Kia Carnival
12 January 2007
Peter Barnwell
People mover vans (MPVs) used to be all the go and many manufacturers had one in their lineup. But the genre seems to be morphing into more of a large station wagon with three rows of seats instead of a van-type vehicle and then there are seven seat SUVs to take into account.
There are still a few van-style people movers_ Toyota's Tarago and the Chrysler Voyager for example but they cost a bomb and are out of the capacity of the average family to afford.
Apart from the small VW Caddy Life, the Koreans have the affordable end of the people mover market to themselves with Hyundai's Trajet, the Ssangyong Stavic and Kia Carnival all vying for the largest slice of the family transporter cake.
Kia recently launched a new Carnival to complement the larger Grand Carnival. They are new vehicles from the ground up and have nothing to do with the earlier Carnival which was plagued with engine problems from its Rover-sourced 2.5-litre V6.
The new VQ Carnivals share the same styling and it is easy to mistake one for the other but the Grand is longer and has a more powerful 3.8-litre V6 petrol engine and five speed auto. The Carnival runs a 136kW/ 246Nm, 2.7-litre V6, used in numerous other Kia and Hyundai vehicles and a five speed manual or optional four speed automatic.
Both are front wheel drive which boosts interior room.
Carnival is available in base spec' and auto- only Luxury with the latter scoring leather, six air bags, rain sensing wipers and other goodies. It's at a $3500 premium over the manual base model which sells for $32,990 drive away. The four speed auto adds two thousand bucks.
We have been driving the auto base model Carnival and it's an impressive vehicle especially when you need to take a crew anywhere. Mum, dad, the kids, friends and the grannies can all fit inside its cavernous body. But only a small luggage space is available with all three seat rows deployed. The rear row is easily foldable or even removable if you want to maximise load space and don't need the extra seats.
Access is easy through the front or side sliding doors that have power operated up and down windows, not pivotting or fixed glass. The rear side windows pivot from the front and are also power operated.
The rear top-hinged tailgate opens a large aperture and is easy to lift.
The V6 engine features variable valve timing and is good for 136kW/246Nm output com- pletely addressing the power deficit of the previous model.
It gives the Carnival good performance across the engine rev range and plenty of pulling power when a full load is aboard with the dual aircon blasting away.
Though the more sophisticated five speed auto misses Carnival this time around, the four speed auto we drove is satisfactory thanks to an internal upgrade and sequential shift mode. It makes quick smooth changes and willingly kicks down when required.
Sequential mode allows manual gear selec- tion if you want more control.
The interior is a friendly place that also looks good with a nicely rounded dash and multiple hues to the upholstery.
The steering is light, the brakes are powerful and it possesses a tight turning circle for a vehicle this size.
Minimal engine noise intrudes into the cabin and the luxury feel is accentuated by a smooth, well controlled ride.
We took out the rear pews and they're fairly heavy but once out, load space increases dramatically. The centre row also comes out. The vehicle looks good with big headlights, large tyres and smooth lines set off by roof rails and expansive glass house. You sit high affording a good view in all directions.
The seats are supportive and the textured upholstery is comfy.
Go over the Carnival with a magnifying glass and it's impressive build quality is evident.
It's bigger brother scored a five star US crash test rating so the SWB Luxury model should be the same.
Like the Kia cars we have driven in past months, this vehicle bats well above its price point.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Carnival not over
Kia's new look dressed to thrill
Kia Magentis
17 February 2007
Gordon Lomas
There is no doubt Kia's brand image is in need of a serious makeover — but it is not going to be preened and pressed overnight. What should help the transition from "cheap and cheerful" to a "credible contender" is the mid-sized Magentis sedan.
The Magentis has replaced the ordinary Optima, and it is much more than simply a half-decent model rejig.
Initial impressions, from the driving position to the feel of the wheel, had all the hallmarks of a surprise packet, and the Magentis was not deceiving us.
After tooling around in the Magentis between Brisbane and the Gold Coast and out to rural Norwell among the cane fields for a week, there was enough evidence to conclude this is the genuine article.
There is a V6 and a four-cylinder engine and both went through the road-test garage.
Overall, the Magentis is refined, well built and, if you can handle the plain-Jane exterior, it is on the pace in just about every area.
For $31,490, as tested, the V6 is a whole lot of car with a lot of kit in the mix.
It is all dressed up with everywhere to go.
There is a nice balance of soft and hard plastics inside, easy-to-interpret controls, comfortable seats and a fair amount of room for rear passenger comfort.
It is generously appointed with all the gear such as trip computers that give you the important read-outs, steering wheel-mounted cruise control, alloy wheels with a full-size spare and MP3-compatible audio system. There is a long list of active and passive safety gear that makes more expensive brands look of questionable value.
Traction control, ABS, electronic brake distribution, ESP stability control, active head restraints, and the list goes on.
It's all there and occupants are protected by airbags all-round, including side and curtain.
In automatic trim (with the sequential manual gate), the Magentis 2.7-litre V6 is quiet and refined. Although there didn't seem to be a whole lot of difference in performance, the four-cylinder car seemed a little perkier and a little better synchronised in city traffic.
Fuel economy alone, which was almost a litre per 100km better, would be enough to tip buyers into the four, not to mention the savings on registration and insurance. As tested, the four-cylinder in EX-L luxury pack trim adds leather, 17-inch alloys, climate control, eight-way power driver's seat, faux aluminium trim, foglights and the five-speed automatic with tiptronic sequential shift as standard. Make no mistake, this is more than worthy to take on Toyota's four-cylinder Camry launched last year.
There are times when cruising in the Magentis that you feel like you're in a $40,000 premium saloon. And this is no surprise if you know the model's history.
Part of the refinement is explained by the Magentis heritage. It is a relative of the outstanding Hyundai Sonata and is loosely based on that car. There was a degree of tyre roar coming off the 17-inch Michelins on the four-cylinder variant.
Fuel consumption was around 8.2L/100km for this test of stress-free, low-rev driving while the V6 returned around 9L/100km.
The Magentis is reasonably well damped with good body control and neutral handling.
Overall, it is a highly respectable unit which would hold its own against any immediate rival. In terms of a safe, highly kitted-out package the Magentis has few peers.
The base four-cylinder Magentis starts at $25,990 ($29,490 for the EX-L luxury pack), rising to $31,490 for the V6.
Some may be dismissive of Kia products based on past experiences with various models, but the Magentis is one to seriously consider and quite possibly the best passenger car the Korean firm has made.
