Kia Forte Koup, Interesting...

Kia has little to prove now.. they are wholly owned by Hyundai so their quality is WAY up from when they were independant

According to J.D. Power, it looks like current Kia's at least equal the ratings of Subaru. And we all know how popular Subies are around here.

The first Subaru offerings in this country were pretty much crap, but the company learned the important lessons. It also looks like Kia and Hyundai are following the same path.

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/ratings/quality-ratings-by-brand

As for the Forte sedan and coupe, they're (subjectively) better looking than the Civics, are competitive on performance (for non-Si models) and cost less.

What's not to like?

kreb wrote: In reply to Bobzilla: er, what's prejudice got to do with it? Kia's made some marginal cars. They have to prove themselves further, that's all.

Apparently you've had your head buried in the sand for about 4 years or more. The Sedona is a topnotch minivan. The Optima has been regarded as being equal to or better than the camry for fit/finish. The spectra is a dependable, durable civic alternative. The rio is a cheap, durable, economical car..... these are all known.

It's the same stigma I've heard for the last 7 years with my Elantra..... Ew, it's a Hyundai. They made the Excel.

Same here - my wife's Sedona has been dead reliable for 5 years now.

I sort of like the stigma Korean cars have. I like how they are the precieved underdog. I also like how it keeps the price low and I can buy a 5 year old Accent for under $1000, for example.

I do not understand that stigma.. Hyundai was the company that put all the others on notice with their phenominal warrenty.. and yet their cars are still considered unreliable junk?

I do not get it

Some of the less enlightened folks on Bimmerforums (well, most of them are less enlightened) hated the genesis because it was a hyundai

While visiting the executive offices I was reading that the V8 Genesis Sedan is faster through the quarter mile than a Subaru WRX.

mad_machine wrote: I do not understand that stigma.. Hyundai was the company that put all the others on notice with their phenominal warrenty.. and yet their cars are still considered unreliable junk? I do not get it Some of the less enlightened folks on Bimmerforums (well, most of them are less enlightened) hated the genesis because it was a hyundai

THAT is my point entirely. They made crap 15 years ago. Hell, honduh and toyoduh are making crap today (when compared to their previous reliability and fit/finish) but no one bashes them. Every young car company makes mistakes. They get to be a good car company by FIXING those mistakes and forging ahead.

I can tell you that 284k miles between 2 of these Korean crap boxes and I am beyond impressed.

In reply to Bobzilla:

interesting, ford and gm also largely made crap 15 years ago, make pretty decent cars now, and are also having a hard time living it down. kinda makes ya wonder, eh?

But GM/Ford also had 80 years of market behind them before they started making crap.....Hyundai just showed up.

and learned VERY quickly how not to make crap cars.

I too put a combined 300+ plus miles on two seperate Hyundais.. an 88 Excel that I did 167,000+ miles on before trading in on a 99 Tiburon I did almost 140,000 miles on.

between the two, the only problems I had was a water pump and transmission in the excel and 2 wheel bearings and an airbag light on the tib...