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:
Large Trunk
The large trunk has a low, wide opening and a lid that raises easily on gas
struts. Rear seatbacks can be flipped forward for more cargo space, but they
don't sit entirely flat. The pass-through a ...
Storage compartment
NOTICE
• To avoid possible theft, do not leave
valuables in the storage compartment.
• Since stored items may move while
driving, be sure to position them in
the storage compartment so that t ...
Automatic transaxle fluid
Checking the automatic transaxle
fluid level
The automatic transaxle fluid level
should be checked regularly.
Keep the vehicle on the level ground with
the parking brake applied and check the
...


