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.

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    Seats
    Front seat (1) Forward and backward (2) Seatback angle (3) Seat cushion height (Driver’s seat) (4) Lumbar support (Driver’s seat)* (5) Seat heater* (6) Headrest 2nd row seat (7) Seatback ...

    Bulb wattage
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    Starting the engine
    WARNING Always wear appropriate shoes when operating your vehicle. Unsuitable shoes (high heels, ski boots,etc.) may interfere with your ability to use the brake and accelerator pedal, and the c ...