Market Researcher Says Bogus Hyundai and Kia MPG Claims will Harm Brands' Value, Shares Tumble

We already know that it's going to cost Hyundai and Kia a lot of money to compensate some 900,000 vehicle owners in the States (as much as $362 million, according to Nam Kyeong Moon, an analyst at KTB Investment & Securities Co.) after the Environmental Protection Agency discovered that the two carmakers posted inflated gas-mileage ratings.

However, the penalty in brand value may be even higher for the Korean car brands, according to market researcher Interbrand Corp.

Read more »

Facelifted 2013 Kia K7 / Cadenza Sedan Looks to K9 / Quoris for Inspiration

A couple of weeks ago, Kia showed its revamped K7 mid-size sedan, also known as the Cadenza in overseas markets, to a select few in South Korea with a handful of pictures making their way online to afford us our first look at the car, which is related to the Hyundai Azera.

On Monday, Kia officially revealed the 2013 model K7 in its home market of Korea where it also announced that the mid-size model will go on sale in different regions around the world during the first half of 2013 as the Cadenza.

Read more »

2013 Kia K7 / Cadenza Sedan Unveiled During Korean Event, will be Sold in North America

It's not difficult for Kia to come up with a mid-life refresh for its cars as the Korean company is constantly updating its automobile range and together revising its design language.

Back in September, CarScoop reader Sach Mathur spotted Kia testing a camouflaged K7 sedan in Colorado, which not only confirmed the pending facelift but also the brand's intentions to launch the car in North America, most likely under the Cadenza nameplate.

Today, pictures of the updated K7 shot during a special presentation in South Korea made their way on local forums and websites.

Read more »

Hyundai Sonata YF Suddenly Accelerates Back and Forth in New Korean Incident

There's talk again in South Korea regarding the possibility of the latest iteration of the Hyundai Sonata mid-size saloon having sudden unintended acceleration problems after a new incident that took place in Seoul's Seocho district last Wednesday on October 10, 2012, and which resulted in 10 people being injured.

The latest accident in question involved a brand new Hyundai Sonata YF taxicab that was said to have been only two weeks old.

Video footage sourced from a Mercedes-Benz car that was following the Sonata from behind, shows the taxi slowly moving ahead in traffic when all of a sudden, it accelerated and violently smashed into the car in front.

Read more »

Formula 1: Korean Grand Prix Race Report

Unlike past seasons, with four races still to go, predicting this year’s Formula 1 champion is, practically, impossible. That’s because consistency and outright performance are two variables that change greatly from one Grand Prix to another, not least because of their tires’ behavior.

The Korean GP that took place on Suday was yet another race that had most teams and their drivers struggling with tire performance.

Read more »

Highway Bump in the Behinds Overturns Daewoo Matiz in South Korea

We guess someone wasn't paying attention to the road, which is kind of scary if you think about it, as this accident that was caught on camera could happen to anyone.

Granted, the Daewoo Matiz (did you know that its design was based on a rejected concept for a Fiat 500 by Italdesign Giugiaro named the Lucciola?) is a small car but not small enough not to notice on the road, especially in broad daylight…

Read more »