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2012 Kia Rio 5 hatchback

Vehicle: 2012 Kia Rio 5 hatchback EX Luxury A/T
Price as tested: CDN$20795

Performance: Is 3rd time the charm or 3 strike and you are outta here? Kia has high hope for their 3rd iteration of their Kia subcompact, a car destined to become the game changer in its class.

Powering the little Rio comes in the form of only one single powertrain. Rio comes in with a 1.6 liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder, which is good for 138 ponies and 123 lb/ft of torque. These numbers not only provide Rio with the most responsive car in its respective segment, it also brings wide arrays of world-class refinement and smoothness to the party. Despite the fact that our loaded Rio EX-L has to carry 2628 lb of luxury-lined features in this subcompact body, it remains a very peppy little car for its own right. Gone is the rather noisy racket 4-cylinder of previous Rio of yore, in with the newly refined yet superb delivery of power in a silky manners. Mesh the light electronic throttle, Rio takes off easily without any hestiation. Mated with this world-class powertrain is the 6-speed manumatic. This gearbox is every bit as good as the engine itself. The shifts are crisp and smooth, while the first 4 gears are setting low enough for bottom-end accleration and mid-range passing. 5th and 6th are tall enough for comfortable highway cruising. The very reason why Rio is able to deliver an impressive 6 liters per 100km is the utilization of GDI, or Gasoline Direct Injection, which provide for better performance. More importantly, its able to deliver a more efficient engine without losing anything, when it comes to horses and torque delivery. Put together a directly injected little engine with the right gearbox, it makes Rio a peppy little car which deliver on both performance and economical fronts. Its like having a cake and eat it too..:D

Handling: Push the Rio through corners, it exhibits driving pleasure in a delicate manners. While sharing the same architecture as its company silibings, Accent, their chassis tuning philosophy makes a 180 degrees difference between these two models. To put this into perspective, the difference between Rio and Accent is as significantly different as between Cayenne and Touareg. That set, for a small car underpinnings, this architecture is every bit as good as anything else in the world. The chassis is rigid and solid, while there are good place for suspension to hang its hats. The suspension is both sporty, supple and superb calibrated to provide class-leading driving feel and feedback. The chassis communication is every bit as the steering itself. The electric power steering provides excellent feel and feedback, with plenty of responsiveness and precision. When its time to put Rio through its paces, it remains confidence-inspiring without losing any driving fun one associates with driving a stylish subcompact. The result is Rio delivers both driving pleasure without losing any comfort for passengers. The suspension is comfortably compliant, which is able to absorb all the bumps and roughness. On the other hand, its able to take a set by itself after the body rolls settled in. The body rolls are minimal, while understeer has been well-tempted by a great set of ESC. Compare to its silibing, Rio feels sporty-oriented while Accent feels comfort-oriented.

Brakes: While Rio features front discs and rear drums, without standard ABS. Rio’s stopping power performs as admirably well as its dynamic equation. The stopping distance is short, while pedal feels solid and reassurring. In short, its just as world-class as the whole Rio itself. It remains fade-free while ABS doesn’t drop in unnecessarily.

Interior: Speaking of standard features, our Rio EX-L comes in a whole nine yards. It comes with many standard features beyond the its own class or anything above, in short, its plain amusing. Outside temperature gauge, back-up camera, heated steering wheel, cooling glovebox, keyless go and auto climate control…are just a few of those luxurious features you usually find in a luxury car, you are able to get all of them in a Rio for just 20 grand.

The interior styling is as funky as outside. With those funky buttons for auto climate control, which is an effective and initutive system. Kia has its own multimedia system called Uvo, which is similar to Ford’s Sync system. Once again, its every bit as initutive as one expects from Korean electronics.

As for the use of materials, Rio scores again. The leather seats are well-foamed, while all the plastic materials are nicely molded with excellent fit-and-finish. Just like the rest of the package, this Rio continues to be world-class.

However, the fold-down rear seats aren’t going completely flat into the floor while the side sills are swallow are Rio’s major pet peeves so far.

Wrapping up the Rio is the standard Start/Stop system, which is able to turn itself off when the vehicle is completely stop. When driver starts to release the brake, say from a stoplight, the engine starts again. This feature is able to eliminate emissions while providing zero fuel economy during engine idle. Exactly like the direct injection, Rio is the first car to have this as standard feature.

Conclusion: Its pretty amusing for a company, which used to produce some unremarkable cars, in just a decade ago. They are turning out game changer thanks to solid engineering, great design with innovative technologies. Rio is a perfect example of how Kia is able to transform itself in just a few years. What a terrific car it is! :D

Competitions:
Chevrolet Sonic
Mazda2
Ford Fiesta
Hyundai Accent
Honda Fit
Toyota Yaris

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Kia Rio 5 hatchback
=====================================
Performance: 4.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Short test: 2012 Kia Sportage SX Turbo

Vehicle: 2012 Kia Sportage SX Turbo
Price as tested: CDN$36995

Its pretty hard to imagine the 3rd iteration of the Sportage is such a radical depature from the original one. When a world-class engineering team mated with industry-leading design team, the result is simply amazing. This has pretty much summed up of what’s happening at Kia nowaday. Their latest Sportage is the prime example.

In order to give Sportage more performance creditals, its not that the standard 2.4 liter version is a sloush. Kia gives us the 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 260 ponies, and more importantly, 269 lb/ft of torque, on the uplevel SX trim. Along with 260hp and 269 lb/ft of torque, SX has added larger 18″ wheels, multi-adjustable leather seats and the whole nine yards to the already impressive package. The result is a Sportage which is able to launch from north to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, which is simply world-class by any sketches of standard. Its even more astounishing consider Sportage is basically a CUV weighting in at 3466 lb.

To put this into perspective, consider Sportage’s competitions.
BMW X1 XDrive 28i with new 4-cylinder 2.0 turbo: 244hp/258 lb/ft of torque. 6.7 seconds costing @ $44390
VW Tiguan Highline with 4-cylinder 2.0TSI: 200hp/207 lb/ft of torque. 7.8 seconds costing @ $37775

Along with the performance prowess of Sportage turbo, its top-notch AWD is able to match with state-of-the-art stability control, which is able to turn the steering 3 degrees on the outside wheels to add proactivity to the driving experience. Another benefit is less understeer when driven hard into a corner. That makes Sportage as sharp to drive as any of the sports sedans out there.

The rest of the packaging continues to be impressed. The use of materials and workmanship are nothing but outstanding. The auto climate control and navigation system are initutitve, while the back-up camera located in the rear-view mirror is clear even if its a bit tiny.

And by all means. You get such a delightful performing package without having to use the extra pennies for Premium 92 Octane gasoline. That’s as impressive as you can get as an overall package.

Likes:
260hp of turbo rush
Tight handling
Build quality
Stunning looks

Dislikes:
Stiffer ride from 18″ wheels
Rear glass doesn’t open independently

Competitions:
BMW X1
Subaru Forester 2.5XT
VW Tiguan

2012 Kia Optima SX Turbo

Vehicle: 2012 Kia Optima Turbo SX
Price as tested: CDN$35450

Performance: Pedal to the metals. This car company has shown no signs of stopping. Kia has made another strike into the fiercely competitive family sedan segment with the introduction of the Optima. A car that replaces the anonymous Magentis. It promises to be a great ride. :D

Along with the standard 200hp 2.4 liter 4-cylinder mill on the LX and EX, which is more than enough for most driving conditions given its 186 lb/ft of torque, thanks to advanced technologies like gasoline direct injection and variable valve timing. The real deal has to be the wonderful 2.0 liter turbocharged motor which standard on the uplevel SX. SX is certainly a right designation for this sweet powertrain as it speaks for pure SEX; in terms of refinement, smoothness and NVH. While there are always those who want something more from the standard 200hp, this 274hp is something that makes Optima really desirable. Its not only a turbocharged 4 banger doesn’t have the front heaviness of its V6 rivals, its amount of torque. In Optima’s case, 269 lb/ft of torque, just blown us away completely. Especially when we always consider VW’s 200hp 2.0T as the benchmark in the 4-cylinder turbocharged engine category. Mesh the electronic throttle, the Kia takes off with authority. It doesn’t have any sorts of annoying lag one associates with turbo motor. Along with the lack of turbo lag, it doesn’t feel any breathless on both middle and upper ranges. On the other hand, its 6-speed manumatic has perfect gear ratios to mate with this forced induction powerplant. The paddle shifters on the steering allow driver to more engage in the whole experience. The shifts are crisp and responsive, while the low bottom gears allow the turbo spools up more efficiently without any hestiation. All have to move its 3385 lb of curb weight. The most impressive aspect of the whole powertrain is, even with the amount of performance it provides through the process. It doesn’t need to use any gasoline higher than 87 octane, which we dubbed it as an achievement by Korean engineers. Both VW and Audi already won’t be able to accomplish with EA888 and EE311. Volvo certainly won’t. BMW will definitely not with the incoming N20. Forget about Mercedes’s CGI engine series. This has proven how far Korean engineering has come along in the last 2 decades.

Handling: When you consider the fact that Optima rides on the same floorpan as Sonata, its pretty much have said lots about the whole chassis. The merits of this chassis remain intact, while Kia engineers have recalibrated its suspension geometry and shocks for a more sporty ride than its Hyundai silibings. The desired result is simply outstanding. The electric power steering provides decent feel and feedback, while its precise and responsive. The suspension is both firm and supple, however, it doesn’t bounce off the passengers when driven through rough pavements. In fact, its comfortably compliant enough to absorb all the patholes and expansion joints. Push the Optima through corners, it doesn’t lost any kind of driving pleasure through its precision through corners. In fact, its amount of sportiness made Sonata kind of sedate in comparison. There are minimal body rolls while understeer is tempted. All thanks to Kia’s advanced ESC, which is a state-of-the-art system which acts as a superior active safety feature for both daily commuter and enthuisasts. It only steps in at the right time and the right place.

Brakes: With standard 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, Optima stops equally well. The stopping distance is short, while pedal feels reassurring and solidly modulated. The pedal always have some lives to its modulation, while ABS doesn’t step in unnecessarily.

Interior: The biggest sore has to deal with Optima’s trunk. While its pretty spacious with the rear seats fold down, I wasn’t fond of its layout. The opening is like a letter box. With tall liftover, narrow side sills and intrusive hinges. Latter basically crashed into anything else you put on top of the trunk.

However, I am really fond of Optima’s use of materials and fit-and-finish. The use of plastic and leather materials aren’t too far off from any luxury cars costing twice as match. There are plenty of soft-touch plastic, while leather hides feel soft and supple. The leather seats offer plenty of lateral and thigh support. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog. While the auto climate control and stereo are both initutive. All have put together in a very stylish fashion. If there is one pet peeve with the Optima, its the rear sightlines are poor at best. That’s primarily due to the thick C-pillars, which block most cars on 120 degrees at your blind spots. For your safety, please double check your right before changing lane.

The backseat is generous, as there are enough leg and headroom. Just don’t sit in the middle because of the center vent on the tunnel.

Conclusion: Calling a family sedan desirable is like describe a white bread as anything but tasty. Family car used to be as bland as a toaster without any sort of desirability. That’s about to change with the introduction of the new Optima. Beneath the stunning style wraps up in an enticing package, which combine both pace and grace altogether in a truly affordable package.

Competitions:
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
Hyundai Sonata
Mazda6
Nissan Altima
VW Passat

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Kia Optima SX Turbo
=====================================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

2011 Kia Forte 5 hatchback

Vehicle: 2011 Kia Forte 5 SX with automatic
Price as tested: CDN$24750

Performance: The biggest highlight to Kia’s strong Forte range has to be the addition of a 6-speed automatic. What makes a 6-speed automatic more desirable than those with fewer gears? It has more gears for engineers to spaw through the rev range while keeping the engine in sweetspot, while the 6th gear ratio is tall enough for superb highway cruising. That’s exactly what Kia engineers have done to Forte5′s powertrain. In our SX’s case, it has a sweet 173 ponies and 163 lb/ft of torque for this excellent gearbox to put through it paces. When compare to Forte’s standard 156hp 2.0 liter with 144 lb/ft of torque. This 2.4 liter is definitely the engine of choice, given the extra juice it provides right from the get going through the rev range. When it comes to refinement, smoothness and NVH; once again Forte shines again. In this regard, Kia’s 4-cylinders are on par with anything from Honda and Mazda.

Handling: We have always been impressed with how Forte handles. The newest Forte hatchback shines through all over again. While the Forte5 handles like a really good hatchback does, as its suspension is comfortably compliant with a sense of suppleness dialled through the equation. It doesn’t lost anything when it comes to ride comfort. In fact, hatchback rides the best among Forte family. While there were some complaint that both Forte sedan and Koupe’s ride were a bit harsh on uneven pavements, 5 rides as sublime as any of its peers. In fact, it rides like a much more expensive car than what it is. When it comes to dynamic abilities, Forte’s steering continues to provide sharp and exceptional input to the driver. Its being precise and responsive without feeling any kind of twitches. There are some body rolls while terminal understeer is expected. However, Forte’s stability control remains uninstrusive until driver rears its ugly heads. That’s the integral part of a fun hatchback. In fact, when pushed, Forte5 has to be one of the most composed cars I have ever tested. It provides enough driving fun for the enthuisast without losing any ride comfort for occupants.

Brakes: There aren’t many cars offer 4 wheel disc brakes with standard ABS. Forte is the exception. Along with the excellent pedal feel and modulation, the ABS doesn’t step in unnecessarily is an added bonus. Add to the fact that stopping distance is relatively well. Forte continues to shine when it comes to braking power.

Interior: When it comes to versatility, Forte5 shines again. Along with the standard washer/wiper for hatchback visibility, the fold down rear seats which are able to fold completely flat into the floor with minimal wheel instusions add to the practicality of being a good hatchback. Its also easy to load luggage with low liftover. The Forte5 pretty much explains why European have loved hatchback over the years.

Inside, 5′s use of materials have much improved over its sedan and Koupe silibings. There are more soft-touch plastic materials on the dashboard in order to justify its price point. The rest of the interior continues to be initutive, right from the superb auto climate control to great instrumentation gauges.

Conclusion: Forte’s product portfolio is about completed with the introduction of a hatchback. The sweetness of the powertrains, sublime handling/ride compromise with a practical interior have sum up the equation. When you consider the fact that Forte offers lots of value for money. Everything else from 4 wheel disc brakes, ABS, ESC, TSC, push-button starter, hands-free Bluetooth capability and trip computer. Its no wonder Kia is the fastest growing car company in the last decade.

Competitions:
Ford Focus
Mazda3 Sport
Toyota Matrix
VW Golf

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2011 Kia Forte 5 hatchback
=====================================
Performance: 4.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2011 Kia Sorento

Vehicle: 2011 Kia Sorento EX-V6 Luxury
Price as tested: CDN$41145

Performance: In just over a decade, Kia has transformed from building unremarkable car like the original Sephia to a world-class carmaker. Kia has proved its worth with the impressive Soul, Forte to versatile Rondo. Kia decided its time to redesign its mid-size Sorento SUV. Is it as impressive as other products in Kia’s stable? We will find out soon.

The new Sorento is powered by both a 4 and 6-cylinder engines. While the base 2.4 liter 4-cylinder with 175hp and 169 lb/ft of torque are adequate for Sorento’s weight, its the uplevel V6 that is the engine of choice. Both of these powertrains come with Kia’s variable valve timing technology. This DOHC 3.5 liter V6 has 276 horses and 248 lb/ft of torque at driver’s right foot, which is a willing workhorse given Sorento’s 4131 lb of leather and wood-trim luxury on our EX-V6 trim. While both the horsepower and torque figures aren’t exactly class-leading, its the seat-of-the-pants feedback suggest otherwise. The throttle response is quick and linear, without feeling overly responsive. Mated with Sorento’s uplevel V6 is 6-speed Steptronic. Steptronic means manumatic in Kia’s language. It allows driver to have manual control when entering a corner for a quick downshift, however, a lack of paddle shifters on the steering means this function is redundant. Another problem is what Toyota have learned from Toyota’s playbook, always leave it at 4th gear in manumatic mode. Given its a manumatic mode, it should leave full control to the driver instead of relying on computer. However, the gear ratios are perfectly matched to this engine’s powerband. The 1st and 2nd gears are short enough for peppy acceleration. 3rd and 4th to keep the engine always in boiling while 5th and 6th are tall enough for highway cruising. Kia has wrapped all of the powertrain in a very linear, smooth and refined manners. Its level of refinement and NVH are so good, its as good as anything else from Nissan and Toyota. Which, dare I said, how sweet it is. :)

Handling: Unlike the original Sorento which rides on body-on-frame structure, Kia decided its time to change it to unibody construction. The reason why Kia decided to use unibody constructon for the new Sorento is due to its impressive rigidty and stiffness given its purpose. Combined with a decent AWD system that’s able to deliver power to the offending wheel accordingly. The new Sorento basically can go anywhere else regardless of weather conditions. Its locking center differential can even improve the active safety at all driving conditions. When pushed the Sorento through corners, Sorento provides sure-footness without losing any confidence. The steering provides decent enough driver feel and feedback, its also responsive to driver input. Its ESC acts as a secondary defence to its AWD system. Whenever the AWD can’t save the vehicle from rearing its ugly heads, ESC would step in during emergency. In a nutshell, its really hard to get Sorento out of control in most driving conditions. There are some body rolls and understeer when pushed. Everything else is all well-tempted and controlled with all the electronic nannies. If there is one slight drawback, however, its the ride quality which feels firmer than most of its peers. That’s very obvious when driven the Sorento over washboard pavements and expansion joints.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, the Sorento provides better than expected braking feel and feedback. The brake feels solid and easily modulated, while ABS won’t step in unnecessarily until absolutely necessary.

Interior: With Sorento’s squared cut-off and low liftover, its luggage space is impressive when fold down both 2nd and 3rd row seats. Except for the rear glass which doesn’t open independently from the tailgate, which is a slight oversight in Kia’s part. The rest of the back has been extremely well layout.

If you intended to buy the Sorento as a 7-seater, think again! As with most SUV with 3rd row of seats, you are either carrying 7 passengers without any luggage space. Or just simply fold down the 3rd row permanently for proper luggage space.

As with most SUV with 3rd row of seats, its a torture just to sit at the back there. There is almost no headroom and legroom is a joke. Its simply a cruel punishment even for a short trip. If you just want to sit 7 persons comfortably, go buy a Rondo or Sedona instead.

The rest of the interior is finished in classy materials. Both the plastic and leather are completed in high-quality soft materials. All those switchgears have a high-quality tactical feedback whenever you turn a knob or press a button. Everything else from stereo to dual-zone climate control are initutive. Instrumentation gauges are clear and analog. The Panoramic sunroof on our EX-V6 Limited really have brighten up the interior. Without this Panoramic sunroof, our black tester would feel rather sober. With this sunroof, it opens up the whole interior amusingly.

Conclusion: Kia’s slogan is called “The Power to Surprise”. Their latest Sorento really given me lots of surprises and smiles over the day I test drove it. Its comfortable, except for the ones who have to sit at that optional 3rd row seats. It handles relatively well with a proper AWD system. The powertrain refinement is impressive. The use of materials and fit-and-finish are just plain world-class. In short, the new Sorento will be another homerun.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2011 Kia Sorento
=====================================
Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2011 Kia Sportage

Vehicle: 2011 Kia Sportage EX Luxury with Navigation
Price as tested: CDN$35195

Performance: The original Sportage has to be the worse car I have ever driven. The 3rd generation of Sportage has shown how far Kia has gone in only 10 short years.

Unlike its predecessor, the new Sportage isn’t available with a V6 engine. Instead, the Sportage is powered by a smooth-running 2.4 liter in-line 4-cylinder 16-valve engine with CVVT or Kia’s Dual Variable Valve Timing. That set, this engine has 176 ponies and 168 lb/ft of torque at driver’s disposal. This 4-cylinder is not only has the refinement and smoothness to match the best of the competitions, its level of performance would let anyone forget about opting for the V6. Why it sound so familiar? Because Kia’s parent company, Hyundai, has ditched V6 for both Tucson and Sonata. In former’s case, Hyundai will added a turbo and hybrid in that impressive family sedan. Even if the Sportage has 3488 lb to carry around with all those luxury items. This 4 banger moves the Sportage with authority. The throttle response is responsive and linear. The 6-speed Steptronic provides crisp yet smooth gearchange through all 6 gears. All have done with gear ratios which perfectly match to Sportage’s sporty character. Unfortunately, its a pity Kia doesn’t provide paddle shifters on the steering for drivers to downshift before entering a corner. That means its rather redundant to have a manumatic mode, as driver has to pull the gearlever onto the left side before up and downshifting. The Sportage has an “Eco” indicator which tells the driver they are driving in the most economical manner. While it has certainly help those who rarely light on their feet while driving. I would rather delete this warning light and keep my right foot light.

Handling: We were very scary when we pushed the original Sportage into any highway on and off-ramp, simply because of its poorly calibrated suspension. The new Sportage is anything but. It begins with the same rigid chassis that underpins the impressive Tucson. That’s the great beginning for suspension components to hang its heads. Then add the Dynamax all-wheel-drive system which is able to detect any wheel slippage, with electronic stability control always in the helping hands. Its really hard to get the Sportage unglued at any circumstances. Its not only the Sportage’s Dynamax AWD ensure confidence in all kinds of weather conditions, its sporty suspension provides exceptional dynamics when pushed. There is always a sense of sportiness whenever you nail the Sportage into a corner. The steering is sharp and precise, while reacts the driver input quickly and effectively. Suspension absorbs bumps and roughness with ease. In terms of ride quality, it has a sense of European suppleness to its rebound damping. That means its ride quality is firm without being harsh. The Sportage is a very satisfying car to drive. Period.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, Sportage’s braking performance certainly live up to its billing. The stopping distance is short while pedal feels crisp. The pedal always have some lives to it, no matter how hard driver nails the brake. ABS only steps in necessarily is an added bonus.

Interior: The luggage space of the Sportage is superbly layout. It all begins with a squared cut-off with low liftover, then add fold-down rear seats. The Sportage has up to 1547 liters of luggage space for any belongings. If there is one drawback, however, its the rear glass which doesn’t open independently.

In front, our EX Limited is fully loaded. Everything else from a keyless engine start to heated seats are all standard items. Both the navigation system and automatic climate control are initutive. For the navigational system, we don’t need to faddle the owner’s manual to figure out all the features. All the leather and plastic materials are world-class in the Sportage. All the panel gaps are in tight tolerance. The leather seats provide decent thigh and back supports.

At the back of the Sportage, there are plenty of leg and headroom. Its also comfortable enough to sit 3 persons aboard.

However, there is one major problem. Its the thick C-pillars which are horrible to the rear sightlines when backing up into any parking spot. Thankfully, Kia has equipped our loaded EX Limited with back-up camera along with the navigation system. Although I dislike the poor sightlines, I can certainly live with it thanks to the latest in technology.

Conclusion: So what have Kia taught us with the Sportage over the years?

With a state-of-the-art AWD and electronic stability control, great styling and nice interior. It has proved with solid engineering and great design, its about to transform a totally garbage product into a world-class one. In Sportage’s case, that means transforming the vehicle that shouldn’t be existed at all into a class-leader.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2011 Kia Sportage
=====================================
Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 4.25/5

2010 Kia Forte Koup

Vehicle: 2010 Kia Forte Koup SX
Price as tested: CDN$23175

Performance: As with the Forte sedan, the Coupe is powered by either a 2.0 or 2.4 liter 4-cylinder 16-valve DOHC engine. While the EX comes standard with a 155 hp 2.0 liter, the highlight is the SX with 173hp. This is the new generation of Kia 4-cylinder that will soon find its home in the upcoming Hyundai product, namely next Elantra. :) The subject of our tester’s 2.4 liter bumps out 173 hp and 158 lb/ft of torque. When it comes to refinement, flexability and NVH; it is every bit as good as anything from Toyota and Honda. The engine is a smooth operator when pushed. Thanks to variable valve timing, this engine is willing to rev and strong in both mid and upper range. In the Forte Coupe, it got a healthy does of exhaust growl which we won’t find in its sedan silibing. My only pet peeve with the Forte Coupe’s powertrain is the 5-speed manual geabox. While it provides good gear ratios for both top and bottom, its the shift quality that isn’t able to match its rivals. The throws are long and rubbery. It just doesn’t have the precision of, say a Civic Si. However, clutch take-off is progressive and light. That means the optional 5-speed Steptronic is a better choice, since it offers equally satisfying drive without the rather sloppy shifter action.

Handling: What makes the Forte Coupe such a delightful to drive on the road and on the track have to do with its chassis. Kia engineers have done a wonderful job of putting together a chassis that is both solid and strong, without any sorts of cracks and rattles. Another credit has to go to Coupe’s recalibrated sports suspension. This sports suspension not only does provide firm and supple cornering prowess for the Forte, it also absorbs bumps and roughness with ease. While its riding qualiy is European firm, its far from being harsh. The steering provides excellent feel and feedback, with precision that could remind anyone of a Honda. There is slight body rolls and safe understeer. Forte’s standard stability control also is an uninstrusive type, which means it won’t step in unnecessarily until driver rears its ugly heads. You are not only getting a safe car with the Forte, you are getting a fun sports compact with Coupe’s dynamic abilities.

Brakes: Coupe’s 4-wheel discs with standard ABS all around make it a true performer on the braking front as with handling front. The stopping distance is short while pedal feels firm and solid. This could well be the best Kia brakes we have ever tested. While previous Kia’s brakes are certainly far from poor, this Coupe is excellent.

Interior: Despite of fold-down rear seats, Coupe has a rather high liftover and narrow opening which are typical for a compact sports coupe. It has enough space for two persons on a weekend getaway, however.

On the front, the Forte Coupe has a leather sports seats which provide excellent back, thigh and side support when cornering. The rest of the interior is logically layout. It got plenty of standard features from Bluetooth capability, heated seats and USB/i-Pod plug-in both trim levels. Unfortunately, some of its dash materials aren’t up to the quality we expect for the rest of the car.

Conclusion: The new Forte Coupe represents lots of value for money. Not only does it handle as nicely as any sports compact out there, it got a powertrain which offer plenty of aftermarket potential. As for feature content, its unbeatable as it got heated seats, electronic stability control, Bluetooth and USB/i-Pod capabilities all come as standard features in both trim levels.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2010 Kia Forte Koup
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Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.25/5

2010 Kia Forte

Vehicle: 2010 Kia Forte SX with 4-speed automatic
Price as tested: CDN$22195

Performance: While the Sephia and Spectra weren’t exactly terrible cars, they weren’t exactly spectacular ones. Kia promises the new Forte to be a car that is finally able to challenge the best in this ever competitive segment. How does it fare out? We will tell you at the end of this review.

The Forte is powered by 2 different 4-cylinder engines. On our uplevel SX tester, its standard with a 2.4 liter 4-cylinder 16-valve with DOHC and variable valve timing; while the base LX and EX are only come with 2.0 liter version of the same engine. Unlike the Kia’s wheezy 4-cylinders of the past, it doesn’t feel rough and noisy. It actually feels delightfully refined and smooth. The level of refinement is on par with those from Honda and Toyota but not exactly as free-revving as them. 173 horses certainly not shabby in this class of compacts. However, its the 168 lb/ft of torque that really keep the Forte moving especially the maximum torque arrives at 4000rpm. The Forte is standard with a decent 5-speed manual or 5-speed Steptronic on our SX tester. Other than the tall 2nd gear that completely drove us nuts during acceleration, which you have to compensate through the use of manumatic mode. The Steptronic has worked surprisingly well with the engine. The 1st gear is short enough for good acceleration, if 2nd gear is as short. 4th and 5th gears are tall enough for comfortable highway cruising.

Handling: Kia has engineered an entirely new platform for Forte, this chassis will share with the next generation Hyundai Elantra in a few years. That means this platform has a lot of expectations to be fulfill with. It doesn’t disappoint us, however. The platform is solid and tough-as-a-rock for suspension components to hang its heads. As a foundation, it is as good as anything else on the market. Unlike the LX and EX, our SX comes with sports suspension rather than lower silibing’s standard setting. While the handling capabilies are much more confidence-inspiring than the Spectra of the past, we found the sports suspension doesn’t seem to like patholes and washboard pavements. On a contrary, the standard suspension seems to accept the same kinds of roughness with more forgiving nature. There are some terminal understeer and body rolls when pushed through corners, which is kinda expect in a family car. We have to applaud Kia’s move of giving electronic stability control as standard feature on both EX and SX. If they can make ESC as an option or even standard on base LX, even better. The steering has decent response although the off-center feels a bit vague. On-center feedback is much improved over the dead feel of the outgoing Spectra.

Brakes: Another move that we should give credit to Kia is the standard of all discs all around in the new Forte, while offering ABS as standard on uplevel EX and SX. That set, the brake pedal feels firm and solid, while the stopping distance is decent. The pedal modulation is better than average. ABS only steps in necessarily which is an added bonus.

Interior: While the previous Spectra’s interior is blend and boring, Forte’s styling is much more pleasant to the eyes. Everything else fall right at hands from power windows to automatic climate control standard on our SX tester. The leather quality is surprisingly supple and soft, with the right amount of support at the right places. However, there is one major let down to the overall nice package. There are just too much hard plastic on the top of the dashboard to the center console.

The rear seat is surprisingly comfortable, with decent head and legrooms for 2 passengers and 3 in a squeeze.

While the trunk liftover is a little bit high, it doesn’t mean Forte isn’t a versatile family car. Fold down the split fold-down rear seats with the well-padded trunk hinges on the side, Forte is able to swallow lots of groceries and luggages once you get passed the liftover.

Conclusion: The Forte marks a dramatic improvements over its predecessor in all major areas. Its not only got the refined powertrain that its been crying out for since the Sephia era, it got the right mix of driving dynamics and features. Best of all, it has a classic good looks to match with its value ingredients. The Forte should be in everyone’s shopping list when they are shopping for an affordable family sedan.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2010 Kia Forte
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Performance: 3.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2010 Kia Soul

Vehicle: 2010 Kia Soul 4U Burner M/T
Price as tested: CDN$20995

Performance: Unlike the Rio, the Soul’s target market is Generation Y which is looking for something cool and hip. On the other hand, Rio appeals to those who are looking for a more appliance set of wheels.

Soul is only motivated by 2 different engines. For the base model, Soul comes standard with a 1.6 liter with 122hp and 115 lb/ft of torque, which is adequate for most of Soul’s target audience. If you really want to get the best performance out of your Soul, the 2.0 liter is the engine of choice. This DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine has Kia’s variable valve timing which dubbed CVVT, that enhances its top end performance. On the paper, its 142 ponies and 137 lb/ft of torque might not make your Soul breathtaking. But it certainly gets its job done relatively well. When you consider its 137 lb/ft of torque is available at 4600rpm, it tends to move the Soul off the traffic light with ease. The throttle response is quick without being abrupt. While it tends to get a tad noisy on high rpm, when you zip through the city streets with Soul’s funky looks, you better keep it at most of its engine’s sweet spot to let other road users spot this funky box. Given Soul’s status of life as an entry-level car, its refinement and NVH have done a pretty decent job. Our tester comes with 5-speed manual gearbox, which have a rather long throw despite the gates are pretty well-defined. The clutch is light and progressive with a good blipping point for take-off. The high gearing of 5th gear also makes Soul rides relaxingly on the freeway, despite of its buziness.

Handling: Soul’s fundamental begins with a solid and rigid chassis that is completely free of any flex and rattles. That means its good for suspension to hang its heads. Kia engineers have done a really good job of compromsing ride and handling given its rather basic origin. The steering provides decent response and feel, it feels surprisingly precise during turn-in. Despite of Soul’s rather high driving position, its understeer isn’t as exaggerrated as what it supposed to be. In fact, its the exact opposite. There remains quite some terminal understeer as expect from a small car. Although there are some body rolls, due to its exaggeration from the tall driving position. Its actually very well-mannered. The Soul tends to settle itself confidently after the suspension takes the set after those rolls. However, we found Soul’s ride a bit choppy and busy on rough pavements. Especially on those washboard pavements with its sports suspension and 18″ wheels. Except for the base 1.6L, Soul comes standard with electric stability control, which is an active safety feature that works exceptionally well with its chassis. It doesn’t step in unnecessarily until driver rears its ugly heads. On a contrary, it acts as a guardian angel when any of its target audience gets too hot in the corners.

Brakes: The Soul 4U comes standard with 4-wheel discs and ABS on all 2.0 liter models. Unfortunately, the base 1.6 liter got only front discs/rear drums without offering an ABS as an option. Even though 2.0 liter is a no-brainer choice, it doesn’t mean those who settle for base car has to settle without ABS and rear disc brakes.

Despite of my criticism of Soul’s packaging, its brake feel and modulation are above class average. The pedal feels firm and solid. While ABS doesn’t step in without any warning or unwanted intervention, even during our pouring day of testing. The stopping distance is short and sure-footness, as well as reassuring.

Interior: The Soul’s interior is as funky as its hippy exterior styling. In our 4U Burner, it got standard with very sharp red theme to come together with black standard trim. While it certainly not my taste, this is definitely suitable for its target audience who is looking for something hip and cool.

The use of interior materials are more than acceptable consider Soul’s small car status. While you still can find plenty of hard plastic, those plastic doesn’t have any ungainly seams which are poorly molded from the suppliers. Kia designers have put together those plastic very well in order to make them look rich and expensive. All the switchgears from the center console’s climate control to power window switches have a tactical, high-quality touch to their details. On the other hand, the instrumentation gauges are clear and analog. Those velour seats are well-foamed and comfortable.

The back seat of the Soul can sit 2 comfortably and 3 in a squeeze. Headroom is impressive thanks to Soul’s boxy looks.

The most impressive aspect of Soul is how versatile its cargo space. It all begins with a low liftover which have a squared low and side sills, thanks to its boxy looks again. After fold down the rear seats, once again, without removing headrests. You can basically put everything else into the Soul with ease. All it come with a completely flat floor without any poorly engineered budges inside. Another area Kia designers have paid serious attention is the door handle for the hatch. Every cars should have door handle for the hatch and trunk, if you consider those as doors to access inside the vehicle. Finally, the rear washer/wiper is a godsent in rainy weather on a hatchback. Thank you very much.

Conclusion: The Kia Soul is a delightful set of wheels for those who are looking for practicality and looks. Not only does it has good engines, handle surprisingly well and it has been designed for those who have the need for interior space. The most attractive aspect is the Soul has priced accordingly.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2010 Kia Soul
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Performance: 3.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.5/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 3.75/5

2009 Kia Magentis

Vehicle: 2009 Kia Magentis LX-V6 Luxury
Price as tested: CDN$28195

Performance: As with all family sedans, Magentis is available with 2 different engines. The standard one is a 2.4 liter 4-cylinder with 175hp and 169 lb/ft of torque. While this engine is more than adequate, it doesn’t have the refinement of the uplevel V6. Although this 2.7 liter V6 DOHC 24-valve with Kia’s variable valve timing, only able to put out 194 horses and 184 lb/ft of torque are nothing special. It all delivers in a competent manner that is a delightful surprise. When it comes to engine flexability, putting 184 lb/ft of torque at 4500rpm is more than enough to move Magentis with authority. Mated to this motor is the standard 6-speed Steptronic manumatic gearbox that has the decent ratio. While the low gears have small enough ratio to give Magentis an enthuisastic launch, the 6th gives it a comfortable ride.

Handling: Based on the same chassis as the Hyundai Sonata, the Magentis has a excellent fundamental for suspensions to hang its hats. That also makes the Magentis completely free of cracks and rattles through large bumps and washboard pavements. Dynamically speaking, Magentis is a competent car that handle relatively well. The steering provides decent feedback although the turn-in feels numb. It also needs a more spot on off and on-center feel. Ride quality, on the other hand, exceeds. As Magentis is engieered as a comfort-oriented family sedan rather than a sport-oriented family sedan. That explains its body rolls are quite obvious through corners while it exhibits some terminal understeer.

Interior: While the pre-facelifted Megentis’s interior is far from being cheap, its also far from class-leading. The latest revision has given Magentis a much-needed materials that finally put it somewhere close to the top of its class. Both the plastic and leather materials are far classier, while the fit-and-finish have taken to a new height. When it comes to features, Magentis is very generous. Its not only comes with standard leather seats on our Luxury version, it also comes with exterior temperature gauge and auto climate control.

Conclusion: The new Magentis is a fairly confident ride. While it doesn’t do anything particularly outstanding, it doesn’t do anything offensive neither. That is exactly the sort of car that most consumers need when shopping for a family sedan. If you are looking for a family sedan with lots of standard features with price significantly undercut its rivals, plus a lengthy warranty. Kia Magentis is a car that’s worth a close look.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2009 Kia Magentis
=====================================
Performance: 3/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 3/5

2009 Kia Morning

Vehicle: 2009 Kia Morning 1.1
Price as tested: HK$97900

Performance: When you consider the fact that the Morning serves as a basic transportation, its small mill actually provides surprising amount of grunt. While the Morning has both gasoline and diesel engines available, depending on the market. The subject of our test drive is the little gasoline version with 4-speed automatic. This little 1.1 liter SOHC 4-cylinder engine has 62hp and 70 lb/ft of torque at driver’s disposal. Although the numbers don’t suggest breathtaking performance, 70 lb/ft of torque available at 3 grand provides decent grunt especially when mesh the gas pedal. If you want more grunt, the slightly rubbery 5-speed manual is more suitable than 4-speed automatic. The automatic, however, has a very relaxing tall gear ratios for this little motor for less buzzy highway ride. Still, its an economcal and affordable small car. You tend to forgive its noise and roughness on high rpm when pushed. What is really surprising is the refinement this engine has engineered.

Handling: Given Morning suspends on the most basic suspension design riding on an entry-level platform, Kia has done a great job when it comes to engineered a stiff chassis for them to hang their heads. The rest is simply wonderful consider the fact that Morning only serves as a basic transportation. The steering provides good feedback although off-center feels a bit vague. What the Morning does shine is the ride quality doesn’t have the usual roughness expects from an inexpensive car. It rides like a more expensive car with just a basic underpinnings. There are body rolls and understeer when pushed, latter is quite terminal due to its tire choice. Its driving dynamics and confidence provided are far superior to those Japanese available in similar price range, its good enough to take on European rivals which traditionally provide the best driving subcompacts.

Brakes: With only front discs and rear drums, Morning’s pedal feel and modulation are another delightful surprise. However, it doesn’t come standard with ABS is a pity given how good Morning’s packaging is, especially when it comes to dynamic abilities.

Interior: As with all hatchbacks, Kia come standard with rear washer/wiper for visibility. Its low liftover and boxy side cut-off have given Morning a versatile cargo space especially when matched with fold-down rear seats.

Despite of all the shiny plastic in the cabin, Morning’s interior materials and fit-and-finish are impressive in this price range. All the switchgears have tactial high-quality feel that is above of any Japanese rivals, while the velour feels rich. Those velour seats provide good support at the same time.

Conclusion: After driven the Morning, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Kia is the fastest growing carmaker in the world. While I have been impressed with Kia’s recent offerings, there is none of those that come as much of a surprise as the Morning. This is a company which is able to engineered a basic appliance with proper quality and right driving experience unparallelled in its price class.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2009 Kia Morning
=====================================
Performance: 3/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 3.5/5

2008 Kia Amanti

Vehicle: 2008 Kia Amanti
Price as tested: CDN$37195

Performance: The Amanti only has one powertrain available and albeit, its a pretty good one. Although this 3.8 liter DOHC 24-valve V6 only makes 264hp, which is somewhat underwhelming consider its engine displacement, its the delivery process that is a real surprise. The level of refinement, quality, smoothness and flexability are what make this motor a match for the best from Japanese. 260 lb/ft of torque is more than capable for a full-size sedan of this caliber, especially matched with the excellent 5-speed Steptronic. Its not only the manumatic works exceptionally well with this engine’s sweetspot, its gear ratios have been well-tuned for luxury cruising which is what the Amanti is all about.

Handling: The Amanti is tuned as a luxury cruiser right from the beginning, similar to what its peers do. That’s why everything from suspension, springs and shocks are soft. The steering isn’t commmunicative at all even though the response and tracking are good. What is really surprise is how Amanti is able to pull itself from being overly softly sprung into controllable after the chassis set being pushed. Although when it comes to overall controllability and confidence-inspiring left-to-right transition, it fell behind its corporate cousin, the Hyundai Azera. The ride quality still isn’t as refined and supple as Azera, which we consider as a benchmark of full-size luxury sedan. There is just too much underdamping when going through patholes and washboard pavement. However, its level of softness will definitely generate lots of customers who are shopping for Buick.

Brakes: Amanti’s 4-wheel discs with ABS continue to be a delightful surprise. The stopping distance is short and pedal modulation is much better than expected.

Interior: Inside the Amanti, it got mostly everything you expect from a full-size luxury sedan. It begins with those superb leather seats and nicely wrapped leather steering wheel. All the auto climate control and stereo are placed in the right location. At the same time, those switchgears have high-quality, tactical feel which are substantial made. There are a couple of glaring drawbacks that will hurt the Amanti in the long run. There are some edgy plastic around the door panels and glovebox that are out of place in a luxury car. Secondly, the lack of a navigational system would make some took this off their shopping list. The infocenter screen that should use for navigational system tends to wash out during sunlight, which is a disappointment.

While there is plenty of cargo space, there is one single detail that pissed me off most. The inside of the trunk isn’t painted as the same color as the exterior, instead its some rushproofing paint exposed when open the trunk. Sometimes, corner cutting has just gone too far.

Conclusion: Despite of my criticisms, the Amanti will serve its full-size segment relatively well. Not only does it got plenty of space and enough comfort to please its customers. Its also one of the best values around. If Kia is able to address all the shortcomings for the upcoming redesign, Amanti will be at the head of its class.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2008 Kia Amanti
=====================================
Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2.25/5
Value-for-money: 3.5/5

Overall rating: 3/5

Long-term test drive: 2007 Kia Spectra sedan

3-day long-term test drive: Kia Spectra LX Convenience A/T
Price as tested: CDN$19395
Total mileage through the test: 350km

When Kia introduced the 2nd generation Spectra 3 years ago, it was a remarkable improvement over its original iteration. We had a chance to put the facelifted 2nd generation Spectra into a long-term test.

Other than the minor styling and trim revisions, the facelifted is basically the same car as the one we drove back in 2004. It has the same 2.0 liter 16-valve 4-cylinder, 138hp and 136 lb/ft of torque. In terms of performance, its definitely not class-leading nor the best in refinement. But this little Kia got its job done relatively well. However, its 4-speed automatic always hurt between 2nd and 3rd gear. We also found the lack of detent between Drive and 3rd gear annoying, because you can easily slip from D to 3rd, while hurting fuel economy. As for fuel economy, we averaged 8.9L/100km 70% city/30% highway. Which, once again, nothing special consider this fuel consumption has reached mid-size family sedan territory.

The handling is competent. Its the ride quality that we most appreciate in the Spectra. It absorbs all the roughness and patholes that defined Vancouver roads. Although it doesn’t have Elantra’s supple riding quality, its ride comfort has to be rated as one of the better ones in the econocar segment. Due to Spectra’s softly sprung natural, there are plenty of body rolls and understeer is quite significant when pushed. Steering feel and precision are competent.

The velour seats are comfortable. Although the layout isn’t as breathtaking as Civic nor as classy as Mazda3, it got its job done well. The air conditioner is cold, I meant freezingly cold. All the switchgears have a tactical, high-quality touch and feel. The pet peeves are minor. Stereo buttons are tiny despite of the use of a knob for volume. The digital clock on the center console tends to wash out during sunlight.

With the introduction of the new Elantra from Kia’s parent company, Hyundai. The Spectra will remained an underdog in this competitive segment. Its a car that does everything well but nothing outstandingly. Mazda3 has awesome handling dynamics, Honda Civic got groundbreaking styling, Corolla always got the Toyota cachet despite its the eldest in its group. On the other side, new Lancer and Elantra are the newest kids on the blocks that provide exceptional value. On the one hand, Lancer has nice dynamics and Elantra provides superb comfort. Spectra will always be remain something in the middle. Its in the middle of the lifecycle that is better than 2 newcomers, Nissan’s craptacular Sentra and Versa. And that is about it.

2007 Kia Magentis LX-V6 Luxury

Vehicle: 2007 Kia Magentis LX-V6 Luxury
Price as tested: CDN$27795

Performance: The Magentis is powered by 1 of 2 engines. An adequate 161hp 4-cylinder and a decent 185hp V6. While this 2.7L DOHC 24-valver with Kia’s own variable valve timing provides impressive refinement and NVH, its 185 ponies just feel average in a sea of V6 family sedan which powered up as much as 250hp. The throttle response is instant and linear. Consider its maximum torque of 182 pounds feet arrives at 4k rpm, it got plenty of low-end torque when accelerating from traffic light. On the other hand, this V6 sounds a bit rough and gusty when revving it at high rpm. Matched with this engine is the smooth shifting 5-speed Steptronic transmission. Unlike the previous unit, this one finally received decent ratios for proper highway cruising instead of relying too much on acceleration. While the high gear ratio for Kia products remained in Magentis, it no longer feel legthegic when accelerating.

Handling: Magentis basically shares the platform with our 2006 car of the year winner, Hyundai Sonata. So its a fact that this chassis has been engineered for excellent handling/ride compromise with enough bending stiffness and rigidty. Unlike the Sonata, Magentis is engineered toward more than comfort instead of handling prowess. That gives Magentis a very sublime ride quality that reminds you something of an S-Class. The suspension and springs absorb all the roughness perfectly well. Its handling, however, is a pleasant surprise. The body rolls are nicely controlled, so does understeer. Gone are the mashmellow driving feel of the outgoing Magentis, which ride like a float without any linkage to the shocks and springs. The new model combines right handling dynamics, with decent steering feedback and precision. Its dynamic stability control also provides enough active safety when the nasty happens. The suspension has done a great job for combining firmness to enthuisastic driver while enough softness to please the passengers. The best thing is Magentis has a sense of European feel, in its chassis stiffness and tactical driving feel. That’s something still missing in many of its Japanese competitors.

Brakes: Combining 4-wheel discs with standard ABS, Magentis’s brakes have to be considered as some of the best in its class. The stops are short and reassuring. Pedal feels solid and easily modulated. Best of all, its Electronic Braking Force Distribution really has done a great job by distributing the force during hard braking.

Interior: Inside the Magentis is another pleasant surprise. Gone are all the cheap and hard plastic. Everything else has been finished in high-quality materials. There are plenty of soft-touch plastic on the top of the dashboard, on the othe hand, the switchgears all have tactical feel of quality materials. The leather seats are comfortable with decent back and thigh support.

Given Magentis’s full-size sedan status, its back seat space is amazing for vehicle of its size. There are plenty of head and legrooms with room to spare.

Conclusion: The outgoing Magentis has always been considered as an also-run in the competitive family car segment, simply due to its lackluster dynamics and uninspiring styling. The new one, however, is a revelation thanks to excellent ride/handling balance, an interior that should received in day 1 and attractive exterior. If only Kia will give it a powerplant that is comparable with the rest of the industry, Magentis will shoot to the top of the segment in no time!!

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2007 KIA MAGENTIS LX-V6 LUXURY
============================================
Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-f0r-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2005 Kia Sportage LX-V6

Vehicle: 2005 Kia Sportage LX-V6
Price as tested: CDN$28300

Performance: The Sportage is powered by 2 engines. A 2.0L 4-cylinder which has 140 ponies and 136 lb/ft of torque, similar to the one used in Hyundai Elantra. Or the V6 in our tester, a 2.7L DOHC 24-valver with 173 horsepower and 178 lb/ft of torque. This is a very capable powerplant as it provides refinment and NVH that rivalled those of the best from Japan. Its surprisingly flexible, refined and smooth. Throttle response is responsive without the jerking feel of some overly responsive throttle. Matched with this engine is the 4-speed Steptronic manumatic. While its a smooth unit, this tranny is unwilling to up and downshifts in “auto” mode. Due to the laziness of this transmission, its best to use the manumatic mode to use the best of the rev range.

Handling: Unlike the original Sportage, this successor’s dynamic is anything but thanks to the advant of the next generation Elantra chassis. The steering is communicative and responsive, on the other hand, there are plenty of on and off-center feedback. When pushed through a corner, Sportage responds instantly without protest. It has a sporty dynamic feel that reminds of a jacked-up sportswagon than a crumsy body-on-frame ute that used to be on previous car. Although the AWD won’t activate until it detects slippage, it works very effectively in all the conditions. Safe understeer and certain amount of body rolls are expected in a mini-ute with high center-of-gravity. Compare to its Tucson silibing, it feels even sportier and sharper through corners. In terms of ride comfort, Kia has sacificed a bit of its Tucson silibing’s sublime quality for slightly firmer ride. However, its firm in a state of a nice blend of delightful handling and decent comfort that absorbs expansion joints and washboard pavements relatively well. Due to the sporty nature of the Sportage, its standard ESP doesn’t kick in unnecesssarily until a driver goes nuts into a corner. If Sportage is the indication of the future of Kias to come, its surely become the sporty and dynamic division of Hyundai. The firmer and more aggressive tuning of Sportage has transformed an impressive Tucson into an even sportier ride. The upcoming Rio, Sorento and Sedona would be a signs to come for more sporty products.

Brakes: The 4-wheel discs and standard ABS provide decent pedal feel. The pedal feels firm and easily modulated. Gone are the spongy and long stopping distance of its predecessor.

Interior: The interior improvements of Sportage are as significant as its dynamic qualities. Gone are the cheap, nasty looking plastic that are ill-fitting. All the switchgears have a tactical and high-quality feel that are heavy to the touch. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog. The center console is smartly designed with stereo placed on top of climate control. The air-conditioning works exceptionally in a 30 degrees + Westcoast weather, not to mentioned the knobs for manual climate control are extremely logically layout. The driver position is easily found with tilt steering and plenty of adjustables for the seat.

The back seat is as spacious as front seats with tons of head and legrooms.

In terms of cargo space, Kia designers have done a great job by integrating all the cubbyholes and spare tire underneath. There is also a privacy cover to keep from prying eyes. A low liftover completes the very well-rounded package.

Conclusion: Except for the name, the new Sportage is a revolutionary vehicle compares to its unremarkable or even, crappy, predecessor. Everything from the powertrain to its class-leading handling have boosted this vehicle from the also-ran list instead the top of its class. Now, you have more than a dozen reasons to purchase a Sportage other than its humorous commercial.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2005 KIA SPORTAGE LX-V6
=====================================
Performance: 4.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.75/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.75/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 5/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.75/5

2005 Kia Spectra EX Luxury automatic

Vehicle: 2005 Kia Spectra EX Luxury automatic
Price as tested: CDN$21095

Performance: The Spectra is powered by a 2 liter DOHC 16-valver 4 banger that bumps out 138hp and 136 lb/ft of torque. Gone are the sluggishness and roughness of the previous 1.8L in the outgoing car. This engine has plenty of torque and more than enough horses for high revving. Its also surprisingly quiet and refined. When driving at 100km/h, it clicks at just above 3000 rpm which is about average for an econocar. In terms of tranny, its willing to up and downshifts without hunting for gears. However, there is one huge drawback. Its too easy to shift between D and 3rd gear because of the lack of a proper detent. The throttle response is smooth and linear.

Handling: Other than the powerplant, another huge thumbs down for outgoing Spectra is the mesh mellow handling dynamics. With the new chassis that is going to share with the upcoming new Elantra, it got a new found dynamics that you never felt in a Spectra before. The chassis is stiff without any rattles and cracks. While the handling still no Mazda 3 kinda of sportiness, it handles relatively well through corners. Spectra finally gains confidence when pushing through twisties. Another thing it gains is the steering that has proper feel and response. The featherweight and numb steering are things of history. Although Spectra is a pretty softly sprung car to begin with, it remains a confidence-inspiring car to push through. The softly sprung nature has provided exceptional ride comfort that rivals cars that cost 2 times or more a.k.a Audi A4 and BMW 3-Series. The drawback is there are quite a significant amount of body rolls and understeer when hustled.

Brakes: The 4-wheel discs with ABS provides decent pedal feel. The stops are short and linear without any drama. However, you have to go with EX Luxury in order to get rear discs and ABS as standard is the biggest issue. Kia should make ABS an optional extra in base model. Its still better than the outgoing car which didn’t even have it as an option in Canadian market though.

Interior: Spectra’s interior has a very high quality, substantial feel to all the materials and upholstery. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog. Driving position is easy to find thanks to tilt steering and adjustable seat height. I have to give thumbs up for Kia engineers for putting stereo on top of the climate control for ergonomics. The velour seats are very comfortable with excellent side and back supports. On the back, it got decent amount of head and legrooms with barely enough space for 3.

In terms of cargo space, it got a 40/60 fold down split rear seats and a trunk that has a low cut off.

Conclusion: Kia finally put the Spectra into the heart of the econocar segment that has enough merits to run with the big dogs. It got a good engine, decent dynamics and, most of all, a very comfortable ride quality. The biggest issue is when you loaded it up with ABS, you have to go with EX that costs almost 21 grand. That put the Spectra into a very fiercely competitive pricing category that has to run with many great cars.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2005 KIA SPECTRA EX LUXURY
========================================
Performance: 3/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2.25/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.25/5
Cargo/accessilibility/layout: 4/5
Value-f0r-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 3.75/5

2003 Kia Sorento EX-L

Vehicle: 2003 Kia Sorento EX-L

Performance: Sorento is powered by the same 3.5L V6 DOHC engine as the Sedona minivan. With 193hp and 217 lb/ft of torque, power is never an issue. The throttle response is quick and linear. The refinement of this Hyundai/Kia V6 engine series has the ability to match the best of the rivals. The engine idle is extremely smooth, NVH is simply excellent. The best of all, its a very flexible powerplant that adapts to every situations perfectly. Match with this engine is the 4-speed auto tranny. The shifts are smooth. This tranny is willing to upshift as the driver mesh the throttle. This box’s fuzzy logic feature has the ability to lock in 2nd gear as you go downhill. The engine clocks in at 100 km/h at less than 2800 rpm is impressive.

Handling: Given the Sorento’s body-on-frame construction, its driving dynamics generated a few surprises. The chassis provides a confident-inspiring feeling as I pushed through corners. The cornering stability is very well-controlled and balanced considering Sorento’s truck nature. It doesn’t have many body-on-frame SUV’s tippy and nervous feeling on freeway that make driver scary (say a LR Discovery). I have a chance to take the Sorento to 130-140 km/h on the freeway and came away very impressive. The feeway stability is able to rival many of the more expensive car-based SUVs without sacificing handling. As expected, there are quite amount of body rolls in the corners and tires tend to squeeze. However, those warnings came in a surprisingly controlled manners. On the other hand, Sorento has suffered from a steering that is too overboosted. Despite it got decent steering response, its just way too light for my taste. There are too much free-play during left and right transition while the on/off-center feel numb. Ride comfort is better than expected, once again, given its truck nature.

Brakes: Given Sorento’s nearly 4300 pounds, its brakes are very capable of making such a heavy SUV stops. The pedal feel is better than average and its easy to modulated.

Interior: Sorento’s interior is very well laid-out. There are large gauges for speed, tachometer, fuel and tempeature. It also has one of the coolest transmission indicator lighting in the market. Everything from the power windows, locks and auto climate control are logically laid-out and well placed. The climate control is effective while the fan speed is not too noisy when set it to maximum. Finally there is a Korean car that doesn’t suffer from tiny stereo switches. Although the knobs are not “Volvo size”, those are much larger than those found in other Korean products. Maybe its parent company, Hyundai, should take a note from Kia next time they designed a stereo. The seats are comfortable. However, there are some drawbacks. Firstly, the leather feels rather plasticky given its leather nature. Secondly, the wooden/leather steering feels too tacky for my taste. Thirdly, I can find some hard plastic around glovebox and lower dash area. Lastly, the center armrest placed a bit too low.

Although I have never been a fan of faux wood. Kia produced the most convincing faux wood trim in the industry, IMO. Its thickness and texture feel more like wood than plastic. The wood color also matched the aluminum steering wheel spoke very well.

There are plenty of head and legroom on the back. With the center armest folded down, it creates a very comfortable environment for a long trip.

In terms of cargo space, there are tons of cubbyholes and a pirate cover. The carpet uses premium material that looks durable. You can open the top glass instead of whole hatch if you just put some small items. Overall, a very well thought out design.

Conclusion: After the Sedona, Kia has another winner on its hands with the Sorento. It got decent engine, plenty of interior and cargo space. The most importantly, the handling that surprises many people. If Kia can fix the numb steering and some minor interior issues, this is gonna be one unbeatable package.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2003 KIA SORENTO EX-L
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Performance: 4.5/5
Ride and handling/fun-to-drive: 3.75/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.25/5
Cargo/accessibilility/layout: 5/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2003 Kia Rio S

Vehicle: 2003 Kia Rio S with 5-speed stick

Performance: The Rio is powered by a 1.6L 4 banger with 104 horses and lb/ft of torque. While it will never remind you of a sports car, it provides more than adequate performance for daily driving. Its a pleasant surprise that this engine provides decent torque at low rpm. As usual with this kind of econobox, the engine tends to run out of breath at high rpm. The 5-speed stick has nice ratios that match up with this engine’s character. However, the clutch engagement point is too high for my liking.

Handling: Given its narrow tires and simple underpinnings, the Rio serves best as a daily commuter. The handling feels more than capable considered its econocar nature. There are lots of body rolls and understeer through corners, thanks to narrow tires. On the other hand, the manual rack-and-pinion steering got somewhat numb feedback but doesn’t feel as heavy as I originally expected. The suspension is able to compensate for its undertired nature while giving out a more than acceptable ride. Unlike the Metro of the old days, Rio doesn’t have the choppy ride that associated with the Geo.

Brakes: Given its front discs/rear drums setting with ABS, the brake pedal feel is better than average. Once again, its a pleasant surprise considered how much a Rio cost.

Interior: Inside the Rio S, everything are well placed and logically layout. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog, despite the lack of a tachometer. The rotary climate control is effective in hot weather. The air-conditioning feels pretty cold. The stereo, however, is an ergonomic nightmare. The switches are just so tiny, I can hardly find a button under daylight. Seats provide adequate support for all passengers. The most interesting thing about Rio has to be its weird smell.

Conclusion: The Rio should serve well as a good commuter car for most people, especially those who are looking for their first car. It got a lengthy warranty that is more attractive than any used cars out there. This Rio and its in-house silibing, Accent, will be serve as standards as I am going to review the Toyota Echo hatchback and Suzuki Swift+/Chevy Aveo in near future.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2003 KIA RIO S
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Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive:2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2.25/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2.25/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 2.25/5