Friendly Kia Official Blog
Archive for March, 2017
What’s in Your Bracket? NCAA Final Four, Championship is Here
Wednesday, March 29th, 2017
NCAA March Madness Basketball College Bracket Challenge Tampa FL
Have you been watching the NCAA tournament? There have been upsets and huge performances every round, as we have seen the field whittled down from 68 to 4.
Who could forget Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox scoring 39 to down the much-hyped Lonzo Ball and his UCLA squad in the Sweet 16? Or South Carolina’s rise to the Final Four? Or Gonzaga finally breaking through as a program to the final quartet of teams, after years of unfulfilled promise? Now that we’re down to the final weekend, we’ll take a look at the handful of teams that remain, and look toward the championship.
And if you have been involved in the Tampa Bay Times College Bracket Challenge during the tournament, then we hope your bracket has been kind to you, and that you have a chance to win a prize when it’s all finished!
See Tampa Bay Times’ Bracket Challenge
We’re Repeating Ourselves: The 2017 Sportage Gains More Praise
Tuesday, March 28th, 2017
Autotrader 12 Must Test Drive Vehicles for 2017 Kia Sportage
Last year, it was the 2016 Kia Sedona minivan that was honored by making the list that was Autotrader’s “10 Must Test Drive Vehicles for 2016” list. While the Sedona remains a formidable minivan, with space and comforts aplenty, it makes room this year for the 2017 Kia Sportage to make the Autotrader “Must Test Drive” list, which was expanded to 12 vehicles this year.
Read on for why the 2017 Sportage won, and what some of its other recent awards are – there are plenty to choose from!
Looking for Easter 2017 Events for the Tampa Area?
Thursday, March 23rd, 2017
Easter 2017 Events Activities Egg Hunts Tampa Clearwater St. Petersburg FL
We want to apologize ahead of time for the downpour of egg- and rabbit-related wordplay we’re going to deluge you with. There’s such a playful spirit to many community celebrations for the Easter holiday, and we think it’s “egg-cellent.” That said, we’ll try not to have egg on our faces when we’re all done with our quick guide to Easter events, for the holiday which takes place on April 16, 2017.
So your mission – should you choose to “egg-cept” it – is to find the best egg hunts and Easter fun in the Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg FL area. We hope you find them “egg-ceptable”!
Blog: Keep Up with Tampa-Area Events
What are the Features of the New 2017 Kia Rio?
Thursday, March 23rd, 2017
2017 Kia Rio Features Technology and Availability
The 2017 Kia Rio is on the lot at dealerships everywhere, and this subcompact continues the model’s history of easy handling, fun style and great fuel economy.
Let’s dive into what makes the 2017 Kia Rio so special, as we consider its features, technology, and more!
Compare the 2017 Rio with Nissan/Toyota
Tax Season Means It’s Time to Get a New Kia!
Friday, March 17th, 2017
Tax Returns 2017 Specials on Kia Vehicles Tampa Clearwater St. Petersburg FL
Taxes are an annual stressor, since some of us get money back and some will need to pay – either way, it takes some time to fill out the forms and make sure everything is submitted before the federal deadline.
However, once that money comes back from the state and federal government, then it’s time to have some fun with it. Sure, you can save your whole income tax refund; that’s a solid plan. But don’t you deserve to find a new set of wheels? Or to move up from the vehicle you currently have?
If you’ve been pondering a new car or a new pre-owned vehicle, then we have plenty of ways you can save with your tax refund and use that money to cover your down payment, or put it towards some monthly payments, at Friendly Kia, serving the Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg FL area!
Kia Rookie Ladder: Who Will Win NBA Rookie of the Year?
Friday, March 17th, 2017
Kia NBA Rookie Ladder Rookie of the Year 2016-17 Season
Many NBA seasons have served as introductions for a first-year player who takes the league by storm. Notable rookie seasons like LeBron James from 2003-04 come to mind, as well as Tim Duncan in 1997-98, Shaquille O’Neal in 1992-93 and Karl Anthony-Towns from last season. However, there are some seasons where no one thoroughly distinguishes himself as a long-time all-star based upon the numbers from his freshman season. This is one of those years where there are few dominant rookies, and the one who has been the biggest standout, Joel Embiid, has had some injury woes.
But because of this lack of a clear front-runner, the NBA Rookie of the Year award will likely go to whoever finishes strong. With that in mind, we’ll list some of the top rookies, and see who we think will emerge as Rookie of the Year for the 2016-17 season. And thanks to the Rookie Ladder Presented by Kia (and Kia’s status as the official automotive partner of the NBA), we have a solid estimate who will be victorious at the end of the season, though we’ve made our own list of top rookies!
Which Rookies Began Strong in 2016?
Come and Get It: 2017 Optima Plug-In Hybrid is on the Lot!
Thursday, March 16th, 2017
2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid Release Date Features and Specs
The 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid has just arrived at dealerships! It’s been approximately a year since the environmentally-conscious sedan made its global debut at the Chicago Auto Show, and now the triumvirate of Kia hybrid vehicles that are set to usher in a new period of eco-friendly driving is complete, with the 2017 Kia Niro hybrid crossover and 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid also seeing a release earlier this year.
We have the 2017 Optima Plug-In Hybrid on the lot at Friendly Kia in the Tampa area, and are one of the few dealers to have it in stock in the area. Read on to see its benefits, and what some of its cool eco-friendly features are!
See Our Optima Plug-In Hybrid Inventory
With “Beauty and the Beast” Remake, Kia Cadenza Has Brand-New Competition
Thursday, March 16th, 2017
2017 Kia Cadenza vs. The Competition Beauty and the Beast Maestro Cadenza
“Beauty and the Beast” is an all-time classic, with the first animated Disney movie version seeing a release back in 1991. It has also inspired a couple TV series, some classic songs, and plenty of pop culture love.
Now the movie has been re-done for live action (starring Emma Watson) and sees a release date on March 17, 2017. It includes many of the characters and the hallmarks of the classic tale, with a few new twists; namely, there’s a new character named “Maestro Cadenza,” a talking grand piano.
We can’t help but feel like this has only been done to capitalize on the 2017 Kia Cadenza’s redesign and impressive features. Even if this character was designed for some other less-nefarious purpose – and we’re sure this is the case – we’re going to compare the Cadenza with this newcomer to see which Cadenza is supreme!
See the Kia Cadenza vs. Other “-Zas”
What are the Odds the Tampa Bay Lightning Win the Cup?
Wednesday, March 15th, 2017
2017 Tampa Bay Lightning Playoff Preview Stanley Cup Odds
Will lightning strike twice for our hockey heroes? Back in 2004, the Tampa Bay Lightning won its first Stanley Cup championship behind the efforts of players like winger Martin St. Louis (24 playoff points), center Brad Richards (12 playoff goals) and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (16 playoff wins, 1.71 goals against average).
Fast-forward to 2017, and the Lightning are a perennial contender in the Eastern Conference, with some deep runs in the NHL Playoffs the past couple years, all of them ending in heartbreak. So will this year be the one where the Lightning strike (i.e. winning a championship) for the second time? Read on and see what the team’s prospects appear to be with about a month to go before the start of the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Bucs Offseason Storylines
See the Best Recent Kia Instagram Pics!
Wednesday, March 15th, 2017
2017 Kia Soul Niro Cadenza Sedona Instagram Pictures
We have a gallery of some of the best recent Instagram pictures from the Kia feed, with images of a nice variety of models: The Soul crossover, the Niro hybrid, the Cadenza sedan and the Sedona minivan.
Read on to see the images, as well as quick bios and specs for each vehicle!
Get a Closer Look at New Kia Models!
