Korean automakers are inflamed at Top Gear

[Cubits]

I've driven a kia rio, and it is the worst car you can waste $15k (AUD) on. The interior is made of coolbox material, and the seats are flatter and harder than a park bench.

The handling is borderline scary. Oversprung, underdamped, complete lack of body control. The ride isn't comfy, and it most certainly isn't sporty. In the event of an accident you are a passenger no matter which seat you choose.

The controls are more remote than voyager (aka space probe, not the tv series), which while it won't scare anyone, it also doesn't give warning of the epic struggle the tyres are having with the road at all speeds.

To top it off, the car is less fuel efficient than a V6 pajero/montero/shogun (petrol). Noisier too...

People are saying you get what you pay for, blah blah, and they're only commuter cars blah blah... but the truth is you can do better for the money, and an older golf will be more refined, more safe, more fuel efficient, more reliable, and hold onto it's value a hell of a lot better.

Top gear wasn't out of line. They said the getz was good (something that article from chosun managed to miss), but their remarks about the other cars was bang on.

I wouldn't wish a kia rio or hyundai accent on anyone!

The only reason people DO buy the cars is because they perceive them to be cheap transport, often disregarding the used car market (vanity). There are many "old" cars that are cheaper, more advanced, and refined than those dodgy piles of spare parts they call budget cars.

[tx3dude]

alot of people buy them because they think they are reliable.as opposed to a used car.... used cars can be a mixed bag some good some bad thats why peolpe choose the "safe" option of buying a new car with a warranty....
cha ching 2 cents please

[evoWALO]

You buy Korean only if you dont have the money for a proper Japanese car or dont want to buy used. Right now every dillusional fool of a Filipino is going gaga over the Kia Picanto as it is sold here around US$5,700.00. Whenever some idiot praises the Picanto I just give em the head's up on how much was spent on materials cost. It makes em shut up really fast.

[wrc_maniac]

I don't know about malaysian cars but I think that Korean like the Hynday are not that bad. We shuold keep in mind that Japanise cars in the 60s and even in the 70s were considered as beeing very bad and look what has happaned now. Not only are they much more reliable than American car but they compete pretty well with European ones. Who knows, in 20 years time the same thing might happen with Korean cars too.

[evoWALO]

That the thing though. You'd need to wait 20 years from now til you get a Korean car you'd be proud to be seen in.


There was once a survey in which Kia owners had the least amount of sex among any group of car owners. Maybe that's the solution to overpopulation. Give every baby factory a Kia.

[FurbyMaX]

Most of you guys have had a somewhat negative experience with the korean cars, and thus are bashing them, perhaps just a bit too harshly.

My family bought a Hyundai Scoupe (the first generation of the Coupe/Tiburon) in 1990, and has kept it for more than 14 years. It has never given us serious problems, except for some slight (very small) inconveniences. It rattled, yes, but not much, and still, it should be excepted on a car that was priced at something like 9000 US $ or not? And heck, it wasn't totally bad looking for that price either (I liked the rear end).

When we bought a Volvo 850 t5-r several years ago we rarely used the scoupe. When I rode in our scoupe some months ago, right before it was sold (keeping in mind that I had not ridden in the scoupe for more or less 1 year at that time), I noticed that it was unusually comfortable (but that was due to me being used to the volvo's hard suspension), agile, and composed (in the sense that there weren't many squeaks). Not bad for a 14 year old car which was bought at such a cheap price, don't you think?

[LusDekkar]

Korean cars (Hyundai, etc) were aimed at specific price points. They delivered a lot for their money, but were fairly bland. Depreciation is a bit hit-and-miss as so many people bought them. Servicing was good value. Poor in accidents.

My sister crashed her friend's Hyundai excel into my parents parked landcrusier. Big dent in th excel, not even a scratch on the land crusier. I couldn't stop laughing when it happened. How do you NOT see something as big as a landcrusier that's not moving... and the excel must be made of thin metal.

[Celluzion]

I've driven a Hyundai Getz. It's a great car, a little on the thirsty side, but it's rather good. Isn't deterred by hills. Living in Singapore, so the Getz was driven at the ONLY hill in Singapore, handled it really easilly.