Korean cars, will they ever get accepted by petrol heads?

Korean cars, will they ever get accepted by petrol heads?

Author
Discussion

iggysport

463 posts

146 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
I had a 02' Rio once but the less said about that the better.

Every car in Kias range looks good in my opinion apart from the pre-Schreyer ones like the Sedona and Carens.

I used to blab on about Korean cars on the 4car(Channel 4) forum in about 2006-07 when I was still in school, I was saying then that Korean brands were on the up but no one agreed with me! it was obvious to me as it was the same thing with Japanese cars, started as a joke but became seriously competitive.

Been rumours about a Cee'd hot hatch too

Funk

26,254 posts

208 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
Yep, I think KIA have got it right and the 'big names' should be very worried. In fact, I think we're already seeing cars like the i30 and C'eed pummelling the French brands into oblivion and with an increase in interior quality I think they'll start to pummel the Germans too.

I'd be more than happy to have a Sportage on my drive - in fact, I'd have it over a BMW X3 or Audi Q3 for looks alone.

Bob_Defly

3,645 posts

230 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
I love my Genesis Coupe. It's one of the most sideways, fun cars that I have owned in a long time. The latest models are even faster and better put together. I have also been in the Genesis saloon Type R, very nice and very quick.

uk_vette

3,336 posts

203 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
Well, never really even considering a Korean car, but recently, things might be changing.

I don't know if the NEW, NEW Hyundai Sonata has hit UK shores yet??

There are plenty of them here in China, and they are shaping up to be a big hit.
the styling is looking very good.

vette

Sea Demon

1,156 posts

212 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
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My girlfriends car opened my eyes to the new wave of Korean cars - she has had her 56 plate 1.1 Hyundai Getz from new, now covered 117k miles and the only thing that's ever failed on it is a coilpack and this was replaced under warranty!

Still on the original clutch, exhaust & possibly discs - still drives quite Ok too for what it is.

DoctorX

7,240 posts

166 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
I'm very tempted by the Sportage (mainly based on looks). Any one got one of these? Would you recommend it? Never considered buying a Korean car before. They're not exactly cheap and longevity/reliability and depreciation are concerns.

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
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I wonder if that Optima grille is sending an Escort Mk 1 subliminal design cue.....

TinyCappo

2,106 posts

152 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
Bob_Defly said:
I love my Genesis Coupe. It's one of the most sideways, fun cars that I have owned in a long time. The latest models are even faster and better put together. I have also been in the Genesis saloon Type R, very nice and very quick.
Are you in the UK? I had one as a hire car last week in Germany fantastic to drive i believe LHD only though

Bob_Defly

3,645 posts

230 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
TinyCappo said:
Bob_Defly said:
I love my Genesis Coupe. It's one of the most sideways, fun cars that I have owned in a long time. The latest models are even faster and better put together. I have also been in the Genesis saloon Type R, very nice and very quick.
Are you in the UK? I had one as a hire car last week in Germany fantastic to drive i believe LHD only though
Canada, here is my original thread:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Two years on, nothing wrong with it, still immense fun!! And that's even after driving an Exige every day for the two years prior.

The level of equipment on the base model is astounding. And it's soooooo much fun in the snow!

Jonny_

4,108 posts

206 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
For years I've loathed the Korean stuff. Always felt that they were the Yugo/FSO of the late 90s and the 2000s, i.e. cheap, basic, slow, badly-designed trash bought by idiots. And more recently, that their SUVs (Santa Fe, Sportage) were the ultimate expression of "I wanted a Range Rover but can only afford this shed".

It's more than a little annoying to me that Kia and Hyundai now produce cars that are actually decent. That Kia Optima is better-looking than just about every other saloon car on sale, and that includes yer Audis and BMWs. They're catching up in the engineering department too, all they lack now is a decently powerful yet efficient diesel, a la BMW 2.0d, VW 2.0Tdi etc which manage to knock out 140/160/170/180bhp and yet still return under 120g/km, making them almost a default company car choice.

Hell, if there were a fully-loaded 170bhp Optima on offer for say £150 per month less than my Passat (co. car) I'd probably go to the Dark Side.

TinyCappo

2,106 posts

152 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
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Come to the dark side we have cookies smile

pwrc

2,357 posts

151 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
I parked up next to a veloster today - it's a pretty looking thing, Hyundai have come on a long way in terms of styling and it's quite impressive.
then i saw the other side, and the lack of rear passenger door. It just doesn't make sense, absolute dealbreaker

uk_vette

3,336 posts

203 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
thesyn said:
Korean cars have basically arrived.

The question should be when will Chinese cars be accepted?
.

.
Them days are approaching fast.
Some seriously good looking, excellent value for money cars.
There is a car company here (amongst hundreds) called "Brilliance", another one is "Great Wall Motors" Look for images and details of the Haval H6.
Then the price tag is sure to shock you, some thing like £9580.00

vette




Edited by uk_vette on Thursday 12th July 11:12

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
uk_vette said:
.

.
Them days are approaching fast.
Some seriously good looking, excellent value for money cars.
There is a car company here (amongst hundreds) called "Brilliance", another one is "Great Wall Motors" Look for images and details of the Haval H6.
Then the price tag is sure to shock you, some thing like £9580.00

vette
These are popular in Russia. Very similar to a Hi-Lux in look and feel, dirt cheap.







Triumph Man

8,670 posts

167 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
jbi said:
Genesis Coupe



3.5 V6 345 hp
2.0 Turbo 271 hp

Genesis Sedan



5.0 V8 429 hp
3.8 V6 333hp

Equus Sedan



5.0 V8 429 hp
5.5 V8 Output not disclosed

They have won me over

Edited by jbi on Saturday 12th May 08:44
Hyundai - why you no bring these to the UK?!?

Oh yeah because the country is full of badge snobs who wouldn't be seen dead in anything non German for this price. rolleyes

Challo

10,043 posts

154 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
To be honest since the recent revamping of the Korean brands they have started to really appeal to me. The early 90's cars where not good at all, and always seemed to a real low-cost option.

I think they can only go from strength to strength especially with the fantastic designs of the Kia Soul and Sportage ranges, and also the Hyundi Veloster. Plus with the back-up of 5-7 year warrenties which will appeal to the average family looking for a better deal.

A friend recently borrowed a new A1 1.6 diesel from her work which was a really nice car, but I couldn't believe the base price was around £16k before you even include options. And that was for an A1 the smallest car in their range.


TinyCappo

2,106 posts

152 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Bob_Defly said:
TinyCappo said:
Bob_Defly said:
I love my Genesis Coupe. It's one of the most sideways, fun cars that I have owned in a long time. The latest models are even faster and better put together. I have also been in the Genesis saloon Type R, very nice and very quick.
Are you in the UK? I had one as a hire car last week in Germany fantastic to drive i believe LHD only though
Canada, here is my original thread:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Two years on, nothing wrong with it, still immense fun!! And that's even after driving an Exige every day for the two years prior.

The level of equipment on the base model is astounding. And it's soooooo much fun in the snow!
Thankyou so much for that review. Im considering a LHD used model for here in the UK

Im 6ft6 and have one of these for using on the toll booths for on the way to LeMan!
so uk parking shouldnt be a problem.

I think the new 2.0T models are going to be 270hp thanks to some twin scroll turbos so no longer detuned evo engines but full fat ones. smile

Triumph Man

8,670 posts

167 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
TinyCappo said:
Thankyou so much for that review. Im considering a LHD used model for here in the UK

Im 6ft6 and have one of these for using on the toll booths for on the way to LeMan!
so uk parking shouldnt be a problem.

I think the new 2.0T models are going to be 270hp thanks to some twin scroll turbos so no longer detuned evo engines but full fat ones. smile
Bet that thing scares little kids if they can't see the driver easily from behind but can see a claw emerge from the window!

Triumph Man

8,670 posts

167 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
Also, I initially mis-read the thread title as "Koran cars..." I thought if it's a girl's car, do they leave the motorshow cover on it for the rest of its life with a slit cut out for the windscreen?

emicen

8,558 posts

217 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
The Veloster and Genesis will do massively well in the younger market. I saw hundreds of them, literally, at SEMA last year and they have massive support in this area.

Several years ago (~3yrs-ish) I got a Cee'd as a hire car for a run down south. First part of the drive was cross country to the motorway over some proper fun backroads including a hump back bridge for getting airborne etc. The usual vehicles supplied were Focus/Astra/308/208SW type things. The Cee'd nailed the lot of them, far more fun to drive with much better resolved handling over the bas surfaces and much better turn in.

Recently in Norway is was passenger in an i40 estate and for the price, its an impressive piece of kit.

In the German segment, I wouldnt be quaking just yet (although the Cee'd above even spanked a mk6 Golf GT TDi over the same road, frankly that thing felt like a pogo stick). However, in the French bread and Ford/Vaux stakes, I'd be very worried. Focus or Astra vs a Cee'd would be a no brainer for me, based purely on the driving and looks of the 3dr, add in the 7yr warranty and I'd venture you'd be mad not to.