Kia recalling around 24,000 2010 Soul subcompacts and around 11,200 2011 Sorento crossovers, all built from September 7, 2009 through July 30, 2010, due to a potential fault with the vehicles’ electrical system.

In a letter to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), Kia said a limited number of wiring harnesses supplied by JCI and used in the Soul’s lighting speaker system, located in the front door trim panels, and the Sorento’s interior accent illumination, placed in the front and rear door trim panels, may have been improperly soldered.

Even though there are no reports of accidents or injuries, the safety agency said under certain conditions, an electrical short may occur and result in a fire.

Kia’s dealers will replace the wiring harnesses for the lights on both vehicles, free of charge with the recall expected to begin later this month.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have launched a preliminary investigation into Kia’s 2010 Soul after receiving a complaint about a steering shaft that literally fell off from the steering wheel on a new car with just 4,300 miles on the odometer. NHSTA said the issue could potentially affect more than 51,000 Kia Soul cars.

“The steering shaft de-coupled from the hand wheel resulting in a complete loss of steering capability. The de-coupled steering shaft reportedly fell into a position that interfered with brake pedal application,” said NHSTA in a statement.

Even though NHTSA doesn’t usually open an investigation based on a single complaint, it did this time because the car was almost brand new and the problem could have led to an accident.

NHTSA said it was “very concerned about this failure in that it occurred without warning on a new vehicle at low mileage and resulted in a complete loss of steering as well as a compromised brake system.”

The Kia responded with a statement saying it is “committed to sharing information and findings with NHTSA on an ongoing basis in order to reach a prompt resolution.”

Kia says that expanding the Soul lineup beyond the current five-door hatch would prove to be more difficult than you might think. Earlier reports stated that Kia was keen to the idea of building an open-top Soul, but changing economic times seem to have crushed those plans.

“(The Soul) tends to be a niche vehicle,” Orth Hedrick, director-product planning, tells Ward’s at a Sportage media event here. “There is very high appeal to a very narrow group of buyers.”

Kia hinted at a future derivative with the convertible Soul’ster concept shown at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

But in order for Kia to green-light a production Soul’ster, Hedrick says “You have to have broader appeal” to justify the development time and money it would take to bring the model to market.

When Kia launched the Soul in spring 2009, it had high hopes the vehicle would expand the reach of the Kia brand to more stylish, affluent markets. And, so far, that is happening, says Tom Loveless, vice president-sales.

Kia realesed today pricing for its all-new 2011 Sportage compact crossover. The 2011 Sportage goes on sale in the U.S. at the end of the July with a starting price of $18,990. There are three trim levels, Base, LX and EX. Standard safety features include ABS, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and six airbags.

Kia’s fully redesigned crossover comes with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 176HP. A far more potent 2.0-liter turbocharged GDI petrol engine with 270+ horsepower will join the range next year.

The Sportage will be offered in both front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive configurations paired to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Base model offers manual transmission, several standard features such as air conditioning, power windows, door locks and mirrors, 16-inch alloy wheels matched with 215/70R16 low-rolling resistance tires, SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities, MP3 connectivity and Bluetooth wireless technology.

Upgrading to the $20,990 LX trim adds a 6-speed automatic transmission, exterior mirrors with LED turn signal indicators, privacy glass, keyless entry with panic alarm and multi-way adjustable front seats. The top model, Sportage EX, costs $23,990 and includes 18-inch alloy wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, illuminated vanity mirrors, automatic folding rear seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and air-conditioned and illuminated glove box.

The new special editions named Domino and Echo that both play on black and white color schemes has been unveiled for Kia’s UK-market lineup. The Domino special edition is available on the Picanto and Rio superminis, while the Echo is offered on the Soul crossover.

The Picanto Domino is motivated by a 1.1-litre petrol engine hooked up to either a manual or automatic transmission, while the Rio Domino is available with a 1.4-litre petrol or 1.5-litre CRDi diesel engine. Both the Rio and Picanto Domino editions are available in white or optional black metallic paint. Buyers can also opt for a contrasting black or white stripe covering the bumpers, mirrors and door handles.

Standard features include front fog lights, air-conditioning, iPod connectivity, remote central locking, leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear-knob and Electronic Stability Control, as well as rear electric windows on the Rio.

Prices start from £7,995 OTR for the Picanto Domino and from £9,295 OTR for the Rio Domino.

Following on from the Burner, Shaker and Samba, the Soul Echo is the latest special edition version of Kia’s small crossover. It is offered in a choice of two colors – Clear White or Quartz Black metallic – with contrasting features.

In particular, the white Echo gets black 18-inch alloy wheels, black high-gloss door mirrors and a corresponding black sports stripe, while the black Echo features white 18-inch alloys, white high-gloss door mirrors and a sports stripe in white.

Interior upgrades include a full black leather interior and high-gloss black dashboard fascia and uprated audio system with and iPod connectivity, as well as standard parking sensors, air conditioning and privacy glass.

The Soul Echo is offered with a choice of 1.6-litre petrol or 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engines, with prices starting from £13,995 OTR.

Meet another special edition version of the Kia Soul. The new tuning package comes from German tuning house Irmscher.

Called the “Edition Irmscher 001″, the new tuning package adds a variety of features including two-tone leather seats with red or graphite-colored diamond quilting pattern on the cushions and backrests, and black carbon-fiber-style leather on the outside areas. The same black-carbon-style leather is also found on the car’s steering wheel and gearbox.

Customers can also opt for a special exterior package that adds a black finish to the Kia Soul’s roof, bumper inserts and mirror caps, as well as stainless steel scuff plates, 18-inch alloy wheels shod in 225/45 R18 tires, and special graphics.

The Soul Irmscher 001 is available with all engines including a 126HP 1.6-liter petrol and a 128HP 1.6-liter diesel with a manual or automatic transmission, and trim levels.

The Kia Forte received ratings of “Good” (the highest achievable) in front, side, rear and rollover impact crash tests – something that safety-minded buyers will surely appreciate. This gives the Kia’s Forte more ammo to compete head on with the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, its two main competitors, which have also been dubbed as Top Safety Picks by IIHS. Curiously, only the sedan was mentioned in the IIHS study, so we can’t say if this prestigious honor carries over to the two-door coupe Koup. Hit the jump to read the full IIHS press release.

Press Release:

IRVINE, Calif., April 20 /PRNewswire/ — Following in the footsteps of the 2010 Soul urban passenger vehicle, the 2010 Kia Forte compact sedan has been recognized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) with a 2010 “Top Safety Pick” award in the Small Car category. The new Forte, which replaced Kia’s popular Spectra model, received the organization’s top honor by earning “Good” ratings – the highest achievable – in frontal, side, rear and rollover impact crash safety tests. The Sedona minivan was chosen as a “Top Safety Pick” shortly after its launch in 2006.

“The Kia brand is growing rapidly in the U.S. thanks to new vehicles such as the Forte that embody our core philosophies of quality, value, style and safety,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing of Kia Motors America (KMA). “Forte offers buyers a youthful and dynamically styled vehicle with an impressive array of standard safety features, and being honored as an IIHS ‘Top Safety Pick’ award winner furthers its position as a top contender in its segment and a vehicle that offers consumers the entire package.”

Ratings from the Institute are based on results from frontal, side and rear impact crash tests, and for the first time a good performance in a roof strength test to measure protection in a rollover also was required to win. Each vehicle’s overall evaluation was based on various measurements specific to each crash angle, and overall impact on crash test dummies inside the vehicle at the time of collision. All vehicles must have electronic stability control available to be eligible.

Available in three trims, LX, EX and SX, pricing for the Forte sedan starts at $13,695 for the LX trim, while the EX begins at $15,995 and the SX starts at $17,495(1). In addition to competitive pricing, Forte also showcases a class-leading combination of standard safety features with active front headrests, advanced two-stage airbags, front seat-mounted and side curtain airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with an antilock brake system (ABS), brake assist (BAS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), electronic stability control (ESC), a traction control system (TCS) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

All Forte models also come well-stocked with a long list of standard amenities, starting with a standard AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service(2). Also standard on all models is an auxiliary audio input jack and USB port for connecting personal MP3 players as well as Bluetooth®(3) wireless technology and connectivity with steering wheel-mounted controls, which enables hands-free operation for all compatible mobile phones.

The Kia has announced a new ‘R’ package of its Forte Koup model with styling and performance accessories for the SX model. The bad new for fans: the ‘R’ package is available only to Canadian customers.

The package includes a pair of front lip spoiler, chunky side skirts and a discreet boot lid spoiler. The two-door model’s looks are complemented by a set of neat 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Yokohoma S-drive tires, and ‘R’ branded badges and door sills.

While the R treatment does nothing to the Koup SX’s 173-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, it does add a sport exhaust, AEM air filter, new springs that lower the ride height by 1.3” and a strut bar to improve handling.

The Forte Koup’s ‘R’ package will be available in Canada as a dealer-installed kit starting from mid-May.

Look at the first official photos of the next generation 2011 Kia Sportage that will be unveiled at the upcoming 2010 Geneva Motor Show.

The new Sportage carries the new Kia family look as seen on the Soul, Cadenza sedan and Sorento SUV, but it appears to have a more European flavor to it.

The five-door crossover shares its platform with the also new Hyundai Tucson, known as the Hyundai ix35 in Europe. It is longer and wider than the outgoing Sportage, something that should translate to improved cabin space.

The 2011 Sportage will be offered with the same 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter four cylinder engines coupled to six-speed transmissions as the Tuscon in North America, while in Europe, it will most likely get the same 1.7-liter and 2.0 liter diesels, and 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter gasoline units as the iX35.

The Kia Soul is a South Korea-produced compact, mini MPV launched at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It has a bold and edgy design, and it comes with more styling and package combinations than any Kia vehicle created before. When it comes to its safety features, it’s apparently topnotch as it has been awarded by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) with 5 stars, which is the highest possible safety rating. Despite its size, it got an overall weighted score of 75%. Breaking down the crash test results, it was rated 87% for adult protection, 86% for child protection, 39% for pedestrian protection, and 86% for Safety Assist equipment.

A wide array of safety features have been incorporated into the Kia Soul’s compact design, such as advanced front and full-length side airbags, front seat active headrests, an anti-lock brake system with electronic brake-force distribution, electronic stability control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and rear disc brakes which are standard on all models with the exception of the Base trim. All these and the high-tensile strength steel and up-to-date safety technology used in the Kia Soul allowed the vehicle to be among the safest of B-segment family cards worldwide, and, following the European-built Kia cee’d, the second Kia vehicle to have received the highest possible safety rating from Euro NCAP.

Aside from the assurance that you have of the safety of the vehicle’s occupants when you drive it, you can benefit from the completeness of safety equipment in the Kia Soul when buying auto insurance for it. This applies for any other vehicle, for that matter. The higher a car’s safety rating, the cheaper it is to have it insured. Other factors that affect the premium are the buying price of the car itself and how cheap its repair parts will be in the case of an accident where the owner files a claim. Kia cars and their repair parts are not unreasonably priced and they are among the best in terms of safety and security equipment. Be a safe, infrequent, law-abiding driver of any one of them and you’ll be impressed at the discount you can get with your car insurance.