La Costa Gets Strong Marks For Kia, Says Tournament Director

In the view of Kia Classic Tournament Director Dennis Baggett, the LPGA Tour made a strong statement last week during the tournament: It very much enjoys and wants to be at the La Costa Resort & Spa.

The entire event looked and felt bigger. Just the wraparound grandstands on the 18th hole gave it a grander vibe.

And when the world’s No. 1 player, Yani Tseng, dominates the competition and wins by six shots, there is evidence the golf course was a good test, set up properly.

There is hope on Baggett’s part, too, that Kia Motors America was impressed enough to continue to make La Costa the home of the tournament as the car maker decides in the next few months whether it will renew its sponsorship.

“My feeling is that we want to bill this as home of the Kia Classic, and continue to enhance the things around it,” Baggett said. “We just want to continue to grow and fill the place up.”

Baggett, an 18-year North County resident, wasn’t here when the Kia was played two years ago at La Costa, but the numbers and feedback he got from this year’s edition indicate the event moved forward in size and recognition.

Corporate tent sales were considerably better, Baggett said, and each day’s walkup ticket sales were better than in 2010.

Though the players often grumble about the bumpiness of the poa annua greens on the South Course, the rest of La Costa draws raves.

Baggett said about 60 percent of the players stayed at the resort for the week and several moved from other properties once they got on site.

There was some question about whether the South Course was the best choice for the LPGA, given the recent extensive renovation of the North (now Champions) Course. But the easier South ultimately proved to be the right selection. The scoring average for the week was more than two strokes over par at 74.31, while the lowest score was 67. Beyond Tseng’s 14-under winning total, the next-best score was a respectable 8-under.

La Costa got a memorable winner in Tseng, who reached her milestone 15th win at the age of 23.

“The LPGA has a clear No. 1 right now,” Baggett said.

“It was fun to watch good golf and see the world No. 1 do what she did. From that perspective, we’re very happy with the outcome. She’s a great champion.”

Honor for Hooton

Del Mar’s Courtney Hooton, a senior at Bishop’s, is among 18 girls competing today in the Fresh&Easy-Kraft Foods Junior Challenge at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage.

The girls are playing with legendary golfers as partners and the winner among them will receive an exemption to compete in the LPGA major Kraft Nabisco Championship beginning Thursday.

The SCGA Foundation led the selection of the girls.

Hooton, who will play with 13-time LPGA champion Liselotte Neumann, is a longtime standout in San Diego Junior Golf. Hooton, 18, has two career AJGA wins and has twice qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

She will play for the Harvard women’s golf team in the fall.

Courtesy of San Diego News

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"I purchased a new/used Kia Sorento at Huffhines Kia of McKinney the first part of March. The sales associate I worked with was top notch, he didn't hassle us like they do at so many other dealerships. The price given was the bottom line price, no haggling over dollars and it was a very fair price. We did our research before purchasing a new vehicle and this was the dealership we chose to work with! Purchasing my new Kia was a breeze and I would HIGHLY recommend them for the purchase of any new or used car. Thank you Huffhines Kia of McKinney!" - Christy K.

Kia Rio tops Consumers Reports' small car list

Kia Motors Corp's next-generation Rio topped Consumer Reports' list of small cars on Thursday, beating out more popular rivals in the U.S. market, including Ford Motor Co's Fiesta.

 

The highly influential consumer magazine praised the Rio's "nimble" handling, simple climate and radio controls and smooth transmission. Consumer Reports also said the interior is more cohesive than its earlier version, which had visible screws.

Nissan Motor Co got poor marks for the overhaul of its Versa sedan. The magazine said the ride was jittery and engine sounds were "overwhelming and offensive."

"The changes plunged it from the top of CR's ratings to the bottom," Consumer Reports said in a press release Thursday.

Rising gas prices since 2008 have prompted more U.S. consumers to consider small cars. As a result, automakers have revamped their cars to be more stylish and comfortable. Many of these vehicles also come with options like back-up cameras and voice-activated entertainment systems.

"Subcompact cars were once collectively known as 'penalty boxes,'" said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports. He added that the new redesigns "make a number of subcompact models good all-around choices for people looking to stretch their budget."

The Rio sedan's overall road-test score was 67 out of 100. It edged past refreshed versions of Hyundai Motor Co's Accent and the Chevrolet Sonic, built by General Motors Co. Both scored a 65. The Fiesta snagged a 61 and the Versa got a 53.

The hatchback version of the Rio fared worse. It landed at No. 3 on the list of small hatchbacks, behind Honda Motor Co's Fit and the hatchback version of the Versa.

Last year, the top seller in the small car segment was Ford, which sold more than 68,500 Fiesta cars. Honda sold nearly 60,000 Fit vehicles and Hyundai sold more than 55,000 Accents. Kia sold little more than 20,000 of its Rio subcompact

The Rio and the Accent are built on the same platform and share the same engine, but otherwise, development of the two vehicles is kept separate.

Consumer Reports touted the Accent's 31-miles-per gallon fuel economy, but said the ride was bumpy. The Chevrolet Sonic got 28 miles per gallon, which Consumer Reports deemed "unimpressive" for the segment.

The cheapest model that Consumer Reports tested was the Nissan Versa at $15,490. The most expensive was the Sonic LTZ hatchback at $19,870.

Courtesy of Reuters

2012 Kia Soul Clay Pigeons Video

Michelle Wie returns in her Molten red Kia Soul for a little target practice. Watch her pick clay targets out of the sky using a golf club and golf ball, as well-to-do hunters and their dogs look on in amazement.

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Kia Motors Posts Largest Gains in Fuel Economy and CO2 Reduction Among All Automakers in the U.S. According to 2011 EPA Fuel Economy Trends Report

In its commitment to produce sustainable and fuel-efficient vehicles, Kia Motors America (KMA) has "had the biggest improvement in adjusted CO2 and fuel economy performance from MY 2009 to MY 2010" of any automaker, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) latest fuel economy trends report titled, "Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2011." Kia's fuel economy gain from 2009 to 2010 was 11.6 percent, while its reduction in CO2 emissions was 10.1 percent, beating all other major manufacturers by considerable margins based on the EPA's most recent data. In addition, the report shows Kia as tied for the highest Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) at 27.0 miles-per-gallon for MY 2010. Kia is ranked number two for MY 2010 CO2 values, ahead of traditional leaders such as Honda and Toyota.

"As an industry leader in fuel economy, Kia is committed to providing safe, high-quality vehicles that are socially relevant to consumers," said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. "Our goal is to stay ahead of the industry by applying innovative technologies such as direct-injection and turbocharged engines to advance our efforts and continue improving on the benchmarks Kia has set in the sustainability realm."

Kia Motors' EcoDynamics philosophy has created a global alternative fuel and powertrain research program to develop advanced fuel-stretching and emissions-cutting technologies. In 2011, Kia introduced the brand's first-ever hybrid vehicle in the U.S., and the 2013 Rio and Rio 5-door will be the first vehicles in the subcompact segment to offer fuel-saving Idle Stop and Go technology.

The EPA report summarizes key trends in CO2 emissions and fuel economy for gasoline- and diesel-fueled personal vehicles sold in the United States, beginning MY 1975. Overall, the automotive industry's fleetwide average real world MY 2010 CO2 emissions and fuel economy have marked slight improvements over MY 2009 and the most favorable levels since this analysis began in 1975.

 

Kia's Unprecedented Growth

Kia Motors is the one of the world's fastest moving global automotive brands; from 2009-2011 Kia launched more new vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker, and under the guidance of chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, earned a reputation as an industry leader in automotive styling. Kia Motors America's full line of fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive cars and CUVs has earned critical acclaim and dramatically increased consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand. In 2011, KMA recorded its 17th consecutive year of market share growth, thanks in part to the largest increase of any major brand in perceived quality[1] and the industry's highest brand loyalty ranking[2]. Kia's U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia - KMMG - is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 plant and supplier jobs and builds the company's two best-selling vehicles in the U.S. - the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan[3]. Kia's value and technology-laden 2012 model year lineup also includes the Sportage compact CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Optima Hybrid, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, all-new Rio and Rio5-door sub-compacts and Sedona minivan.

Courtesy of Market Watch

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