Korean cars, will they ever get accepted by petrol heads?
Discussion
HeatonNorris said:
dowahdiddyman said:
This is where Hyundai really missed the boat,the Genesis coupe should have been in this country it would have sold by the boat load. Instead we had to wait and got the Veloster, seen about 2 maybe 3 on the road.
But who really would buy a Korean coupe for north of £20 or even £25k, with horrendous thirst, high emissions (and hence BIK for company car drivers) and high VED rates?We didn't get it because people don't want that kind of car - how many BMW 1 and 3 series coupes are diesel company cars these days?
Ecosseven said:
+1. In my humble opinion the private UK buyer wants reliability, competence, and most of all decent value for money. When VAG bought Skoda they had huge success with their vRS Fabia and Octavia. Decent cars with affordable price tags
and the Fabia Monte Carlo proves that you can still win on Sunday and sell on Monday even if it doesn't always have the 'right' powerplant.Toaster Pilot said:
Lordglenmorangie said:
My son has a hire car every three weeks for joining his ship, Eurocar have started supplying the Hyundai 130 he says it the best car they have ever supplied . Last leave he had a Golf which he said was the worst hire car he has ever had.
Only Golf I've ever had from Europcar was a 1.4 S (bottom of the range) whereas a Kia Cee'd tends to be a 1.6 '2' or '3' which is significantly better.
Easily the worst car in the range is the Astra. I get a 1.6 petrol every so often. Couldn't pull the skin off custard and thirsty as hell. Horrible, horrible car.
Twincam16 said:
Skoda is proof positive that the best way of overcoming prejudice against your marque is to go and build some bloody good cars and get into motor sport.
See also: Subaru in the early '90s. Went from farmer's wagon to WRC Superstars by bolting a turbo onto the Legacy and Impreza.I think that attributing the sucess of Skoda and Subaru to motorsport is over simplistic.
You may also recall that both brands were also consistantly top of JD Powers CSI results in the 90s.
Selling WRX has also damaged Subaru's image to a degree as they are over reliant on that one model.
The non WRX Impreza is hardly a big seller.
Their sales were down 26% in March.
How many new Foresters etc do you see?
You may also recall that both brands were also consistantly top of JD Powers CSI results in the 90s.
Selling WRX has also damaged Subaru's image to a degree as they are over reliant on that one model.
The non WRX Impreza is hardly a big seller.
Their sales were down 26% in March.
How many new Foresters etc do you see?
odyssey2200 said:
I think that attributing the sucess of Skoda and Subaru to motorsport is over simplistic.
You may also recall that both brands were also consistantly top of JD Powers CSI results in the 90s.
Selling WRX has also damaged Subaru's image to a degree as they are over reliant on that one model.
The non WRX Impreza is hardly a big seller.
Their sales were down 26% in March.
How many new Foresters etc do you see?
My ex father in law had a 2.0 GL Impreza and I remember thinking how rare it was to see compared to the turbo. It's the other way around for most other saloons to see the range toppers being the biggest sellers.You may also recall that both brands were also consistantly top of JD Powers CSI results in the 90s.
Selling WRX has also damaged Subaru's image to a degree as they are over reliant on that one model.
The non WRX Impreza is hardly a big seller.
Their sales were down 26% in March.
How many new Foresters etc do you see?
odyssey2200 said:
I think that attributing the sucess of Skoda and Subaru to motorsport is over simplistic.
You may also recall that both brands were also consistantly top of JD Powers CSI results in the 90s.
Selling WRX has also damaged Subaru's image to a degree as they are over reliant on that one model.
The non WRX Impreza is hardly a big seller.
Their sales were down 26% in March.
How many new Foresters etc do you see?
Thing is, the hardships of motorsport help improve the engineering, making the cars more reliable.You may also recall that both brands were also consistantly top of JD Powers CSI results in the 90s.
Selling WRX has also damaged Subaru's image to a degree as they are over reliant on that one model.
The non WRX Impreza is hardly a big seller.
Their sales were down 26% in March.
How many new Foresters etc do you see?
Plus, picture it - you're in a showroom, about to buy a car. Even if you're not into motorsport, the sight of a car like the one you're going to buy in a picture on the wall, in rally livery powersliding past a load of spectators will make you feel good about your car, and might encourage you to spec it accordingly.
Twincam16 said:
odyssey2200 said:
I think that attributing the sucess of Skoda and Subaru to motorsport is over simplistic.
You may also recall that both brands were also consistantly top of JD Powers CSI results in the 90s.
Selling WRX has also damaged Subaru's image to a degree as they are over reliant on that one model.
The non WRX Impreza is hardly a big seller.
Their sales were down 26% in March.
How many new Foresters etc do you see?
Thing is, the hardships of motorsport help improve the engineering, making the cars more reliable.You may also recall that both brands were also consistantly top of JD Powers CSI results in the 90s.
Selling WRX has also damaged Subaru's image to a degree as they are over reliant on that one model.
The non WRX Impreza is hardly a big seller.
Their sales were down 26% in March.
How many new Foresters etc do you see?
Plus, picture it - you're in a showroom, about to buy a car. Even if you're not into motorsport, the sight of a car like the one you're going to buy in a picture on the wall, in rally livery powersliding past a load of spectators will make you feel good about your car, and might encourage you to spec it accordingly.
How many F1 championships did Honde win in the 80s and 90s?
Sales were not improved despite the success, arguably Honda sales have increased since the pulled out of Motorsports
Yet until recently their cars were bought by OAPs (and they still have the image as such).
king hideous!!!! :Oodyssey2200 said:
I don't think that you average Legacy/Forrester buyer wants to be associated with Chavs in Blue Imprezas with Gold wheels, huge exhausts and yellow 555 stickers.
How many F1 championships did Honde win in the 80s and 90s?
Sales were not improved despite the success, arguably Honda sales have increased since the pulled out of Motorsports
Yet until recently their cars were bought by OAPs (and they still have the image as such).
Honda was an engine supplier, rather than a team in itself. Plus, you couldn't exactly go and buy an F1 car.How many F1 championships did Honde win in the 80s and 90s?
Sales were not improved despite the success, arguably Honda sales have increased since the pulled out of Motorsports
Yet until recently their cars were bought by OAPs (and they still have the image as such).
And re. rally-reps, it would be the Impreza buyers who'd be impressed by the rally heritage. Legacies and Foresters have a totally different image and are sold accordingly. However, as has been noted, the rally-rep Impreza sold a lot better than the ordinary one.
Toaster Pilot said:
I see your 1.6 and raise you a 1.4 (N/A) "SRI". 
I rented one of those turds. Crossed the Pennines in it, flat out in 3rd up some of the crawler lanes and literally couldn't pass an artic. Only got 26mpg. The electronic handbrake was suicidal, too. Wouldn't wish one on my worst enemy.FoundOnRoadside said:
I rented one of those turds. Crossed the Pennines in it, flat out in 3rd up some of the crawler lanes and literally couldn't pass an artic. Only got 26mpg. The electronic handbrake was suicidal, too. Wouldn't wish one on my worst enemy.
Someone seems to buy them ex rental too because Arnold Clark keep buying them in droves once Europcar are finished with them (well in fact they own a stake in the dealer that supplies them in the first place)£10,995 for ex-rental 14k mile jobs.
FoundOnRoadside said:
I rented one of those turds. Crossed the Pennines in it, flat out in 3rd up some of the crawler lanes and literally couldn't pass an artic. Only got 26mpg. The electronic handbrake was suicidal, too. Wouldn't wish one on my worst enemy.
Bloody hell, now I'm doubting myself, maybe it was a 1.4. I end up dropping it down to 3rd passing the angel of the north on the uphill section just to keep up.I do agree about the electronic parking brake though. It's like a minor celebration when I see it has a proper handbrake.
Top Gear review of Kia Ceed station wagon.
http://www.topgear.com/uk/kia/ceed-estate/verdict
Not much more to say!
http://www.topgear.com/uk/kia/ceed-estate/verdict
Not much more to say!
I find the designs of most Korean cars to be pretty "Meh". Even the new C'eed looks a bit like they copied an Astra from the back. Our neighbour has just bought a Hyundai i30 to replace his Focus which replaced a Fiesta. I have to say it is quite horrific to look at (the i40 is a much better design) but he doubtless got a good deal.
I hate the gopping Veloster and the Electrolux Fridge Devoid of Soul but this Optima has been taking my eye whenever I see them and I don't know but my gut feeling is that "KIA" ia a more Euro and acceptable name than the Asian sounding Hyundai which always sounds like a Tai Kwon Do yell.
So with the right dynamic ability, I'd certainly consider a Kia Optima and the only time I've thought that before is with the two generations of Sportage which seemed to make a good fist of a 4x4.
I hate the gopping Veloster and the Electrolux Fridge Devoid of Soul but this Optima has been taking my eye whenever I see them and I don't know but my gut feeling is that "KIA" ia a more Euro and acceptable name than the Asian sounding Hyundai which always sounds like a Tai Kwon Do yell.
So with the right dynamic ability, I'd certainly consider a Kia Optima and the only time I've thought that before is with the two generations of Sportage which seemed to make a good fist of a 4x4.
Edited by LuS1fer on Tuesday 10th July 20:38
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