Lets Talk The Truth About Kia Cars (Please Share Your Real Experience)

[Iroshw]

People make a lot of bad comments on KIA vehicles even without touching them. I have seen some (only few) good comments on KIAs based on their real experience. I have never used a KIA car (I'm not a Korean vehicle lover at all) but considering to go for another car on these days by selling my Mitsubishi Lancer C62A (ASP 1991 model).

I'm thinking about KIA RIO, Spectra and Sephia. They looks nice and fit to my budget too. But still I'm thinking about the bad comments made by people. One of my friends were talking badly about KIAs but he has never used a KIA vehicle. When I asked the reason for his comment he simply said "MANY says bad about Korean cars".

But again, why Koreans make cars taking a risk if they have troubles/issues? They do it purposely to decrease their Vehicle Market? The Technology they use to make cars are not good enough? KIA is not comfortable like Japanese? Or what is the truth? Why KIA market can't beat japanese?

Guys, I need your support to sort out this and clear my mind. It will help me to think whether it is ideal for me to go for a Kia or not.

And, please share your experience like Fuel Consumption of Kia RIO, Spectra and Sephia, Maintenance and cost, Spare part cost and availability, whether it is worth for the money you spent, etc etc.

And, please share the problems you had with your KIA and how did you overcome the issue and the cost.

[Magnum]

Distance isn't the point

Then?

[Schiffer]

What i like about the Korean cars is that,

they look good from the outside and the inside as well.

Toyota just throw in some fake teak wood and think it looks good and no offense but even bmw lately looks a bit boring in the inside

but the Koreans have manage to make them both interesting.

There is still a lot to improve. but looking at the progress, soon Koreans will overtake the japs. tbh even Chinese would looking at there progress rate

[CJ5]

, soon Koreans will overtake the japs.

I'll wait till then to seriously consider a Korean!

Just watched the 2013 Diesel KIA Rio being put through the paces on Fifth Gear on Discovery Turbo and the outcomes only worsened my hopes of a Korean!!

[JadeyBlitzen]

Then?

an engines lifetime is inversely proportional to its output for that respective design and the weight it has to haul around. that's why heavy vehicles have like million cc engines that put out only a handful of hps. so they can survive carrying so many tonnes for literally millions of kilometers before needing a rebuild. basically an engines longevity shortens when you try to get more and more hps out of it. that's why a formula one engine lasts only a few races. At the same time weight plays a big role. kei vans always had engine wear issues cos they come with tiny 660cc engines and are used to carry several hundred kilos of cargo. I'm sure the new indian small trucks are already having issues with their small engines and overloading.

So in the case of our high output small capacity diesels we got a double whammy. It depends on your driving style too and cos they are pretty responsive so there's no need to rev them that high. but over here with the sort of people who drive them it should be a pretty short affair.

[CJ5]

So in the case of our high output small capacity diesels we got a double whammy. It depends on your driving style too and cos they are pretty responsive so there's no need to rev them that high. but over here with the sort of people who drive them it should be a pretty short affair.

I guess that's why we hardly see any of those diesel daihatsu charades (egg model and the previous) anymore now. They were very popular and now seem to have gone to their eternal rest within 20-25 years!!

[Magnum]

an engines lifetime is inversely proportional to its output for that respective design and the weight it has to haul around. that's why heavy vehicles have like million cc engines that put out only a handful of hps. so they can survive carrying so many tonnes for literally millions of kilometers before needing a rebuild. basically an engines longevity shortens when you try to get more and more hps out of it. that's why a formula one engine lasts only a few races. At the same time weight plays a big role. kei vans always had engine wear issues cos they come with tiny 660cc engines and are used to carry several hundred kilos of cargo. I'm sure the new indian small trucks are already having issues with their small engines and overloading.

So in the case of our high output small capacity diesels we got a double whammy. It depends on your driving style too and cos they are pretty responsive so there's no need to rev them that high. but over here with the sort of people who drive them it should be a pretty short affair.

well has those big tucks long life time engines got anything to do with how much they rev as well? i know those engines only rev a lil bit where as cars rev upto 4K or 5K RPM

bdw i have heard Hino trucks engine lasts upto a million km

[JadeyBlitzen]

well has those big tucks long life time engines got anything to do with how much they rev as well? i know those engines only rev a lil bit where as cars rev upto 4K or 5K RPM

bdw i have heard Hino trucks engine lasts upto a million km

rev limit, compression, induction method, gearing, powerband, type of fuel, load, among other things all play a big role. don't take it literally when I say a million. commercial engines need to last longer cos they travel more and are expensive to repair/take out of service.

[Magnum]

rev limit, compression, induction method, gearing, powerband, type of fuel, load, among other things all play a big role. don't take it literally when I say a million. commercial engines need to last longer cos they travel more and are expensive to repair/take out of service.

yep like i said a Hino engine could last upto a million km

[Kavvz]

Why do diesel engines last longer?

Edited May 11, 2013 by Kavvz

[Magnum]

bdw wont under powered engines give more trouble than over powered engines?

[g-unit]

I have a slight concern about the R engine in the new Sorrento. Its a 2.2 diesel with nearly 200 bhp lugging around 1800 or so kgs. That's a very small engine for its output and the weight it has to haul, so its pretty stressed. makes me wonder how long they'll last in our traffic conditions in the hands of a typical driver.

I know of a 2010 Sorento with over 150,000 k.m on the clock. It's used as a company car for plantation visits by a tea brokering firm. They claim the vehicle is still in great shape and nothing has been done to it. Given the fact that company cars are driven by many and tend to be abused and in this case run on pretty bad roads is a good testament for it's reliability.

[JadeyBlitzen]

I know of a 2010 Sorento with over 150,000 k.m on the clock. It's used as a company car for plantation visits by a tea brokering firm. They claim the vehicle is still in great shape and nothing has been done to it. Given the fact that company cars are driven by many and tend to be abused and in this case run on pretty bad roads is a good testament for it's reliability.

Well I know of a sorento that was binned on its first day out. The engine seized on its way to the hill country. Anyway the driver should have been more careful with a brand new engine that wasn't run in. I know of another sorento that was used for 6 months which was written off in a container yard mishap. The owner told me the trim was getting a bit rattley already. In your story they claim its in great shape but the condition of a vehicle is always a subjective thing. and If all it did was visit tea estates most of that 150000kms was done on open roads where the engines not stressed.

Anyway all these strories are one offs. we can't predict how the majority will turn out based on these 3 vehicles. Let's wait and see what happens as these vehicles start to age.

[lancer_cb3A]

just sharing.. check out the new KIA K9, an awesome looking car with hell of a lot of options as i saw. Or KIA Optima K5. Comparing the price of japs and conti's im sure they will have a very good demand. In Singapore Koreans are catching the market very fast. Probably because here the driving conditions are not so hardcore as how we drive in SL I also had a 2004 hyundai accent here and for 7 years usage with above 220K on the clock I have nothing to complain about that car. after all I think Koreans have changed a lot from what they were. Especially Hyundai and Kia... Cheers!!

Edited May 13, 2013 by lancer_cb3A

[MV-5]

I believe that (just an personal opinion) in near future KIA and Hyundai will do what "SAMSUNG" did against SONY,PANASONIC,JVC,TOSHIBA...................

[jaga]

I was thinking to go for a SUV and looked for CRV since I am a honda fan for last 15 years or so. But When I saw the interior and the exterior of Hyundai Santa fe My idea was changed and I went for a Santa fe. Whether it is diesel or petrol is not a matter since price difference is very little but santa fe has 7 seats and too many options than CRV.

[Warlord]

just sharing.. check out the new KIA K9, an awesome looking car with hell of a lot of options as i saw. Or KIA Optima K5. Comparing the price of japs and conti's im sure they will have a very good demand. In Singapore Koreans are catching the market very fast. Probably because here the driving conditions are not so hardcore as how we drive in SL I also had a 2004 hyundai accent here and for 7 years usage with above 220K on the clock I have nothing to complain about that car. after all I think Koreans have changed a lot from what they were. Especially Hyundai and Kia... Cheers!!

Just my cents on teh subject.

Our family car is a ford festiva 1992 , BG3P which was actually built in Korea. The car still runs very well with almost 250K on the clock. To be honest, we bought her for actually 50% less than a currnt market price of a Jap hatch in 2000, but nonethless is still a comfortable ride with her 1.3L engine.

We have come a long way with many cars to the present 260 (sadly haven't owned any europeons), but the ride class is still very solid in the festiva and as much as i like to drive it, i like to rest in the back seat after a long drive, coz its' so comfortable as a sofa.

This ford plant in Korea subsequently became the first factory for Kia I heard, and this model repeated itself as the Kia Pride, which in fact was the same car but manufactured a decade later. So, am not so negative on the Korean cars. When I was in SK , the Terracan and teh XG were the vehicles given to me , and those were solid. But I didn't stay long enough to gage the repair cycles.

[Iroshw]

Thank you guys for your comments/feedback and thanks for sharing them with all.

Even though my Mitsubishi Lancer C62A (knows as ASP model) very old it is still powerful than most of the modern cars. I have done extra 2k miles without any service and still she is superb (I really didn't have time to service my car). But I'm not happy with the fuel consumption since it drinks a lot now and I think it is due to the extra milages I have done without the required service. Engine oil is like Tar. Even yesterday I had a long run with 5 big people (including me). And the other issue is black smoke, I really don't know what to do to fix that since I have tuned my engine few months a go and changed the air filter and plugs as well. That black smoke is a sign to prove that my car is drinking a lot of fuel.

Ok, so my plan is now is to keep my buddy with me for few months. I'm not planning to go for another car. This is my 1st car but I do not want to live with it forever. But for the moment I thought to do all the required repairs and run it for few months and go for another Jap car (like CK2 or Honda EK3 or Nissan FB14) in few months.

After reading all your posts I thought not to go for a Korean car. But as many said they are good cars for the bucks with a lot of facilities compared to Jap cars. But again, I'm thinking about the maintenance as well. We do not know what will happen in the future to car markets. Sometimes Korean cars will beat Japs but we never know. After few months I will decide what to do, in the meantime I will read more about Korean cars to increase my knowledge.

Again, thanks guys for your great support.

Cheers !!!

Irosh

Edited May 26, 2013 by Iroshw

[Crosswind]

After reading all your posts I thought not to go for a Korean car. But as many said they are good cars for the bucks with a lot of facilities compared to Jap cars. But again, I'm thinking about the maintenance as well. We do not know what will happen in the future to car markets. Sometimes Korean cars will beat Japs but we never know. After few months I will decide what to do, in the meantime I will read more about Korean cars to increase my knowledge.

I didn't see any bad comments about Kias except for that stupid comment by Sylvi (who thinks that Chinese and Indian vehicles are of very good quality!)

What a waste of energy for the rest of us!

[vishkid]

What a waste of energy for the rest of us!

Exactly, it's basically no use giving motor advise to anyone who has future markets and a host of other gibberish as the first priority over the motor that he/she is going to be driving/enjoying now and for the next few years. Wonder what % of people buy a car for the 'car it is' and nothing else.

Edited May 27, 2013 by vishkid

[Sylvi]

I didn't see any bad comments about Kias except for that stupid comment by Sylvi (who thinks that Chinese and Indian vehicles are of very good quality!)

What a waste of energy for the rest of us!

Crosswind,

It is my opinion. Please note opinion differs from Person to Pierson. What is good for me, can be bad for a another person.

Even Japanese vehicles were not that high quality during 1960s. Indian and Chinese vehicles had improved lot during the last five years.

I use INDIAN Maruti Omni very cheap vehicle for my daily running. 25 months, 22500 Kilometers on the odometer without any problems.

Family long trips use a Rexton 5 years 50000 Kilometers on the odometer. Also satisfied with performance no major problems.

Almost all long distance (Colombo Jaffna) buses in S L use Chinese new buses. There are few Chinese running on the Southern high way also.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[CricDasher]

Bumping an old thread.

Guys what do you really have to say about Kia Rio 2003 (Facelift Model) ?

The car looks in excellent shape for the price and I really need your guys' advise on this car. I want first hand experiences and not from those who haven't even driven or been seated in a Kia Rio. Even if it's the Kia Rio older version, it does not matter. Just tell me your experience with Kia Rio.

And, one of the persons had mentioned about Spectra. If more people have more comments regarding Spectra as well, please express your views.

I need to know about Hyundai Accent as well. I will ask it somewhere else because this thread is related to Kia.

Thanks!

[aps]

Spectra is one of the best cars i ever drove(my friend's car). 5 people on board not a issue, good space, confy seats etc etc, 8km/l with A/C in city 12 Km/l Max in out as for owner, if ur family & friends think cars only made in japan only. then re think ! if not go for Kia

any car with regular services on time + average rev can use that engine for long time, suspension & interior depend on ur family size , age and number of kids under 10.

[CricDasher]

Spectra is one of the best cars i ever drove(my friend's car). 5 people on board not a issue, good space, confy seats etc etc, 8km/l with A/C in city 12 Km/l Max in out as for owner, if ur family & friends think cars only made in japan only. then re think ! if not go for Kia

any car with regular services on time + average rev can use that engine for long time, suspension & interior depend on ur family size , age and number of kids under 10.

thanks for sharing your experience with us. You answered all of the questions I had. Definitely, I don't have problems with Korean cars, the only concern lies with what I have heard from people who underestimate the potential of Kias and Hyundais. It's just that I want to know the real experiences so that I do not have to worry much about what other people say. Truly, the people who say rubbish about korean cars, have not ever driven such cars which is the sad part.

[PreseaLover]

Bumping an old thread.

Guys what do you really have to say about Kia Rio 2003 (Facelift Model) ?

The car looks in excellent shape for the price and I really need your guys' advise on this car. I want first hand experiences and not from those who haven't even driven or been seated in a Kia Rio. Even if it's the Kia Rio older version, it does not matter. Just tell me your experience with Kia Rio.

And, one of the persons had mentioned about Spectra. If more people have more comments regarding Spectra as well, please express your views.

I need to know about Hyundai Accent as well. I will ask it somewhere else because this thread is related to Kia.

Thanks!

don't tell me you are going to sell your presea and plans of buying a kia

[CricDasher]

don't tell me you are going to sell your presea and plans of buying a kia