Kia Hamster Dancer Commits Disability Fraud
I had the honor of meeting a Kia hamster back in February at the Chicago Auto Show—shook his paw and everything. And now? I feel absolutely sickened that my idol, my role model, dare I say my hero, is a fraud. And no, not because it’s really just a strange man underneath a stinky hamster […]
Kia Ditches Iconic Hamsters to Promote the 2020 Soul
“No hamsters, no care!” said YouTube user Bones Jones
Whether you love them or get annoyed when they’re on your screen, there’s no doubt you’re familiar with the Kia Soul hamsters. The tiny furballs made their debut in a commercial called “A New Way to Roll,” which featured super boring hamsters spinning in stationary wheels while a trio of new-age, totally cool hamsters rolled […]
Kia Refreshes Hamster Commercials with baby Turbo Hamster
The newborn Turbo Hamster has just arrived to join Kia’s 8-years-running cast of veteran hamsters. Any fans of the hamster commercials will rejoice at this long-awaited refresh. The recently unleashed commercial features the maternity ward of a hospital. A nurse goes up to an empty bassinet, only to discover that the “baby” (aka Turbo Hamster) […]
Kia’s Newest Hamster Commercial Tops WardsAuto’s Weekly Auto Ad Rankings
When Kia’s first hamster commercials appeared, it beckoned the beginning of the brand’s rise in recognition throughout the American market. Because of the quirkiness of these animated hamsters—and their musical abilities—they became the face of the South Korean carmaker. These hamsters are continuing to show how great they are for marketing in the newest commercial […]
Kia’s Dancing Hamsters Return in Newest Soul Ad Campaign
Kia’s fun-loving hamsters (or, as we like to call them here at The News Wheel, Kamsters—or in some cases, criminals) are back, looking to dance their way into our hearts once again. It looks like Kia’s going with the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” on this one, guys. Starting in movie […]
Nerdy Hamsters Dance in New Kia Soul EV Commercial
The hilarious hamsters are up to their hip-hop hijinks once again, but this time the trio of Kia’s crunking critters are dancing in a new Kia Soul EV commercial (at the bottom of this post), rather than an ad for the traditional gasoline-powered Soul. Oh yeah, and they’re dressed like total nerds. I’m not entirely […]
Kia NAIAS Display: The One with the Creepy Old Man and the Hamster
The first part of Kia’s display visible to us was the luxury section. Kia is attempting to enter the luxury market within the next few years, and much to cynical Tim’s surprise, the luxury rebranding is actually going quite nicely. The Cadenza and the newly unveiled K900 both looked stately and sophisticated, the kind of […]
Partying with Hamsters and Kia at NAIAS
Right now, The News Wheel is prowling the floor of NAIAS with a serious journalistic mission in mind: where’s the party? I think we may have just found it here at the Kia display: Impressed with the way @Kia is displaying their #Cadenza info! Team @appleipad for the win! pic.twitter.com/a4tshHOS32 — The News Wheel (@thenewswheel) […]
Kia GT4 Stinger Reveal: Ditching the Hamsters for Something Fierce
Chances are pretty good that if you don’t own a Kia vehicle, your most intimate familiarity with the brand is through dancing and exercising hamsters. Cute, right? Well, Kia seems to be calling for something of a sea change when it comes to their image. First, there was the sleek and luxurious look of the […]
Kia’s “Red Zone” Edition Soul: Excellent Choice for People, Hamsters
The Kia Soul has been a fan- and hamster-favorite since it entered the market a few years back, but what is the automaker doing to ensure the 2014 model is on par with its predecessors? (No, Kia is not making the seat stuffing out of woodchips. Sorry to disappoint once again, hamsters of the world.) […]
Kia Reintroduces, Remakes its Famous Hamsters for 2014 Soul VMA Ad
Not all of the talk coming out of the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards was about a bunch of giant, disquietingly dour teddy bears (so very fluffy, so very sad): there was quite a bit of focus on the return of Kia’s much-beloved hamsters. Kia aired the fifth installment in its dancing-hamster commercial series during […]
2023 Kia Soul Overview
One of the most unique vehicles on the market is, and has been, the Kia Soul. Its boxy shape and iconic hamster commercials set it apart from most other SUVs. The 2023 Kia Soul arrives with some exciting updates while maintaining many of the features people have loved for years. What’s new for the 2023 […]
Tips for Transporting Your Hamster in the Car Without Traumatizing It
Advice for safely travelling with your mouse, gerbil, or other small rodent without scaring it
Whether you’re bringing your beloved rodent with you over the holidays or taking him to the vet for a checkup, it’s important that your small furry pet is safe and calm while riding in the car. Travelling with a gerbil, mouse, or hamster is much different than riding with a dog or cat, so make […]
Robert “the Niro” De Niro is a Hipster in European Kia Ads
A celebrity having the same name as a product is some strange form of serendipity that is sometimes capitalized on in creative ways. For example, singer Bebe Rexha recently teamed up with fashion retailer Bebe, which makes sense for the 20-something and her personal brand. However, some collaborations make us scratch our heads a bit […]
Safety All Around: The 2020 Telluride Gives Kia its 12th IIHS Rating for 2019
Step aside, Subaru. It was recently announced that Kia has the most vehicles with Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick Plus ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Each year, the IIHS assesses vehicles across all brands and bases its ratings on crashworthiness as well as crash avoidance and mitigation. In those two […]
Impressive Increase of Optima Purchases Boosts June Kia Sales
Across the market, vehicle sales tend to struggle in the middle of the year, as many consumers are trying to wait it out for the next model year to drop with exciting updates and deals. At the same time, some are waiting for the current model year prices to drop. However, Kia hasn’t been struggling […]
Supremely Safe: The 2020 Kia Soul Earns Top Safety Pick Plus Rating from IIHS
It should come as no surprise that the newly designed 2020 Kia Soul already has an award to put on its shelf. The 2019 iteration of the quirky Kia vehicle was named the “Best Compact Car for the Money” by U.S. News & World Report, and it received the Top Safety Pick rating from the […]
New 2019 Kia Forte Nabs MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award for Best Small Car
The 2019 Kia Forte hit the market primed to become the top vehicle in its segment with a lower starting price and better warranty than the competition and a ton of style and smarts. Its claim to being top of the crop is now supported by a shiny new trophy as the 2019 Forte has […]