Korean Cars

[R34]

I was driving in traffic yesterday when I spotted an awesome looking car ahead.
I usually know my cars pretty well but this one had me stumped.
The closer I got the better it looked...looked really classy a bit like an Audi but it was like no Audi I'd seen.
Could it be an XF Jaguar?
Got close enough to see the badge.....are you Fckn kidding me ? A Kia?

Kia seems to be making big strides in the looks of their cars I must say as I've spotted a few of their small cars and they are quite handsome.
The Audi designer who took up a position with Kia is certainly having a big impact (In a good way not a Chris Bangle way)

Anyone else seen one of these and what did you think?

KIA Optima Review | Car Advice | Reviews

[brimway]

I just could never see myself buying a Kia or Hyundai. They sure look the part though the dash/interior a bit too blingy for me

[Pullstarter]

Yes I went through a similar experience R34. I was forced to gouge my own eyes out in self disgust when I saw the badge.

[anthony]

Yes,the new Kia Optima is a great looking car...

[clip]

IMO, too ostentatious. They're trying to make a statement, but in the end, they're just a Korean built to price, not to last. Interesting the massive price drops over the past couple of years when Kia tried to ask stupidly high prices for the Sorento or Sportage(or whatever their SUV is ) The new add for the Kia hatch with the boyfriend getting street cred driving around in his girl's car is a crack-up, very funny- at least they've got a sense of humour.

I was inside a new i30 sedan (the big one anyway) and honestly, I'm sure a 9 year old boy must have designed it! Talk about bling - it was just too ridiculous for words - and ergonomics were very bad especially location of some switches and releases. Check out the cheap plastic trim on the doors, dash and centre console, just too horrible for words. Ride was also dreadful for a large sedan, but was reasonably quiet.

[tessie]

Correct me if I'm imagining all this but, I'm seeing a lot of Hyundai i45's about, if they have'nt taken a good hard look at the Passat CC and made a cheap rip-off, I'm Elvis Presley! The latest Kia's are looking very smart, but its the asian way, the best copiers, but no innovation or leadership. And it'll probably always be so.

[Transporter]

Yep, 1990 technology under the skin.

[Ben J]

First one I saw surprised me too. I work at a dealership that sells kias and they have some decent looking cars. The parts for them are damn cheap too, compared to the other makes we also deal with. I'd still never own one.

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[R34]

I just could never see myself buying a Kia or Hyundai. They sure look the part though the dash/interior a bit too blingy for me

Yeah the dash looks a bit to "people Moverish" from the pics.
I liked the look of the i45 sister car to the optima until my brother in law rented one and let me have a drive.....it was awful.
But the way they nailed the appearance in a short time makes me wonder where they'll be in 10 years.

---------- Post added at 08:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 PM ----------

Yes I went through a similar experience R34. I was forced to gouge my own eyes out in self disgust when I saw the badge.

hahaha I know what you mean...I had a similar reaction

[Drift]

A turd rolled in glitter is still a turd. I like my doors to thud when I close them, not sound like they're about to fall off.

[kleung]

But the way they nailed the appearance in a short time makes me wonder where they'll be in 10 years.

A lot of what has been said in this thread sounds remarkably like what was said about Japanese cars in the past. And now look where the Japanese are - while a lot of their cars are still fairly boring, it's no accident that they consistently rate highly in the reliability surveys. IMHO, the Koreans are gaining fast on the Japanese, and the fact that Hyundai and Kia both have European designers on the payroll, manufacturers around the world should be worried.

A lot of the criticisms that are being levelled against the Koreans can and should also be levelled against American manufacturers - cheap plastics, poor ergonomics and nasty interiors, average reliability and driveability - and the Americans have had LOT longer to get it right than the Koreans have.

While the Koreans don't yet have a car that suits my needs and wants, if I was looking for a cheap, small car, I'd have no qualms about owning an i30. I drove one last year while I was test driving new cars for my father, and came away impressed, considering the price. Granted, he ultimately chose a Golf 118TSI, but given that the 118TSI is a good 30-40% dearer than the i30 sticker price vs sticker price, I think a certain amount of cheapness and older tech is forgivable.

[brimway]

A lot of what has been said in this thread sounds remarkably like what was said about Japanese cars in the past. And now look where the Japanese are - while a lot of their cars are still fairly boring, it's no accident that they consistently rate highly in the reliability surveys. IMHO, the Koreans are gaining fast on the Japanese, and the fact that Hyundai and Kia both have European designers on the payroll, manufacturers around the world should be worried.

A lot of the criticisms that are being levelled against the Koreans can and should also be levelled against American manufacturers - cheap plastics, poor ergonomics and nasty interiors, average reliability and driveability - and the Americans have had LOT longer to get it right than the Koreans have.

While the Koreans don't yet have a car that suits my needs and wants, if I was looking for a cheap, small car, I'd have no qualms about owning an i30. I drove one last year while I was test driving new cars for my father, and came away impressed, considering the price. Granted, he ultimately chose a Golf 118TSI, but given that the 118TSI is a good 30-40% dearer than the i30 sticker price vs sticker price, I think a certain amount of cheapness and older tech is forgivable.

Too true, who would have predicted that the Toyotas of the sixties would lay the foundation to what Toyota is today.. I reckon the Korean cars will be the Japanese cars of the future, then we can look forward (?) to the Chinese cars becoming the Korean cars of the future. Might take a long time though, Chinese cars fare poorly in crash tests.

At the end of the day, you get what you pay for.

[mikinoz]

Based on price and the engine quality (TDI in particular) I would not hesitate to buy one for the specific purpose of getting around.

The new Kia Sportage is not a bad car, and any car critic I have read lately tends to agree. I have driven a mates one extensively and for the money would consider it over a Tiguan.

And I might add the interior of Subaru (any model) has never been of a quality I consider appropriate for the cost, and they are widely loved by Australia.

[kleung]

then we can look forward (?) to the Chinese cars becoming the Korean cars of the future. Might take a long time though, Chinese cars fare poorly in crash tests.

I think you might be surprised at how quickly the Chinese will be able to re-engineer their cars. Unfortunately, there seems to be a culture of 'copying' in China - I'm sure we've all seen the photos of Chinese knockoff cars that look like BMW X5s, Landcruisers, Minis etc etc. That doesn't worry me so much - what DOES worry me is that Chinese manufacturers are smart enough to engineer their cars to rate highly in safety tests, but are their cars REALLY going to be safe? Or are they going to be engineered just well enough to score 5 stars?

Strictly speaking though, the Koreans have 'cheated' to a certain extent by hiring European designers. So in part, their success is due to their leveraging of European knowhow. Nothing wrong with learning from the best though.

Without a doubt, the Chinese are capable of making some pretty awesome stuff. They just need to get some more international market experience under their belt. I reckon we're going to see some pretty interesting cars start to come out of China within the next 10 years as their auto industry matures.

I know they've been manufacturing cars for domestic use for many years, but it's only now that they have entered the international marketplace and are competing on a level playing field with other more established global marques that they will be compelled to improve their products at a faster pace.

At the end of the day, you get what you pay for.

Truer words were never spoken. Except in China.

The new Kia Sportage is not a bad car, and any car critic I have read lately tends to agree. I have driven a mates one extensively and for the money would consider it over a Tiguan.

Was "The Message" stuck on repeat in the CD player?

[tessie]

Its just a personal preference for me, the way I feel about a car. Nothing wrong with driving an asian car, with Japanese cars at least, they're better value if its just the running costs that concern you. I like a German car because these people have always been the best engineers of cars and come up with the innovations. I appreciate they're always pushing the envelope with their ideas, always at the cutting edge. My 2c worth.