Kia are really stepping their game up...

[vit4]

Earlier whilst driving, I saw a large premium 4x4 waiting in a side road ahead. Brand new, and not one I'd seen before I was curious; this was clearly a very expensive German product but looked a million times better than the normal bland stuff that is being churned out. It actually looked pretty awesome, coming from someone who doesn't particularly like 4x4's.


Got closer and fk me. Turns out it was one of these:



The pic isn't bad by any means, but really doesn't do it justice. If it would have had a BMW badge on the front I would've fallen hook, line and sinker.

If they're as good dynamically as they look, I can see why so many people are buying into them and their ilk nowadays...

[anewman]

Oh no! A school-run mum car for those unable to afford the X5 or X6.

That does look pretty good though, if the price was right I'd give it a test drive.

[juan king]

Another well designed car, imo

[Pints]

The Cee'd was a turning point for them. I don't know what brought about the change, but their products are certainly worth taking note of if you're not bothered by the badge.

[MDT]

Vit4 you are very right on this point, I was next to a black one last night on the way home and YEP it did catch my eye as looking like a nice bit of kit.

A guy at work had the previous version of this and, yep he got the normal ribbing etc but went out for lunch in it and hands up it is an ok bit of kit and as he said for an ex demo car the money he had paid for it was too good to miss.

Don't think you will see many as you point out no BMW badge on it

[Hitch78]

Kia are in the process of rolling out their new family, sorry 'exec saloon' car too:



Lovely bit of kit.

[Tuvra]

This we need, priced under £75k with a whooping great V8:

[sawman]

juan king said:

Another well designed car, imo

I like the look of these, I rented a ceed a couple of years ago and was pretty impressed, I'd be tempted if in the market for something new

[Snails]

Very much like the OP, i saw one of these at the side of the road and it did catch my eye. I only saw the rear and from a distance I would have never guessed it was a Kia, it was only when i got closer and saw the badge that I realised.

[98elise]

Yup the new sportage is a great looking thing.

I could never understand why cheap car manufacturers would go to all the trouble of building a car then make it fugly and dated, making it look nice is the easy bit!!

I can imagine some very well paid marking exec suddenly had a brain wave...."I know...lets try making them look attractive....it just might work!"

I'm not a brand snob at all, but I do care what a car looks like. I buy cars for me, not what people think of me.

I'd definately buy one

[MonkeyBusiness]

Tuvra said:

That's lovely.

[CharlieHotel]

Tuvra said:

This we need, priced under £75k with a whooping great V8:

I like that car alot.

[goforbroke]

Blimey, a thread praising KIA for once

[Cupramax]

Most of this has happened since they nicked Peter Schreyer from VW (he designed the original TT)

[STW2010]

They don't come with very exciting engines though. The choices are 1.6 or 2 litre petrol, or 1.7 and 2 litre diesel. Seems quite under-powered to be honest.

If they had 3 litre diesels (like the X3 & X5) then it might attract more attention.

[sw67]

My wife has the Kia Venga. Really nice car to look at , fits 4 adults and has been 100% reliable in the year she has had it. MPG is not as good as other cars in the same sector but at £10800 the Venga was thousands cheaper.

The dealer was also very good and said that Kias from the ceed onward were designed by an ex audi engineer.

[Daaaveee]

The previous gen Sorento is also a good car and marked a big improvement for Kia. My father bought one new on a 55 plate, mainly because it was great value and compared to the equivalent Land Rover an absolute bargain! He is pleased as punch with it and says he can't imagine he will sell it for a good few years yet as it fits his needs perfectly, plus it had needed nothing other than the usual service and a set of tyres.

I'm actually a really big fan of the Soul too!

[XitUp]

Girlfriends mum is looking to buy a new car. She's looking at a Polo. I think a Kia would be good.

[tim2100]

A lot of the Kia's come with under powered engines. This means they are targeted at the drivers not bothered about performance or road handling.

If they did things like the C-eed with a 2 litre petrol instead of a 1.6 diesel, then they could be cracking cars.

[Hitch78]

tim2100 said:

A lot of the Kia's come with under powered engines. This means they are targeted at the drivers not bothered about performance or road handling.

That would be the vast majority of the population then.