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:

    Tires and wheels
    Tires care For proper maintenance, safety, and maximum fuel economy, you must always maintain recommended tire inflation pressures and stay within the load limits and weight distribution recomme ...

    Climate control air filter
    The climate control air filter installed behind the glove box filters the dust or other pollutants that come into the vehicle from the outside through the heating and air conditioning system. I ...

    Seat belts
    Seat belt restraint system WARNING: • For maximum restraint system protection, the seat belts must always be used whenever the car is moving. • Seat belts are most effective when seatbacks ...