Kia Rio Problems

Thanks for the feedback. I know Nexen is poor but was not aware of the Kumho wear issue with Kia.

You could look at all small models from the mainstream carmakers, like Mazda, and you won’t go wrong. The Mazda2 is a good choice, but you could also look at the Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i20 and Kia Rio.

Yes, you are. Kia has rectified the paint problem, so you have no issue there; they have done what they should have done. As for the price, well, prices go up and down and just because they are down below the price you paid for your cars doesn't mean you should get a refund. You paid the price you were offered at the time, end of story.

I would go for an i30. It's a former Carsguide Car of the Year and you will get a car with the remainder of the five-year warranty

The two new arrivals this year, the Mazda2 and Jazz, both get The Tick from me. The Jazz is better value in the basic car and the Mazda rival has a more substantial feel. Go for the Honda.

Sounds like a clutch problem, it probably needs to be replaced. Take it to a mechanic and have it checked.

It's easy to understand your frustration with Volkswagen but it's still a great company with top products. On the Kia front, the local suspension tuning by Graeme Gambold is a game changer but new-generation engines are at least three years away.

It's likely to have Nexen tyres, which are the poorest of the Korean tyres we have tested. In that case, the wear is down to poor quality tyres. You will get nowhere with Kia as tyres are always wear-and-tear items and outside warranty.

Of those you have been looking at I would rule out the Cruze on the basis of its transmission troubles. The Focus and the Hyundai are good cars and would do what you want nicely. Others to consider would be the Mazda3 and the Kia Rio.

It's clearly a happy camper when it's cold and it's getting the cold settings, it's clearly not when the cold settings are not in play. It could be a problem with the ECU, the crank angle sensor, the oxygen sensor, or the idle setting. You really need to go to a mechanic who can diagnose the problem for you.