Monthly Archives: April 2017

Kia Forte Koup sport compact US release for 2017 details

Can We Expect a 2017 Kia Forte Koup in the U.S.?

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Posted in Kia Forte

2017 Kia Forte Koup US Domestic Release Details

The Kia Forte Koup has been a high-performing two-door sedan since the 2010 model year, and there’s a ton of great features to this high-octane compact car.  But we haven’t seen a domestic release for a 2017 model, which got us wondering.  Every other Kia model has seen a 2017 release, and we are now seeing news for the 2018 Kia Rio subcompact and 2018 Kia Stinger sports car, as well.

So what happened to the 2017 Forte Koup?  Is it no longer being built, or is something else in the works?  Will it be involved in a reboot of the popular 1990s ABC show with Mark Curry and Holly Robinson-Peete, slightly re-titled to “Hanging with Mr. Koup-er”?  We’ll fill you in on our intel, below.

See the Features of the 2016 Forte Koup

News: 2016 Forte Koup’s U.S. Release

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2017 NFL Draft format debate Thursday vs. weekend schedule and preview

What’s the Better NFL Draft Format – Starting on Thursday or Weekend-Only?

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Posted in Sports

NFL Draft Format Comparison Which Schedule is Better Weekday or Weekend Start

Gather around, everyone, and listen to a tale from a time long ago: Long before “Deflategate”; eons before Julian Edelman was a thing; a time when the plot for HBO’s “Ballers” was merely the twinkle in a TV producer’s eye, at best.

It was a time when college football athletes were booed as they were drafted by NFL teams and shamed on live television, for no other reason than the New York Jets fans in attendance were either passionate about the sport, or merely drunk and disorderly.  It was a pigskin-lover’s Nirvana.

But everything changed, however, in 2010, and darkness fell over the kingdom.

The NFL Draft, which had long been held on Saturdays and Sundays, made the move to starting on Thursday evening, and then running through Saturday.  And this is the way things still are today, a long seven years since the change.  But all is not well in NFL Draft-ville, because while the NFL surely wants to dominate three days instead of two and get some prime time viewers and advertising money on Thursday and Friday nights, many fans actually preferred the old weekend-long format. We may be among that group.

So while we long for days long past and settle into our rocking chairs and cranky pants, we’re going to compare the current NFL Draft format vs. the pre-2010 one to see which schedule format is better.

Our 2017 NFL Draft Preview

See the Top Football Tailgating Foods

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Mother's Day 2017 restaurants Tampa St. Pete FL Nouvelle Cuisine Island Way Grill

Where Can You Take Mom for Mother’s Day 2017?

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Posted in Local Events

Mother’s Day 2017 Restaurant Ideas Tampa Clearwater St. Petersburg FL

Ah, Mother’s Day – it’s a wonderful time where we can show how much we care for and love our moms by taking them somewhere where they get treated like royalty.  Preferably, this involves some nice food and drinks, to ensure there’s no chance they will be doing any food prep on their special day.

Which is why we combed the Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg FL area, and found some local restaurants that will provide a nice Mother’s Day meal!

Local Tampa-Area Events Blog

Save Big on a Car with Your Tax Refund!

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2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid release details date features and specs

What are Features, Benefits of the 2018 Kia Niro Plug-In?

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Posted in Concept Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Kia Niro

2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid Release Date Specs and Eco-Friendly Benefits 

Kia has pledged to keep increasing the number of alternative fuel vehicles – eco-friendly hybrids, electric vehicles, and the like – by 2020, and we have some stellar news for you in that regard.  The 2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid is coming soon to provide you with another option for eco-friendly, high fuel-efficiency driving!

Stay right here for more on the 2018 Niro’s Plug-In’s release date, and the eco-friendly features and specs that we know so far!

News, Updates for the Kia Niro!

Test Drive a 2017 Kia Niro!

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2017 Kia Niro Optima Plug-In Hybrid KBB.com Best Hybrids for Under $40,000 lists

A Quartet of Kias Makes an Eco-Friendly List!

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Posted in Awards, Hybrid Vehicles, Kia Niro, Kia Optima Hybrid

KBB.com 2017 Kia Niro Optima Hybrid Best Hybrids Under $40,000

Earth Day 2017 falls on April 22, and to mark this occasion Kelly Blue Book’s KBB.com has named some of the top eco-friendly vehicles on the market that are less than $40,000, four of which are Kia models.

Thanks to a pledge to bring more alternate-fuel vehicles to the market, Kia vehicles are reaping the praise of the KBB.com editors who named the 2017 Optima Hybrid and 2017 Niro, as well as the 2017 Optima Plug-In Hybrid and 2017 Soul EV among the most affordable hybrids on any lot!  Read on for details of their category honors, and for specs of each of these eco-friendly rides!

Facts, Features: 2017 Kia Niro

Facts, Features: 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid

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2017 Kia Niro lowest price in Tampa Friendly Kia New Port Richey FL

Find the Lowest-Priced 2017 Niro in the Tampa Area at Friendly Kia!

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Posted in Hybrid Vehicles, Kia Niro

2017 Kia Niro Hybrid Crossover Friendly Kia VIP Price New Port Richey FL 

Have you hugged your Kia Niro today?  It’s okay if you haven’t, or if you haven’t yet had the pleasure to drive or ride in this new hybrid crossover vehicle.  But if you have enjoyed its combination of more than 40 mpg in all trim levels and the cargo room of an SUV at 54.5 cubic feet available, not to mention cool features like available heated and ventilated front seats and a Harman/Kardon audio system, then you’ll want to embrace this fun and cost-effective vehicle!

And there’s no finer place in the Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg area to save on the 2017 Niro than at Friendly Kia in New Port Richey, Florida.  Read on to see how much you save at Friendly, and for links to do further research on the Niro, or to take it for a test drive!

Test Drive a 2017 Niro!

Kia Niro News, Specs and More

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2017 Kia Sportage Smart Power Liftgate Dog Walkers ad features and specs

New Kia Sportage Ad Shows Dog-Friendly Features of the SUV

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Posted in Commercials, Kia Sportage

2017 Kia Sportage Dog-Friendly Features Smart Power Liftgate 

The 2017 Kia Sportage has ran the gamut from great to exceptional this model year, with improved fuel economy and cargo room, as well as awards from Cars.com for “Best New Compact SUV” and Kelley Book’s KBB.com for “Best Buy” – Small SUV.  But there’s more to this urban SUV, as the new commercial “Smart Power Liftgate – Dog Walkers” so ably demonstrates.

If you are unable to reach for the rear hatch of your vehicle, the Sportage has an available feature where the liftgate will open if it senses your Smart Key is nearby.  See how handy this feature is for people with their hands full in their roles as dog walkers, below!

Compare Trim Options: 2017 Kia Sportage!

See Awards the 2017 Sportage Has Won

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2017 Florida Blueberry Festival Pasco County Brooksville FL Friendly Kia sponsorship

Want to Know the Entertainment Lineup for the 2017 Florida Blueberry Festival?

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Posted in Local Events

2017 Florida Blueberry Festival Music Performers and Event Schedule Brooksville FL

Spring is in full effect, and as we get set to celebrate the coming of even warmer months and all the fun that is to come over the course of the summer, we kick off some good times with the annual Florida Blueberry Festival, which is set to hit Brooksville FL on April 22 and 23, 2017!

We previously published a post with a preview and general event information for the Blueberry fest, and we will go over some of that information here, but what we really want to dig into is the specifics of the entertainment, as we give you the schedule of some of the music performers that will be on hand for the two-day celebration of the delicious, antioxidant-heavy fruit that is the blueberry!

First Look: 2017 Florida Blueberry Festival

See Our Tampa-Area Events Blog

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Cotee River Seafest 2017 New Port Richey FL seafood blues festival pirate magician boat rides

Cotee River Seafest Returns for 2017: Details Here

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Posted in Local Events

2017 Cotee River Seafest Seafood & Blues Festival New Port Richey FL 

The Pithlachascotee River, otherwise known as the Cotee River, is a crown jewel of Pasco County, and the inspiration for a local event every year that is made for all-ages fun, with boat rides, magic shows, live music and arts & crafts!

We have the event details and activities to check out below for the upcoming Cotee River Seafest, which takes place in late April, 2017, in New Port Richey FL!

Re-Live Last Year’s Cotee River Bike Fest!

Local Tampa/NPR-Area Events Blog

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What is the History of the Kia Forte Model?

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Posted in Kia Forte

Kia Forte Compact Car History and Model Years Produced 2010 to 2017

The Kia Forte has come a long way in its relatively short history, from its introduction to the market for the 2010 model year to its model refresh that it received for the 2017 model year.  All the while, it has been a fun, fuel-efficient and tech-savvy compact with the style that is unmistakably Kia.

Let’s take a trip in the wayback machine – well, all of about 10 years – to see where the Forte’s story began, and where we are now with our examination of the history of the Kia Forte.

Test Drive a Kia Forte

Trim Comparison: 2017 Kia Forte

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