2009 Kia Magentis Reviews

If the early cars Kia launched here were rather cheap and cheerful chariots the Magentis was a car that signaled the company's intention to become a more serious player on the local motoring landscape.A distant cousin of the Hyundai Sonata with many shared components the Magentis replaced the unloved Optima in 2006 and brought a new   level of quality and driving experience to the company's range.MODEL WATCHThe Magentis was aimed squarely at the middle ground of the market that was occupied by cars like the Toyota Camry, Mazda6 and Honda Accord, a tough gig in any language, but it was well equipped for the task.While looking to move away from the cheap-and-cheerful image it had from its launch Kia nevertheless stuck to the concept of value-for-  money through a long list of standard features while still delivering a more desirable car.The Magentis was an attractive front-wheel drive, four-door sedan with a roomy cabin and large boot, and two models, the EX and the EX-L, or Luxury.As the entry level model the EX had a four-cylinder engine, but the EX-L could also be had with a V6 for a little more punch.  The 2.4-litre four-cylinder boasted double overhead camshafts with variable valve timing for good flexibility across the rev range.  At its peaks it developed 119 kW at 6000 revs and 221 Nm at 4250 revs, enough to make it a willing performer.For some road testers the four was a better choice than the 2.7-litre V6 engine available in the EX-L, which lacked the low-end punch of an   engine of its size and type.  When delivering its best the V6 produced 138 kW at 6000 revs and 247 Nm at 4000 revs.EX buyers could choose between a five-speed manual and a five-speed auto, but those who chose the EX-L got the auto standard.  Buyers of the base EX got air-conditioning, remote central locking, power mirrors and windows, trip computer, cruise, CD player and 16-inch alloys.Those who stepped up to the EX-L also got leather trim, power driver seat, fog lamps and 17-inch alloy wheels.  Both models had a split-fold rear seat and a full-sized spare wheel.IN THE SHOPThe Magentis was a major step up in quality from the Optima it   replaced and that's reflected in the fit and finish, the feel and the   driving experience. It's also reflected in the reliability owners have experienced.The few complaints from owners have been minor rather than anything of a major nature.  Make the usual checks for crash repairs and ask for a service record to make sure the maintenance has been kept up.IN A CRASHKia fitted the Magentis with an impressive array of safety gear, including six airbags, anti-skid brakes and electronic stability control.  It was so well equipped that ANCAP awarded it four stars when it was crash tested.UNDER THE PUMPKia claimed the 2.4-litre Magentis would return an average of 8.1 L/  100 km and the V6 9.3 L/100 km.  Cars Guide readers report they get on average 8.5-9.5 L/100 km.One reader has run his on E10 and says it gets 11.1 litres/100 km on   the ethanol blend, compared to about 9.8 L/100 km on regular unleaded.OWNERS SAYFacing retirement Bob Archibald decided to downsize from his petrol-  guzzling ED Falcon to a smaller, more economical car. After finding   the prices of cars like the Camry and Accord too steep he settled on   the 2.4-litre Magentis EX. He was very impressed by the warranty and   the safety features it had, but also the roomy cabin and large boot,   as well as the responsiveness of the four-cylinder motor and   smoothness of the auto. A year on from the purchase he couldn't be   happier with it, he says it has been reliable, economic and fun to   drive.John Williams needed a new car quickly after his other car had been   damaged in a hailstorm and he settled on a 2006 Magentis EX. He   admits being worried by the cheap and cheerful tag associated with   KIA, but decided to take the chance anyway and he has been more than   pleasantly surprised. So far it's done 55,000 km and he has had to   have a leaking timing chain cover attended to, he's replaced the rear   brake pads, and there's a so far undiagnosed knock coming from the   rear of the car. He's critical of the cruise, the take-up of the auto   that allows the car to roll backwards on an incline, but says they're   minor.LOOK FOR. Pleasant styling. Roomy cabin. Good boot. Full-sized spare. Willing four. Much improved quality. Plenty of equipmentTHE BOTTOM LINEReliable and refined mid-sized sedan with a high level of equipment and impressive safety.

The Magentis has replaced the ordinary Optima, and it is much more than simply a half-decent model rejig.Initial impressions, from the driving position to the feel of the wheel, had all the hallmarks of a surprise packet, and the Magentis was not deceiving us.After tooling around in the Magentis between Brisbane and the Gold Coast and out to rural Norwell among the cane fields for a week, there was enough evidence to conclude this is the genuine article.There is a V6 and a four-cylinder engine and both went through the road-test garage.Overall, the Magentis is refined, well built and, if you can handle the plain-Jane exterior, it is on the pace in just about every area.For $31,490, as tested, the V6 is a whole lot of car with a lot of kit in the mix.It is all dressed up with everywhere to go.There is a nice balance of soft and hard plastics inside, easy-to-interpret controls, comfortable seats and a fair amount of room for rear passenger comfort.It is generously appointed with all the gear such as trip computers that give you the important read-outs, steering wheel-mounted cruise control, alloy wheels with a full-size spare and MP3-compatible audio system. There is a long list of active and passive safety gear that makes more expensive brands look of questionable value.Traction control, ABS, electronic brake distribution, ESP stability control, active head restraints, and the list goes on.It's all there and occupants are protected by airbags all-round, including side and curtain.In automatic trim (with the sequential manual gate), the Magentis 2.7-litre V6 is quiet and refined. Although there didn't seem to be a whole lot of difference in performance, the four-cylinder car seemed a little perkier and a little better synchronised in city traffic.Fuel economy alone, which was almost a litre per 100km better, would be enough to tip buyers into the four, not to mention the savings on registration and insurance. As tested, the four-cylinder in EX-L luxury pack trim adds leather, 17-inch alloys, climate control, eight-way power driver's seat, faux aluminium trim, foglights and the five-speed automatic with tiptronic sequential shift as standard. Make no mistake, this is more than worthy to take on Toyota's four-cylinder Camry launched last year.There are times when cruising in the Magentis that you feel like you're in a $40,000 premium saloon. And this is no surprise if you know the model's history.Part of the refinement is explained by the Magentis heritage. It is a relative of the outstanding Hyundai Sonata and is loosely based on that car. There was a degree of tyre roar coming off the 17-inch Michelins on the four-cylinder variant.Fuel consumption was around 8.2L/100km for this test of stress-free, low-rev driving while the V6 returned around 9L/100km.The Magentis is reasonably well damped with good body control and neutral handling.Overall, it is a highly respectable unit which would hold its own against any immediate rival. In terms of a safe, highly kitted-out package the Magentis has few peers.The base four-cylinder Magentis starts at $25,990 ($29,490 for the EX-L luxury pack), rising to $31,490 for the V6.Some may be dismissive of Kia products based on past experiences with various models, but the Magentis is one to seriously consider and quite possibly the best passenger car the Korean firm has made.

The Magentis is the first car to be launched by the new Kia Motor Australia, with the Korean manufacturer taking over the Australian distribution in March.The company acknowledges there's work to be done in improving the Kia reputation. High levels of standard specification as well as "segment leading value" are among its plans, and it starts with the Magentis.It's not exactly a standout in the looks and performance departments, but Kia's new family sedan has a good list of safety features and equipment and in a time of rising petrol prices, records good fuel economy.The Magentis, which takes over from the outgoing Optima, is available in three models, with two specification levels of a 2.4-litre, four cylinder engine, delivering 119kW at 6000rpm and 221Nm at 4250rpm and a more powerful 2.7-litre, V6 model, producing 138kW at 6000rpm and 247Nm at 4000rpm.It shares architecture with the Hyundai Sonata but has an all-new body with a longer wheelbase, a stiffer body shell and new suspension systems.Its average appearance is most likely to appeal to a more conservative market. Metallic paint spices things up, but only slightly and comes at an extra $250. The base EX model, priced at $25,990 for the five-speed manual or $27,490 for a five speed automatic, comes standard with cloth seat trim, air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, an MP3 compatible radio/CD player with steering wheel controls, power door mirrors, power windows, cruise control and automatic headlights.The EX-Luxury, available with a five-speed automatic transmission as standard, offers leather interior trim, 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, a leather covered steering wheel and shift knob, electronic controls on the driver's seat and full climate control. It's priced at $29,490. The range-topping EX-L V6, at $31,490, adds dual chromed tailpipes and V6 badging.On the interior, the different shapes and aluminium trim found on the luxury models makes it look a little basic and cheap in style.The dash is also quite short, offering the front passenger more leg room, but on the downside positions the centre controls further away than usual. In terms of safety, the Magentis is well-equipped and has ABS with EBD, emergency brake assist, electronic stability program (ESP) with traction control, dual front SRS airbags and side SRS airbags.Safety seems to be something Kia is particularly proud of in this car, and a quick test around the skid pan at Eastern Creek Raceway showed the benefits of driving with ESP.Kia positions the Magentis against the Mazda6, Subaru Liberty, Honda Accord VTi and Toyota Camry as competitors. While it won't undergo safety testing until the end of this month, Kia anticipates a four-star Euro-NCAP crash test rating for its newest vehicle, following in the fashion of the Kia Carnival.It records a combined claimed fuel consumption of 8.6 litres/100km for the four cylinder engine and a claimed 9.3 litres/100km for the V6, making it the most fuel efficient petrol V6 in the medium segment under $55,000. The 2.4-litre, four-cylinder engine feels more enjoyable to drive than the V6, and is where Kia believes most volumes will be sold. The V6 feels a little sluggish, taking longer to reach the desired speed, and not as exciting as a V6 should be.But the majority of Magentis owners will not be too concerned about the negatives, particularly the performance, but will accentuate the positives of this affordable family sedan.Added to that list of positives is the Magentis' five-year/130,000km warranty and a full-sized alloy spare on all models. So for a basic, reliable car on a budget, the Magentis is worth a look.