Ssangyong Korando Turismo Chateau

Back in February, Ssangyong launched the Korando Turismo MPV which served as the replacement to the world's ugliest van of all time, the Rodius, and last time, I said that that it was too horrid in the driver's eyes and even horrid for those who owned one. Despite its terrible ugliness to this new model, it was the mix of interior space, practicality, and versatility that tempt buyers to buy one and ignore its horrid styling because the only reason why they bought one in the first place is that they need some people carriers to carry the whole family.

2014 Ssangyong Korando Turismo Chateau

Now, Ssangyong launched a luxurious variant of the Korando Turismo called the Chateau and what it is, which is a limousine version of the said model. Now, I know what you're thinking the word "limo" is applied only on stretched versions of 4-door saloons but this word applies to almost anything and the Chateau grade of the Korando Turismo fits the category. At first glance, it looks the same as the Korando Turismo, retaining the same horrid look that some say it's less horrid than the Rodius it replaces, except now has a high roof that looks like it's made for camping stuff. However, this car isn't made for camping, and what to expect from the high roof on it that looks like a THULE?

2014 Ssangyong Korando Turismo Chateau interior

Well, the reason why the Chateau has a high roof on the top is that it was accommodated by a well-tailored interior fit for a politician, even for Park Geun-Hye herself. This luxurious interior layout was accompanied by curtains, a refrigerator where to store your refreshments, a rear entertainment system (accompanied by a 20-inch monitor and JBL audio system) for the selfies who want to watch some movies on the go, stuff where you'll hang your clothes, and so much more concessions of comfort, fit for a Korean politician or a celeb alike. For the first time, this is the kind of Ssangyong built for those who want to be chauffeured but the Chairman W is not enough for them.

The Chateau, like the standard Korando Turismo, comes with the e-XDi200 diesel engine which produces 155PS of power while mated with a 5-speed auto and POWER 4WD. Fuel economy combined is 10.5km/L and it's available only in Fine Silver exterior color.

With prices starting at 46,900,000 Korean Won, that is somewhat much cheaper to buy than ultra-expensive Japanese MPVs such as the Toyota Alphard and the Nissan Elgrand and it's funny you should ask because the Ssangyong Korando Turismo Chateau is somewhat targeted against the Hyundai Grand Starex Limousine, which is a special vehicle model available by request.

Photo: Ssangyong Motor Company 

Let's Do The News! (June 17, 2013)

(cheers and applause)

JC: So, there we go, folks. San Antonio Spurs took over Game 5, as expected, in the score of 114-104 versus Miami Heat so...any analysis post-game?

RH: Well, I can't believe that the Spurs went back fighting even without their ace player, Parker, and it's all because every Heat player is fell onto the whistle trap that keeps the Spurs scoring and scoring and three pointing and scoring and scoring and scoring...

(audience laughing)

RH:...goes on and on and on until the end of the game! Well, honestly, thanks to the double by Manu Ginobili and the accurate shots by Danny Green, there's no stopping for Spurs now. The Heat's aren't very pleased...

(audience laughing)

JC: Hmmm...How to put it this way? Oh yeah! CURSE YOU GINOBILI!!!!

(audience laughing)

RH: Okay, okay, that's enough now.

JC: Anyway, with Spurs won Game 5 for now, Game 6 is on Tuesday (Wednesday for Asian countries). Will Spurs win the championship or will Heat try to make it even? Let's just wait...

(audience laughing)

JM: Anyway, let's do the news folks and oh! There's a brand new BMW coming and it's called the 4-Series. Here it is...

2014 BMW 4-Series

JM: Replacement of the 3-Series Coupe, based on the current 3-Series, and it's available only in three different engines by launch such as the turbocharged 3.0-litre six cylinder in the 435i (0-62mph in 5.4s), a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot in the 428i (0-62mph in 5.9s) and a 2.0-litre diesel in the 420d (0-62mph in 75s, 60.1mpg). 6-speed manual standard while 8-speed auto an optional feature.

JC: I think it looks rather magnificent. It's like a 6-series got shrunken down and gave some 3-Series face on it. Now what bothers me that, is this really the replacement to the outgoing 3-Series Coupe?

JM: Yes. Absolutely. It's now under a new naming structure where odd numbers are for sedans and even numbers are for coupes, which is a weird approach for BMW to follow in the times.

JC: Anyway, yesterday was Father's Day and I was guessing everyone around here are greeting their dads with a simple "Happy Father's Day" greeting, treating dads some big treats such as dining in the restaurant, giving them gifts, so on, so forth. Well, Father's Day is cool if you're doing it right but for some, they put Father's Day in the other way around...

RH: Which is...dull?

(audience laughing)

JC: Not quite, pal. Particularly, the anime otaku selfies...

(audience laughing)

RH: Wha....?!!!

JC: Yeah. Anime is for selfies and the words "Father's Day" and "anime" doesn't count. "Father's Day" in western cartoons, live actions sitcoms, dramas, or whatever forms of media would work but in the world of Japanese anime, this is not totally related because anime's always for selfies...

(audience laughing)

JM: Selfies? Ahem...in the past, do you saw an anime titled "Listen to me girls, I'm your father!" a couple of years ago? This quite fits in the category of when "Father's Day" and "anime" does make sense...

(audience laughing)

JC: JAMES!!!!

JM: Oh, I'm sorry. I was just remembering things but still it's worth looking back on an anime about a college student who's now in custody of three nieces in place of his sister and her husband. Come on. You got to see it for a while...

JC: James. Father's day was so yesterday and if you want me to watch your lame stuff, it would be on my queuing list.

(audience laughing)

JC: Anyway, ever since a chrome-wrapped Lotus Evora appeared in THE HOST, the movie adaptation of the novel made by the author behind the Twilight saga, it seems that Lotus Cars are pushing too hard to get their products on the silver screen. But now, there's another Lotus going to feature in another movie and this time...take a look...

Exige S in RED 2

JM: That's a...Lotus Exige S with a supercharged V6 in middle...

JC: That's right and it's going to be in RED 2, the sequel to the 2010 action comedy where retired agents are wrecking havoc. It's the one with Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, and Dame Helen Mirren. Also joining were Mary Louise Parker, Welsh actress Catherine Zeta Jones, Korean actor Lee Byung-hun, and our classic Hannibal Lecter, Sir Anthony Hopkins. Anyway, while we're waiting to see this one in the coming months, I have to say that the Exige S is a fantastic car. A V6 lightweight Brit is worth a killing to the old Porsche GT3 RS and there's some great news for Japanese Lotus customers.

JM: Wait, what?

JC: Originally, Japanese Lotus distributor, LCI Limited, would launch the Exige S V6 in the middle of 2012 Japan Lotus Day but financial reasons cancelled its Japan premiere, thus leaving Japanese consumers out in the cold right now but...LCI Limited announced that they will start selling the Exige S (V6) this late July following with a debut fair at the Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, by July 27 to  August 11, 2013.

JM: Okay, that sounds nice but...does the V6-powered Exige deserves the shot to be in Gran Turismo 6 soon?

JC: No....

(audience laughing)

JC: Obviously because Gran Turismo 6 will be lacking the latest and the hottest exotics, you might as well pray that it will show up on Xbox One's Forza Motorsport 5 soon.

(audience laughing)

JC: Anyway, the nuclear-fueled Iran now has a new president.

(oohh)

JM: Really? Who?

JC: Says here it's Hassan Rohani and he won Iran's presidential election, declaring him as the new leader and there has been some mixed reaction about Iran's new leader. Some are positive while some are negative and we prefer the negative comments because...

JM: Up until now, you still hate Iran because of its nuclear-fueled fury and as part of the State Sponsors of Terrorism just like Cuba and Syria?

(audience laughing)

JC: Well, possibly because Iran is kinda like North Korea because their nuclear power is their source of their growth but thing is though...Iranians like Top Gear.

(audience laughing)

JM: Hmmm?

JC: True. There are so many petrolheads in Iran right now who are already getting hooked on our show and every time when it gets replaced by something something American, the Iranian men hated it and when Top Gear's on, the Iranian men are getting hooked on it, especially when this show's been dubbed in Farsi language, which is the language of Iranians.

JM: Wow...

(audience laughing)

JM: No wonder why Iranians love Top Gear a lot...

RH: Yeah, probably because of our crude adult humor Iranian grown men love...

(audience laughing)

JC: Anyway, that is the end of the news...

Super GT 2013 Round 3 Sepang

In case you missed yesterday's Round 3 of the 2013 season of the Super GT, held at Sepang, Malaysia, here's a quick sum up on who just made it...

GT500 Class:

3rd place - #100 RAYBRIG HSV-010 driven by Takuya Izawa and Takashi Kogure

2nd place - #39 DENSO KOBELCO SC430 driven by Juichi Wakisaka and Hiroaki Ishiura

WINNER - #12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R driven by Tsugio Matsuda and J.P.Lima De Oliveira


GT300 Class:

3rd place - #11 GAINER DIXCEL SLS driven by Katsuyuki Hiranaka and Bjorn Wirdheim

2nd place - #16 MUGEN CR-Z GT driven by Hideki Mutoh and Yuhki Nakayama

WINNER - #55 ARTA CR-Z GT driven by Shinichi Takagi by Takashi Kobayashi


NEXT RACE: Sugo this July 27-28

"P199 Combos"

On the June 14, 2013 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Bridal shop gags

- Police checkpoint...on the rocks (literally) by a bicycle

- Breaking up is VERY hard to do...unless you're on a break down.

- Words to live by from Tata Lino

a) Sino pa pumatay sa mga baboy? Di ba, tayo'y mga tao pati naman high-blood, sinisisi mo pa? Hiyang hiya  sila sa'yo, no?!

b) Ang babaeng hindi marunong maghain, nababagay lang sa lalaking di marunong kumain

c) Madaling sabihin kung ikaw ay maganda pero mahirap hanapin kung saang banda

d) Pag may sinuksok at walang madukot, may mandurukot.

- Bubble Gang does Dunkin Donuts P199 combos by spoofing this ad as DON KING DONUTS P199 combos!

Bubble Gang does Dunkin Donuts

- Ang Bagong Dating Doon with Brod Pete and pals...

- An interview about men  who are revealed as gay...

- Sumbong Sumbong kay Bonggang Bonggang Bongbong tackles on the most annoying cases such as people wearing big headphones in public places, photographers taking incorrect jump shots, and women love to wear high heels but difficult to walk.

- Just an ugly word of advice...

Marcelito Pomoy, IHAW NA!

PGT2 winner Marcelito Pomoy is the guest of June 14, 2013's Banana Nite's IHAW NA segment and in here, we get to know what life feels like for Marcelito Pomoy after declared the winner of PGT2 and his cool vocal tricks that lead to his win.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bang tries to impress his date but as it turns out, it's Mr. Bang vs. the waiter over his date!

Threats from North Korea - A Week in Review (June 15, 2013)

And now, the week in review of what's what at the Korean peninsula...

June 10, 2013

- Sunday's working level talks between the North and South Korea got themselves rolling toward the resolution of long-standing inter-Korean issues, but the preliminary shows that the two Koreas have a long road ahead of them.

- One of Korea's suspended nuclear reactors, the Hanbit 3, resumed operations, and it's been producing electricity since Monday afternoon.

June 11, 2013

- The North and South Korean government cancelled their plans for government talks. Seoul's Unification Ministry said just a few hours ago that the North called off Wednesday's inter-Korean talks at around 7 p.m., saying that it will not be sending its delegation to Seoul.

Ministry spokesperson Kim Hyung-suk said "North Korea sent a unilteral notification saying that it will postpone its plan to send a North Korean delegation due to the level of our top negotiator. We formed a five-member delegation led by Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-shik and the North said its five-member delegation will be led by Kang Ji-young, director at the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, claiming he is a high-level official."

June 12, 2013

- Pyongyang cut off its communication line with South Korea, moments after the decision to call off their scheduled inter-Korean talks for now. The hotline, which was cut off earlier this year, was re-opened last week to prepare for the government-level talks that were supposed to take place this Wednesday. Seoul's Unification Ministry says North Korea seems to have cut off its inter-Korean channel at the border village of Panmunjom on Wednesday, just days after it was reopened.

June 13, 2013

- South Korea condemned over Pyongyang's attempt to distort the reason for the cancellation of the planned inter-Korean talks, urging the North to come to the bargaining table to resolve major issues.

- The US House of Representatives delivered a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry asking to re-designate North Korea as a "State Sponsor of Terrorism".

June 14, 2013

- Still no word from Pyongyang ever since North Korea cut the inter-Korean communication line at the border village of Panmunjom three days ago over the cancelled inter-Korean talks. Seoul continues to assert that they will not be the first to offer to re-start the talks, but added that they're still open to dialogue with the North.

- Power authorities were hoping two of the nation's 23 nuclear reactors would resume operations this week, but as of Friday only one is back online. The Hanbit 3 reactor has been running at full capacity since Thursday, adding one million kW that is more than enough to provide electricity to roughly one million households.

Ina Kapatid Anak ending

So, how did it end? Let's see...

With Celyn (Kim Chiu), Margaux (Maja Salvador), Teresa (Cherry Pie Picache), and Beatriz (Janice De Belen) now under the hands of Mio (John Regala) and fulfilling his ultimate revenge against them, he commanded his so-called son, Diego, whose real name was Joshua, to kill Teresa but since his refusal to kill Teresa, Diego was killed in a conflict and Mio vowed revenge.

With moments of tormenting Teresa, Mio was shot by Julio (Ariel Rivera) but Mio shot Teresa before he was killed by the police.

After the whole terror was over, while at the hospital, Teresa said to her so-called daughter, Celyn, is to live in peace with Margaux, her real twin sister.

With Celyn and Margaux finally together, and with Lucas (Eddie Guttierez) now imprisoned for his sins, it's all's well that ends well when Celyn, who's now with Liam (Xian Lim), and Margaux, who's now with Ethan (Enchong Dee) gave birth to their babies.

That concludes the story of Ina Kapatid Anak

Ina Kapatid Anak ending

Let's Do The News! (June 14, 2013)

(cheers and applause)

JC: Unbelievable man! That's definitely quite a spectacular attack for Miami Heat.

RH: Yeah!

JC: So...I can't believe it's turning into a game of catch up because look...Spurs got Game 1, Heat got Game 2, Spurs got Game 3 with their 16 3-pointer record per game, and now Heat took Game 4 at the score of 109 to 93 against Spurs!

RH: I guess it was TOO HOT TO HANDLE. Eh?

(audience laughing)

JC: Yeah but one thing I really don't understand is that Miami Heat's always attracting too much foul every time when they're trying to make a score. Is this all part of a plan to prevent Miami from scoring or is it just phoney-baloney?

(audience laughing)

RH: I don't know. Maybe all those whistle-blowing against Heat gives Spurs a fighting chance to shoot, to dunk, or 3-pointer, whatever their disposal's throwing at...

(audience laughing)

JC: So, now that they're all tied by 2 wins and Game 5's on Sunday (Monday if you're in Asia), do you think it's going to be the Spurs' turn or will Miami takes it again for the win?

RH: I don't know but it's all in the order now. My money's on Spurs for the moment...

(audience laughing)

JC: Anyway, let's do the news!

JM: Okay, the news and listen up you millionaire big boys, there was this derelict car factory somewhere in America is for sale at around $975,000 (£622,400) and here's the pic...

The old Packard plant

(audience laughing)

RH: Oh wait...under 630,000 Pounds for some abandoned building? What's that?

JM: Well, this is the old Packard car factory. It's being auctioned off for under 630,000 Pounds due to tax delinquency for this 43 plots of land that will make up for this site. This building's built in 1903, closed in 1958, and has since been vandalized, pillaged and dismantled by trophy hunters.

JC: You know, if someone had that kind of money to buy this abandoned building, I might be expecting they'll turn this one into another hideout for the bad boys...

(audience laughing)

JC: I mean look at it! So derelict and so deserted, I bet that those turbo nerds use this as their safehouse and if by turbo nerds, that's another word for speedo boys.

(audience laughing)

RH: So now you're saying, another description for the word "boy racer" is speedo boy and now turbo nerd. Where did you get that word from, Clarkson?

JC: It's from Adventure Time! (ahem) IMAGINATION IS FOR TURBO NERDS!

(audience laughing)

JC: But anyway, it's not what they meant to use it because I have to use this new word to describe a "boy racer" because "speedo boy" is just so...last year but still I would use those words "speedo boy" and "turbo nerd" in case there's a boy racer in his modified car. It's like being chased by cops and then you're saying I'M A TURBO NERD! YOU CAN'T STOP ME!

(audience laughing)

JC: Also, when there's a new car that doesn't offer a turbocharged model, mostly Japanese cars, a certain "turbo nerd"'s going all Dr. D and then it's going to be some sort of "BEHOLD! THE TURBO-INATOR!"

(audience laughing)

JC:...and then goes bam bam bam, every single car has the "turbo" prefix, unnoticed! This is irritating!

(audience laughing)

JC: Now, while we're a bit too early about the 2013 Metro Manila Film Festival, there's going to be a twist happen at this year's film festival this Christmas 2013. Wanna guess what kind of twist was that?

RH: Lemme guess...new Mano Po?

(audience laughing)

JC: Come on, there's no more Mano Po for now. Anyway, the big twist for this year's festival is...wait for it...wait for it...No ‘Enteng’, ‘Panday’, ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll’ in next MMFF!

(awww)

JC: Yep. That's going to be a very big bombshell out there because this year's festival will no longer had  Enteng Kabisote, Ang Panday, Ina Montecillo and the rest of the horrifying creatures of the “Shake, Rattle and Roll”. Very sad but still, it's work in progress for what will be the eight films going to compete for this year's MMFF and the list will be revealed this June 18...

JM: But still, no Enteng Kabisote, no Panday, no Tanging Ina (because it's already ended in LAST NA 'TO), and no Shake Rattle and Roll because it's stopped at The Invasion.

(audience laughing)

JC: Speaking of invasion, anyone heard the news about some farmer in China arrested because of killing an alien?

(audience laughing)

JC: True! Here's the clip...



(audience laughing)

RH: So it turned out to be somewhat a fabricated story and the alien he killed was just an image made of rubber. So, no such thing as alien?

(audience laughing)

JC: Possibly but there's some more alien sightings because recently, in Holland, some Dutch accidentally took a picture of what this photographer thought to be some sort of UFO. I saw that in the Good Morning Club earlier and that news really questioned about the whole extra-terrestrial malarkey... I wonder if that pic does state if that one's a UFO or not. What do you think, folks?

(audience murmuring)

JC: Anyway, those who are using Facebook just now might have noticed that there's a new feature that works like Twitter. It's the hashtag feature that when every time clicks on this hashtag...well, this is just like Twitter except it's bigger in Facebook...

(audience laughing)

RH: So, Facebook's trying to be just like Twitter except they're bigger on the Facebook space, eh? Do you think Facebook tries to generate as much "trending topics" as possible just like Twitter?

(audience laughing)

JC: If possible, yes because Facebook's a bit big and Twitter's a bit small but despite differences, they're both a win-win in the social media craze because this is the world we live in. It's the 21st century. This is where everything changes, and you got to be ready!

(audience laughing)

JM: Anyway, that's the end of the news and guess what? We are nearly there to find out which is the best Phineas and Ferb song of all time and it's all down to two: It's now Summer Belongs To You vs. Everything's Better With Perry. So, what do you think folks? The finishing musical number from the Summer Belongs To You special or the opening musical number from Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension? The best way to find out which song became the top of the pops is tune in this June 28, Friday, at 8PM/ 7PM Central and find out!

Breaking news from the June 13, 2013's Banana Nite's Kandila segment!

Breaking news from the June 13, 2013's Banana Nite's Kandila segment!

- Thanks to CCTV cameras, most shoplifters are caught in the act...especially those who are cheating to their husbands!

-  Several complaints from classmates about the lack of resources from public schools have appeared...but students find it a bit fine unless a teacher is flirting to someone...

- Beyonce Knowles get slapped at the back by some and because of that, gets punched by one of Beyonce's bodyguards...poor Beyonce fan. He's getting traumatized...


Meanwhile in LAUGH THREE, here are some three tips on how to deal with someone snoozing next to you while on the FX

- Think of a plan to move the snoozer...

- Make some noise

- Pretend you're sleeping and snore louder!

What's in our Car Town garage today? (June 14, 2013)

What's in our Car Town garage today?

2005 Jeep Hurricane Concept

Revealed at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, this cross-eyed curiosity during the age of the Daimler-Chrysler not only can approach and climb a 64-degree angle, but the Hurricane Concept is powered by not one but TWO 5.7L Hemi engines, one above the front axle and one above the rear axle! With two engines kicked in, total power output is 670HP and torque output is a hefty 1000Nm, resulting to a 0-60 time of under five seconds.

2005 Jeep Hurricane Concept

2010 Mini Clubman S

Quite an odd addition to the Mini lineup, the Clubman is more of a swiss army knife rather than an enjoyable estate car. Of course, Mini is now a BMW brand, making it too German in the eyes of many, but it still has a British spirit and the Clubman's assembled at Cowley, Oxford, which makes it very British, just like the good old Minis of yesteryears. For added oddity, the Clubman has this bi-parting rear doors known as Splitdoors and a pair of bi-parting side doors known as the Clubdoor. This special door is located on the passenger side of the car...

2010 Mini Clubman S

2009 Honda Fit

It's more than just a compact car for everyone but the Honda Fit is no doubt one of the most fun to drive compacts ever assembled. Of course, it's a Honda and it was notoriously a favorite among the "boy racer" scene and annoyingly, most Honda owners love to spend most of their cash on applying some modifications to make some noise in the neighborhood. For the Honda Fit, however, this is a bit more than that because with an improved ride and handling thanks to its reworked chassis and more rigid bodywork, the Fit from Honda sure knows how to keep itself dandy with ease...

2009 Honda Fit

Sam Concepcion, IHAW NA!

Singer and actor, Sam Concepcion, is the guest of the IHAW NA segment from June 12, 2013's Banana Nite and in here, we're checking how is Sam Concepcion's current status with Jasmine Curtis, about his singing career, his fame, and whatever Sam's talking about. He even demonstrates Tito Bhoy how to do the moonwalk as well!

Meanwhile, in KRISSY AND ME, Krissy and Me are talking about some more hot topics! Such as...

1) Charice, nag-out na. Inamin na siya ay isang tomboy.

2) Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, nag-resign bilang senate president.

Kia -The New K5-

If you look back at Kia's midsize sedan called the K5 (known worldwide as the Optima), you could be forgiven thinking that it is one of the most successful midsize sedans sold in South Korea. The fact is though, it isn't because ever since the ninth generation Camry arrived in South Korea, it toppled down every single car in its category, including the Kia K5, thus winning the 2013 South Korean Car of the Year. The Koreans are not pleased...

So, since its world premiere in New York earlier in the year, Kia finally showcased The New K5 just in time for summer in South Korea and it's been built for one purpose: to offer mid-size sedan consumers new premium amenities and convenience upgrades, as well as a refinement of the world-class design that so completely transformed the brand.

2014 Kia K5

Now, when they said new, what they mean is that this is a "minor change" for this midsize sedan. It's a cosmetic facelift done for the K5 ever since its debut in April 2010. What Kia says that The New K5 is the cornerstone of Kia's design evolution and epitomizes the goal of producing cars that are highly attractive and value for money. Underneath the bonnet lies three different engine types;

First is the Nu 2.0L CVVL engine which produces 172PS of power. Second, a Nu 2.0 LPi engine that runs on liquefied petroleum, the same kind of fuel that was used to cook your meals, which produces 155PS of power when mated with an automatic or 157PS of power when mated with a manual transmission. And finally, for the enthusiasts, a more robust 2.0-liter Theta II turbo GDI (T-GDi) engine which delivers the power of a V6 while maintaining the fuel consumption of a 4-cylinder engine. 271 PS of power and 37.2kg-m of torque.

It's too complicated to explain why and I've been barred by Kia Motors from explaining them properly so instead, here comes a kindergarten explanation...

2014 Kia K5 interior

The issue was the way it handles and although Kia says that even though it has a performance on par with the other European midsize saloons, it's somewhat too confusing for newbies many but even though it's confusing, the dynamics is not quite bad. It still comes with a sportier suspension and a steering tuning, therefore delivering better handling and better driver feedback but as a concept, it's a bit too firm and it would rather faint at the wrong hands if you're not quite careful. What's new on The New K5 is this: the Drive Mode Select which allows the driver to adjust transmission shift points and steering weight, offering owners a customizable driving experience. You can select in either Normal, Sport, or Eco, respectively. Setting in Normal mode feels like...um...you're riding in a kiddie ride at your nearby convenience store. Eco Mode feels like...um...you were having a piggyback ride with your parents while you were a baby. And when set to Sport Mode, it's more like...you're getting fell off from the tail end because of the cloud density.

2014 Kia K5

And getting fell off from the tail end is the redesigned front and rear fascias and the brand's signature "Tiger Nose" grille. An updated rear diffusers and a sweeping trunk lid adds even more aerodynamics on the once-successful design, and lighting them up are striking front LED positioning and fog lights, along with clear, newly designed LED rear lamps. As for the interior, there's a new 4.3-inch TFT LCD instrument cluster on the dashboard, available 8-inch Navigation System, new seat designs, and a new steering wheel look.

And then, there's a The New Price; it's now 20,250,000 Korean Won for the entry level model up to 29,950,000 Korean Won for the top-of-the-line model.

Anyway, Toyota Motor Corporation, you and your Camry thingy. Your gauntlet has been picked up by a familiar foe from the Land of the Morning Calm...

Available colors: Snow White Pearl, Bright Silver, Platinum Graphite, Satin Metal, Abyss Blue, Smoky Blue, and Aurora Black Pearl.



Photo: Kia Motors