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| Nice looking car! Kia should have no trouble selling the new Magentis. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
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| It's rear three-quarter angle view is a personal favourite. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
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| Simple, clean lines typify the Magentis approach to design. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
A Car to Aspire To?
There was a time, not too long ago, when Kia would have probably been the last carmaker new vehicle buyers here in Canada would have aspired to own, but this mindset is changing. No longer do we think of the cute but rather remedial first-generation Rio, the even more antiquated previous-gen Spectra or for that matter the somewhat crude yet 4x4 capable earlier Sportage when the three-letter red and silver oval badge comes to mind. No, now that their more modern counterparts are amongst the most advanced in their respective segments, plus new models such as the Sorento, Sedona and Amanti have forever changed the South Korean automaker's brand identity, Kia is a name that commands a certain amount of respect.
Being that the long list of models which I just mentioned are responsible for an even longer list of global awards, a trend Kia would without doubt like to continue with the launch of its all-new midsize Magentis sedan, Kia, the automaker which also claims the industry's freshest model lineup, should be able to increase its stake in Canada beyond its current 2.2 percent hold; a scenario that should see sales of approximately 29,000 vehicles in 2005 rise to a projected 32,000 for 2006. Magentis sales alone, which are at about 2,000 units in the 2006 model year, are expected to at the very least double, but being that there is no set allocation for the car, Kia Canada could sell many more if it proves popular.
And after a day poking around inside and out, busily searching for any clearly evident and potential problems, driving it through winding country roads and on high-speed highways, getting to know the car's strengths and shortcomings as thoroughly as possible, I've got a feeling that the new Magentis will become very popular, and at the same time continue modifying Canadians' perceptions about Kia.
The first, and possibly most important factor in wooing more Japanese-centric buyers away from Camry and Accord, is styling. Where the old car looked a bit too early-'90s Chevy Corsica for my tastes, the new one has a unique character all its own. Yet in finding that character, Kia didn't resort to radical tactics, but rather had its designers create a conservatively attractive shape, less aggressive than some of its rivals, but still resulting in pureness of form, immediately recognizable as a Kia, yet at the same time a car that should appeal to most peoples' sense of good taste.
To me, it looks best from behind. Its unique taillights are extremely stylish, again in a subtle, nothing-to-prove fashion. This minimalism encompasses the car's rear end design, and carries forward from the top, outside extremities of the rear lamps via a simple, elegant shoulder line, balancing a large greenhouse above and solid lower flanks below, highlighted by body-colour door handles and mirrors before tapering into sculpted front fenders that meet up with a strong hood bulge at centre and large, eye-like headlamp clusters at each side. From the front, a large horizontally grille pattern with four chromed strakes widens the car, giving it greater visual solidity, planting it more firmly on the ground.
