility of Kia offering a larger vehicle than its Sorento. At its heart is the latest evolution of the company’s parallel hybrid system: which features an electric motor between a 3.8litre V6 engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

When combined, the engine and electric motor are capable of producing 678Nm of torque and 400hp. It is said to boast an electric range of 20miles but Kia insists it will only be a concept.

That’s not the case however, with the Kia Forte Five-Door SX which is expected to go on sale during the third quarter of this year.

It is equipped with a 1.6litre petrol direct injection turbocharged four-cylinder engine and is capable of producing 264Nm of torque with an output of 201hp. It will be available with two trim levels: the EX and SX, with the former coming with a 2.0litre GDI four-cylinder engine with a 173hp output; and the latter being performance oriented with a 1.6litre turbo engine.

The 1.6litre model will have the strongest focus on fuel efficiency: it includes double overhead cams and dual continuously variable valve timing in an effort to boost both efficiency and performance.

Source: thegreencarwebsite.co.uk