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New Kia Sorento at Frankfurt

The new Kia Sorento will get its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show The new Kia Sorento – a seven seat SUV – is longer, lower and more aerodynamic than the current model. Its length has increased by 18mm and its drag coefficient drops to 0.38 – down from 0.43 – which will help with economy. And Kia says that the new Sorento has been set up to be more road-biased, without losing any of the Sorento’s off-road ability.

Ford to offer 4 vehicles in 2011 with certified EPA ratings of 40 mpg

Ford Motor Co. expects the 2012 Focus compact to earn 40 mpg, giving the automaker four vehicles that produce 40 mpg or more in 2011. Three of the 2011s--the Fiesta subcompact SE with SFE package, Fusion Hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid sedans--have certified 2011 EPA ratings of 40 mpg highway/41 city.

Volvo testing new safety features

Volvo outlined three new technologies that it says will help make the Volvos of the future a good deal safer: autonomous driving, “Intersection Support” and animal detection. Volvo says it's tailoring technologies to the way people drive, by which it means poorly. The company claims that “surveys from three different research institutes in the United States reveal that modern drivers spend 25 to 30 percent of their time behind the wheel doing other things, such as focusing on mobile communication.” Volvo's new technologies are said take this into account and “provide the driver with the right support at all times.” By using a camera and radar, future Volvos will be able to follow the car in front while driving in slow traffic using an autonomous-driving function.