9 February 2011
New car report; Tame tiger
Kia is making much of its new face. The tiger grille treatment that designer Peter Schreyer has recently applied to other cars in the Kia range has now been grafted onto the face-lifted Magentis.
Proudly announcing that Kia has come of age, the new product line-up now has an instantly recognisable face, much the same as prestige brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz display their family resemblances.
It's not just the face that has been given the treatment either. New design elements sharpen up the rear end and sides too, with new tail lights, boot lid and bumper, along with new side sills and LED indicator lights incorporated into the door mirrors.
Inside, the Magentis is freshened up with a new, modern looking 3 binnacle instrument cluster, re-designed centre console and gear selector gate.
For the New Zealand market, only one engine and transmission offering is available, a 126kW 2.4 litre DOHC 4 cylinder petrol engine producing 229Nm of torque at 4,000rpm, driving the front wheels through a 5 speed automatic transmission with tiptronic sportshift.
However, Kia New Zealand tells us they can supply a 2 litre common rail diesel engine as an indent order model only. The diesel is also mated to a 5 speed auto and will carry a price premium over the petrol model.
Power from the petrol powered Magentis we drove is more than adequate, and with a quoted combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 8.3L/100km, fuel consumption is reasonable for a powerplant of this size. Towing capacity is rated at a credible 650kg unbraked and 1,700kg braked.
Steering wheel mounted audio and cruise control features, CD/MP3 and iPod with USB input, along with 16 inch alloy wheels, 60/40 split folding rear seat and power windows with driver's one-touch down are all standard features.
Safety features include ESP, six airbags and three lap/diagonal seatbelts in the rear.
Interior passenger and boot space is impressive, with Kia claiming the boot to be the largest in its class.
The Magentis is quiet, smooth and well insulated, with minimal intrusive road and engine noise. Steering and handling are neutral and predictable, with the MacPherson strut setup up front and multi link rear end providing a well damped ride quality.
Priced at $35,990, the Magentis undercuts mid-sized Japanese competition by around ten to fifteen percent, so will appeal to price sensitive fleet buyers and private user choosers on a budget.
The retail price includes a 5 year, 100,000km factory warranty, all on-road costs and the cost of the 1,500km running in service, so the Magentis offers a decent sized car with a reasonable spec level at an affordable price and peace of mind motoring for 5 years.
Despite the new face and the value of the package, the styling and overall feel is of a perfectly capable car that is firmly in conservative, middle of the road territory.
It's hard to be critical of Kia because the Magentis does its job in a perfectly adequate manner.
However, Kia is being a little ambitious and asking the Magentis to punch above its weight by pitching it against competitors such as the Mazda6, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Maxima. While the Magentis undercuts them all pricewise, the others can arguably justify the extra few grand.
So the Magentis will not appeal to those drivers looking for snazzy up to the minute styling or blistering performance.
But for the vast majority of motorists looking for value for money, reliable, comfortable A to B transport with plenty of passenger and boot space, the Magentis could be just the ticket.