How do you guys feel about KIA?

[RC3]

I have never been fond of their cars even after their huge turn around in style and reliability, but they are thinking about moving into the sports car market and I do not know how to describe this thing.

 

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/media/video/default.aspx?videoid=3d1a76e2-f2c8-427a-86c2-8e7c0b3fc63c&icid=autos_5246

 

Seems like a cross between a Audi R8 and the rear of a charger. What we need is some of the of HOLDEN's here in the states. Why does australia get to have this great looking car to themselves?

 

http://www.holden.com.au/latestoffers/ute/vf-ute-ss

 

It also comes in a V8 with a six speed manual. If the link asks for a postcode, just enter 2148

[TrickyNicky]

Love my killer kia. Best warranty in the industry, at least when I bought mine, and has had nothing but rock solid reliability. Been across the country no less than 3 times and doesn't have issues when I forget about oil changes.

Also I treat my little sedan much the same way I treated my old F350, like a work truck. It has a hard time going too far off road, but I've taken it places where others said I'd never make it that far off the road.

Great fuel economy, was about $10,000 new, how can I complain? I'll most likely but another, especially if kia ever gets into the small pickup market.

Don't know about the new racier models, but my buddy is a gear head and kia hater, even he likes them so I'm sure they're good for the price.

[R1100R]

Have had about 6 Kia's. Used for business. Great cars.

[Spiffy]

To small to have sex in the back seat. This is how I judge ALL cars.

[TrickyNicky]

To small to have sex in the back seat. This is how I judge ALL cars.

Too small for that its true, unless your looking at the optima, then maybe not. Either way I feel like mine would be fine if I lost a little weight.

[austin7.62]

It's different for sure. Doubt it would make it over with a V8 though.

[Spiffy]

All I really know about them is what Rusty Wallace said when he opened a KIA dealership. It's the cars that NASCAR used for it's company cars.

[tnguy]

Holden is just GMC (Chevrolet) same as Vauxhall in the UK. Though you did miss out on some decent cars like the Cavalier hatchback (The Cavalier in the US is severely downgraded from versions in other parts of the world also).

I don't know about Kia but the Hyundai Genesis (R-spec) is certainly interesting. I'm currently holding out for a VW TDI Sportwagen though. Edited January 31, 2014 by tnguy

[RC3]

I know huyndai makes sports cars and the genesis is actually pretty good, but I wonder what the asking price will be if they make a sports car. The new cadenza looks pretty good for a sedan, but it seems like they are doing a huge price hike on it. As for trucks, I miss my old silverado with the 4.3 V6. Nothing that stout motor couldnt handle. Even towed my grandmothers cadillac with it. But it seems like all the sports cars that are reasonably priced is a V6 mustang and a V6 camero, which both look blah.

[RC3]

Holden is just GMC (Chevrolet) same as Vauxhall in the UK. Though you did miss out on some decent cars like the Cavalier hatchback (The Cavalier in the US is severely downgraded from versions in other parts of the world also).

I know, they get the good cars while the US gets crap. There is not a single US made small sedan that is worth it. Dart? Crap, Cruize? Too much wasted potential. Forcus? The turbo one is far too expensive. I drove my friends kia soul and it handled quite well for a compact SUV ( I guess thats what it is). One would think with the bail out, the auto industry would get better. NOPE, just more expensive and we still do not have a good diesel sedan.

[BryanP]

I'm on my second Kia Rondo (only sold in the US 2007-2010, didn't take off here but they still sell it in other markets).  Great little car.  The first one (a 2007) gave it's life in a wreck while my daughter was driving it.  Fortunately not her fault, and it held up amazingly well considering how nasty the wreck was, so I went out and got a 2009 to replace it.   Not luxurious, but it's a good little driver, it's been reliable, and very affordable for what you get.

 

Of course, my requirements may be different than yours.  I look at cars purely as transportation.  They can be attractive and cool, but that's way down the priority list for me.

Edited January 31, 2014 by BryanP

[tnguy]

I know huyndai makes sports cars and the genesis is actually pretty good, but I wonder what the asking price will be if they make a sports car. The new cadenza looks pretty good for a sedan, but it seems like they are doing a huge price hike on it. As for trucks, I miss my old silverado with the 4.3 V6. Nothing that stout motor couldnt handle. Even towed my grandmothers cadillac with it. But it seems like all the sports cars that are reasonably priced is a V6 mustang and a V6 camero, which both look blah.

What do you consider reasonably priced?

Edit: Never mind. Just looked at some MSRPs on those. Edited January 31, 2014 by tnguy

[peejman]

I have never been fond of their cars even after their huge turn around in style and reliability, but they are thinking about moving into the sports car market and I do not know how to describe this thing.

 

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/media/video/default.aspx?videoid=3d1a76e2-f2c8-427a-86c2-8e7c0b3fc63c&icid=autos_5246

 

Seems like a cross between a Audi R8 and the rear of a charger. What we need is some of the of HOLDEN's here in the states. Why does australia get to have this great looking car to themselves?

 

http://www.holden.com.au/latestoffers/ute/vf-ute-ss

 

It also comes in a V8 with a six speed manual. If the link asks for a postcode, just enter 2148

 

 

You can get a Holden at your local Chevy dealer right now, minus the stick  ( :down: )    http://www.chevrolet.com/ss-sports-sedan.html

 

 

That said, I've vowed to never own a Kia or a Hyundai (same company).  I spent about 5 years of my auto parts designing life working with them.  They were by far, the worst customers to deal with.  They never knew what they wanted or why they wanted it, but they wanted it right f-ing now.  I realize there was a considerable communication barrier, but I've never dealt with a more clueless group of engineers in my life (and I work with a bunch of UT grads...  :taunt:  ).   They didn't have the slightest understanding of anything they were doing, they just copied whatever the Japanese did, kinda like China now. 

 

Granted, all that was 10+ years ago and they do seem to make pretty good cars now, but that experience cured me of any desire to buy one of their cars. 

[NRA]

No resale value so you better drive them till the bitter end.

[RC3]

You can get a Holden at your local Chevy dealer right now, minus the stick  ( :down: )    http://www.chevrolet.com/ss-sports-sedan.html

 

You brought my hopes up and just as swiftly killed them with a single well placed blow.

[NRA]

new 2014 SS WOW 

[TnShooter83]

No resale value so you better drive them till the bitter end.

What he said, but if you can live with that I see no reason not to own one.

Everyone I've talked tot hat owns one like theirs and said they'd buy one again.

[Mark A]

good looking cars but their interiors aren't the best and their seats absolutely kill my back

[frankmako]

kia and hyundai use to be the same company.  like chev, olds, gmc, buick thing.  i got a new hyundai in 88 and we drove the wheel off the car and more.  the only reason i got rid of the car 12 years later was the wife hit a deer and caved in the front end.  it was going to cost more to repair that the car was worth.  the car still ran, just need a new hood, front bumper, and head lights.  could have gotten the parts in a junk yard for around $400.00 dollars, but a different color.  so with a paint job and parts the cost was to high.  but the car ran without any problems.  the only thing we did was tires, brakes, oil changes, and battery.  put closed to 200k miles on the car.  

[gregintenn]

The Kia in your link looks like a hatchback Camaro to me. 315 hp 4 cyl sounds interesting.

[RC3]

It reminds me of an audi, since they got the designer from audi for the last batch of cars.

[RobertNashville]

Having retired from a major competitor of KIA I've watched they grow a lot as a company and in their quality/engineering...I find them to be an excellent vehicle for the money. There are better vehicles out there but in terms of raw value for the $$$ I think they are hard to beat.

[Murgatroy]

Holden vehicles have been available in the states for a while, Pontiac carried them through the `00s as the GTO and G8. The new Chevrolet SS is also a Holden Commodore, same as the two Pontiacs before it.

 

 

 

 

Ford is making some fun cars, the Fiesta ST and the Focus ST both rate highly against hot hatches from Europe. Nearly everything from Ford right now is available with either a turbo or a supercharger.

 

I don't know what you consider 'affordable' but the Fiesta ST starts under $20k and the Focus ST is only a few stacks more at $26k.

 

The other side of the Ford coin is that you can get a 300HP 30+MPG Mustang for $22k. Something like that has never been available anywhere before it.

 

I am a little biased, but Ford is doing good right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for Kia, my brother bought one new in 2003, a Spectra? He has driven it since, and I know that after two years the quality of that car was less than my (at the time) fifteen year old Toyota.

 

They currently have decent reputations and a lot of rabid fans, but I would prefer to hold out and see how these nice new 'quality' cars look in five years.

 

With that said, the local dealer up here keeps offering a Rio and a Soul for one payment of $222. That is something that is not easy to ignore.