The Auto World

Kia will expand digital features but keep key buttons intact. Deep touchscreen menus frustrate drivers of all tech levels. Future Kia and Hyundai cabins will mix touch and physical. Touchscreens are taking over dashboards, but not everyone is thrilled about it. As screens grow in size and importance, so does the debate around what they’re replacing. Kia , for one, isn’t pretending it’s a settled matter. Instead of picking sides, the company is staking out a middle ground. Screens will keep expanding, but physical buttons aren’t going anywhere. Forget getting locked into a system where only one route can be successful. Kia wants to offer both together in a way that pleases customers on both sides of the divide. More: Toyota’s New RAV4 Infotainment Overhaul Changes More Than You Might Expect Speaking to Autocar , Kia interior design chief Jochen Paesen said future models will continue the brand’s balanced approach, blending larger screens and expanded software features ...

Indycar is heading to Washington, DC for a new street race. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is scheduled for late August. Race made possible by executive order from President Trump. President Trump has issued an executive order “celebrating American greatness with American motor racing.” It paves the way for the first street race to be held in the nation’s capital. Known as the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, the Indycar race will kick off on August 21 and see drivers race around Washington DC. Specifics haven’t been hammered out, but the executive order calls for the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Transportation to come up with the route within 14 days. A Race Against the Clock That’s a tight turnaround and the order also calls for the secretaries to “take steps to ensure that all permits, approvals, and other authorizations as are necessary to plan, prepare for, and conduct the Freedom 250 Grand Prix are issued and granted as expeditiously as possible.” More: ...

PROS ›› Interior quality, driver aids, stellar mpg CONS ›› Performance, infotainment controls, connectivity Crossovers rarely inspire strong feelings, and that’s sort of the point. They’re the oatmeal of the automotive world: not bad, not brilliant, just the default choice. Other vehicles carry more, ride better, or drive with more personality. But none of that seems to matter when shoppers are crowding dealership lots in search of something practical, inoffensive, and familiar. This is the segment of compromise, and it’s thriving. Kia isn’t blind to that, and the Sportage proves it. This is Kia’s best-selling vehicle globally, and after spending a week with it, that statistic feels less like a marketing brag and more like an inevitability.  QUICK FACTS Model 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige AWD Engine 1.6-liter Turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid Transmission 6-Speed Automatic Output 232 horsepower (173 kW) and 271 lb-ft (367 Nm) Fuel Econom...

Hyundai and Kia use ultra wide band signals to spot hidden road dangers. Phones and wearables help cars detect pedestrians even behind solid walls. Tech is cheaper than lidar while also working in bad weather and busy traffic. Your car might soon be getting safety help from the same gadget you’re using to read this story. Hyundai and Kia have cooked up a system that turns everyday smartphones and wearables into extra sets of virtual eyes, helping cars spot danger even when cameras and sensors cannot. More: The Hidden Safety Feature In Your Car That’s Quietly Raising Your Insurance Bill The tech is called Vision Pulse, and it uses ultra wide band (UWB) signals. The tech already lives inside many modern phones, smartwatches and digital car keys. Hyundai and Kia figured out how to make those signals talk to each other to map where people and vehicles are, even if they’re hidden behind a van or building. How Does It Work? Here’s how the system works. Your car sends o...