Monthly Archives: March 2017

2017 March Madness college basketball bracket challenge UNC Gonzaga South Carolina Oregon

What’s in Your Bracket? NCAA Final Four, Championship is Here

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Posted in General Information, Local Events, Sports

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

Save on a Vehicle with Your Tax Refund!

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2017 Kia Sportage Autotrader Must Test Drive list

We’re Repeating Ourselves: The 2017 Sportage Gains More Praise

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Posted in Awards, Kia Sportage

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!

Test Drive a 2017 Sportage!

2017 Sportage: Trim Level Comparison

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Easter 2017 events egg hunts activities Tampa New Port Richey FL

Looking for Easter 2017 Events for the Tampa Area?

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Posted in Local Events

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

Florida Blueberry Festival Event Preview

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2017 Kia Rio subcompact specs features Friendly Kia Tampa FL

What are the Features of the New 2017 Kia Rio?

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Posted in Kia Rio

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

See the 2017 Rio’s Color Options!

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Friendly Kia tax time savings Uber Spring Savings Time specials

Tax Season Means It’s Time to Get a New Kia!

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Posted in General Information, Local Events

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!

Research All Kia Models

Florida Blueberry Festival Event Preview

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Kia NBA Rookie Ladder 2017 top performers for Rookie of the Year

Kia Rookie Ladder: Who Will Win NBA Rookie of the Year?

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Posted in General Information, Sports

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?

Look Back: Kia & the NBA All-Star Game

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2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid eco-friendly Friendly Kia Tampa FL

Come and Get It: 2017 Optima Plug-In Hybrid is on the Lot!

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Posted in Hybrid Vehicles, Kia Optima, Kia Optima Hybrid

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

Keep Up with Kia Hybrid Vehicle News!

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2017 Kia Cadenza vs. Maestro Cadenza Beauty and the Beast 2017 remake Emma Watson

With “Beauty and the Beast” Remake, Kia Cadenza Has Brand-New Competition

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Posted in Kia Cadenza

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”

Test Drive a 2017 Kia Cadenza!

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Tampa Bay Lightning playoffs and Stanley Cup 2017 chances Friendly Kia Victor Hedman

What are the Odds the Tampa Bay Lightning Win the Cup?

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Posted in Local Events, Sports

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

Florida Blueberry Festival Preview

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Kia Instagram pictures 2017 Cadenza Niro Soul Sedona

See the Best Recent Kia Instagram Pics!

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Posted in General Information

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!

Kia Image Gallery: Chicago Auto Show

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