Driving
The Kia is available with 2.0-litre or 2.7-litre V6 petrol engines, but we prefer the 2.0-litre turbodiesel. There's a fair amount of diesel clatter at idle, but once on the move it delivers power progressively, and at cruising speeds is impressive refined. It serves up its power in a progressive manner too. So it's a shame the Kia's clutch action is snappy which, combined with a less-than-slick gearbox, makes smooth progress difficult. What's more, dynamically the Magentis feels flimsy. It rolls through corners, and this increased body movement means it works its front tyres much harder. There's also a lot of dive when braking, and the middle pedal is soft under-foot too. The steering is light and vague, and never inspires confidence. Unfortunately, the soft dynamic set-up doesn't translate into a decent ride quality either, because while the Kia is cushioned over smooth surfaces, the dampers don't control suspension movement. As a result, it can become crashy over imperfections, while kickback through the wheel is a problem. Still, stability control is standard.
See also:
Keys
The key code number is stamped on the
plate attached to the key set. Should you
lose your keys, this number will enable
an authorized Kia dealer to duplicate the
keys easily. Remove the plate an ...
Model Lineup
The Forte represents a new design DNA for Kia, and the car's chiseled
physique, intense front fascia and broad-shouldered fender treatments are a huge
departure from the outgoing Spectra, and shou ...
Introduction
How to use this manual
Fuel requirements
Vehicle break-in process
Indicator symbols on the instrument cluster ...