Gear Patrol

In the States, we know that size still matters. And just like dinner portions, Americans love their bigger cars and trucks. But times, they are a changin’, and the current crop of hatchbacks just goes to show that manufacturers are putting in a lot more thought, time and money into developing small cars that work big. Driving a hatchback no longer makes you look like you were holding the door when they were handing out real cars. The combination of solid styling, creature comforts and great fuel economy (and, sometimes. wickedly good performance) has young and old alike turning to 5-doors options. We drove five of the best for a month and came away with a new appreciation for the hot hatch.

Korean car makers are creating huge waves in the industry, and the Kia Optima is a perfect example of this automotive tsunami. Just a few short years ago, you’d be hard pressed to find such a car in their lineup (the awfully poseur-like Kia Amanti didn’t exactly qualify). We always end up tooling around in…

Kia’s old flagship, the Amanti, sounded like a boxed wine for pansies. The newly announced Kia Quoris takes a step forward in the naming department, but it could still be confused for an obscure animal body part (as in, “The hunter shot the antelope right in the Quoris“). Bizarre nomenclature aside, the Quoris is true…

When you think of Kia, what comes to mind? Econobox is one word. Lustworthy is not. That’s about to change if the new Kia GT Concept has anything to say about it. Just revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Kia’s mysterious four door sports car has just taken off its cloak. With curvaceous sheet metal…