Good work by Kia, they're ones to watch certainly. Fair play to them for coming out with this and testing the market

 

They've been employing European design teams for a few years now and I think it shows! Compared to what they were selling 5yrs ago.....

I agree Kia and Hyundai are getting their act together and making some nice cars but they are still using cheap horrible plastics and the Diesel engines are awful! The mother in law has just got rid if her i30 diesel automatic because it was horrid. I still don't understand how they can charge so much for them! It's only the warranty that secures them sales I think.

It does look great, the front fogs remind me of machine guns! Recaro seats look nice and it will have a 7 year warranty.

Looking on autotrader nearly new ones are £16k

Maybe a bit much for a Kia though

Not too bad when a golf gti is getting on for £26k

They nicked Audi's cheif designer a couple of years back. Hence the good looking cars.

Mrs was interested in one to replace her 12 year old MX-5, but doesn't want to spend that much on a car in the current climate. So she now has an 09 plate Mini Cooper S Clubman. May re-look again and pickup a two year old one when they have been out long enough.

 

I must admit apart from the shocking runflats it is a nice car to drive, be interesting to see how reliable it is. May make the swap from runflats when the tyres need replacing.

It has runflats?

Urgh thats a dissapointment! I despite runflats!

All Minis do. Yep, definitely recommended to replace them with proper tyres. Transforms the car in my view; steering feedback and ride quality are much better.

 

I have a friend with a 2008 Cooper-S and it made a great difference. You can get obstruction from tyre places, who insist runflats MUST be fitted and it's a special wheel that'll only accept a runflat tyre etc. All complete rubbish, so it helps if you have a friendly tyre place and one you trust.

I got mixed up thought the kia had runflats!

Yeah mini is bmw so its the same as my bloody 3 series. Can't wait to bin the rft's

Ah cool.

 

Yep, same with the E90. You'll get some BMW steering feel back when they get binned

The inside looks like a hybrid between the Civic and new Octy

I love it

Unfortunately, when looking at one seriously, the salesman was far from bothered to speak to me

He was more interested in eating a Pork Pie ....so I walked out!!

agreed, looks nice. Who styled/ designed it?

Peter Schreyer (ex Audi man involved in the original TT, A3, A6, New Beetle and Golf IV)  I think he moved to Kia seven or eight years ago and spends half his time in thier european design studios and half in Korea.  He's taken a lot of Audi themes to kia (clean surfacing etc. ) but has also added nice embellishments and 'jewellery' such as the tiger nose and ice cube running lights.

 

One of the most influential car men of all time, Bob Lutz, recently commented that he thjought the new Kia design language was pretty much as close to perfect as you will get.

 

I think the current crop of Kia cars are great...

And they have just launched the 5 door Ceed GT. Yay!!!

Peter Schreyer (ex Audi man involved in the original TT, A3, A6, New Beetle and Golf IV)  I think he moved to Kia seven or eight years ago and spends half his time in thier european design studios and half in Korea.  He's taken a lot of Audi themes to kia (clean surfacing etc. ) but has also added nice embellishments and 'jewellery' such as the tiger nose and ice cube running lights.

 

One of the most influential car men of all time, Bob Lutz, recently commented that he thjought the new Kia design language was pretty much as close to perfect as you will get.

 

I think the current crop of Kia cars are great...

Thanks for that SkoMaz; you can certainly tell there's some European design influences there. I loved the first TT's Bauhaus inspired design which 'sort of' filtered to the new Beetle

As ive said the 59 plate Cee'd  I just traded in was probably the dullest car I have owned driving it, did not excite me much after the first month of owning it passed, yes it was was a nice car to drive and was quite torquey  but the steering felt numb the gear shift was like stirring porridge and the interior felt a bit cheap, compared to the Mk1 Fabia I had before it, In all was it a mistake buying it? probably... There were times I think I should of gone for the 10 plate Fabia 1.6TDI elegance (Hatch) instead.....

Stop bashing it :(

No offence intended but your cee'd was a 1.6 derv, i think a 200bhp petrol may be a little less dull and a bit more fun to drive?

Better suspension

Bigger footprint

Lower profile / wider tyres

Amoung others?

Its like comparing a comfort 1.2 with a vRS surely?

A 1.25 zetec with an ST and so on

Edited 22 January, 201412 yr by BigJase88

My mk1 123bhp 1.6 petrol Cee'd is pretty good, gearbox is good, has a bit of poke and can be driven for some back road spirited drives with no issue. Baring in mind it's not a sports hatch it handles really well. The new one is better I'm sure!

I may stand corrected but it has the appox the same kerb weight as a Mk2 VRS petrol.

 

TFSI = 1360kg

Kia = 1,359Kg

 

 

Lardy little bugger.

Edited 23 January, 201412 yr by Aspman

I may stand corrected but it has the appox the same kerb weight as a Mk2 VRS petrol.

 

TFSI = 1360kg

Kia = 1,359Kg

Golf GTi mk2= 910kg 

 

 

Lardy little bugger.     Pair of bloaters

Everything is the same nowadays, had a citroen c4 picasso following me for about an hour today with those stupid drl things, i wanted to pull over and kick the drl's until they shattered into a million pieces!

Did I hear someone holler their hatred of DRL's just then?  :sun:

 

Is George there please?