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2014 Kia Soul gets new 'Totally Transformed' hamster commercial

The lovable, anthropomorphic hamsters from Kia are known for electronic dance music, head bopping, and of course, a certain funktastic Korean box-on-wheels. With a new Soul on the way, the adorable rodents need to be ready to appear alongside the resculpted crossover. Only one thing could get them ready in time - cue the training montage.
The commercial, called Totally Transformed, features Lady Gaga playing in the background, along with gratuitous footage of the hamsters shedding some weight. The Kia designers also get some attention, as they're hard at work designing the hamsters' new ride. Take a look below for the full, 91-second spot.

Kia confirms $1B factory in Mexico to be completed in 2016

Kia is the latest in a string of automakers to announce plans to build new or expanded factories in Mexico. The Korean company has signed a $1 billion deal to establish a plant in Monterrey in the state of Nuevo León, with construction starting in late September. If everything proceeds on schedule, the facility should be complete in the first half of 2016 and be able to produce 300,000 vehicles a year.
The $1-billion investment will create a "new, highly automated manufacturing plant," according to Kia's announcement, a facility covering 1,235 acres of land. Confirming earlier rumors, Kia will produce compact models there, but the company won't reveal specific model names, just yet. When complete, the factory in Mexico will boost the automaker's annual capacity to 3.37 million vehicles a year with 1.69 million of those in Korea and 1.68 million abroad. It will also join Kia's plant in Georgia (where the Optima and Sorento are made) as the business' other North American location.
Kia hasn't kept plans for the Mexican factory a very close secret and openly admitted it was "being considered as a possible location" to Autoblog. The country was chosen partially because of its free-trade agreements (read: NAFTA), that make it less costly to move models elsewhere, not to mention its easy access to the North, Central and South American markets. The new plant should also alleviate some of the tight supply issues Kia has had in the US.

Kia Hotbots come back out to play with 2014 Forte

Kia is bringing back its so-called "hotbots," the slightly disturbing female robots that traipse about the uncanny valley while hustling the new Forte and "respecting the tech," for three new, humorous animated spots.
The Hotbots first debuted during Kia's latest Super Bowl spot, which followed the debut of the 2014 Forte sedan at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. Each new spot follows the premise of the two originals, with the hotbots protecting the Forte while the oblivious owner stands by. Take a look at all three ads below, along with the two originals that kicked the series off.