In 1995 , I was looking for a new SUV, and was seriously considering the Suzuki. Reports about a new “KIA” SUV were coming in. I did tons of research. It won several prizes in the Baja 1000, Baja 500, and other events. The Sportage was released in California, first, and I watched all the car shows/magazines. Finally, I got one. The first in Naples Florida. Off the first delivery. I got Manual trans, and 4 wheel drive. It was over designed/overbuilt. A solid little truck. I really liked it. BUT , as soon as I pulled in at work, they heckled it: “K-K-K-K-KIA🎶- Pour Water On It And Watch It Grow “🤣. Still, it was a tough little truck. 🚗🙂
Kia/Hyundai struggled here in the U.S. with quality issues around the turn of the century which led to their 10-year/100,000 mile drivetrain warranty plus a conscious internal effort to achieve a “Toyota/Honda” quality reputation for Korean vehicles. They also encouraged their design studios to class up the offerings, making the vehicles look more expensive than they were… especially the Kia designs. Today in America, Kia vehicles are quite popular.
@@thehopelesscarguy My daughter has a ‘15 Optima she bought new that she’s been very happy with. She’s going to have her first child in October so I suspect she’ll soon be looking for something more child friendly. My nephew bought a new Telluride a year or so ago that he loves, as well.
@@thehopelesscarguy Those early Excels were pretty horrid . The debate was whether the Excel was as bad as a Yugo. Well, not quite, but not much better. 🚗😮
I owned a 2009 Kia Spectra SX. A solid, if not spectacular car that was darned reliable. I traded it for a 2017 Kia Soul! with the 1.6 Liter Turbo. I love my Soul! It has been an excellent efficient car with plenty of pep when I need it. It has a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. I know some people don't like it but it has never given me any trouble. If I went to buy a new Kia today, I'd probably move up to the Seltos.
Had secondhand proceed for 11 years, most reliable car I owned, now I own new rio for 5 month... I have't good feeling about that one, it seems much worse built than proceed...
In 2023 Kia was the fourth biggest selling car brand in Australia spread of a large range of models. Hyundai fitfh. However both Korean brands are under pressure for these spots from Chinese brands like the English sounding MG make and GWM that has light truck models that Kia and Hyundai do not sell here yet. But they are working on it and call it a ute as a sop to those missing the disappearance of car based utes. GM vehicles do not even make it into the top 100. An amazing decline as GM provided the top makes in Australia from the thirties until around 2005. The RAM 1500 making it to only 68 or similar.
I like that S. Korea is a first world country in stark contrast to the N.; Same people, same geography, same resources, same culture, different governance. I didn't realize that Kia was a licensed manufacturer for a number of other notable brands. This is also good. But I am not sure it is really a fair comparison for reliability to other brands. Change the fluids and drive reasonably, most cars will go 300,000 miles. So what. Also, Kia \ Hyundai clearly had a big miss on key fob security. Lastly "KIA" is an acronym. It should be along the marketing lines of the effect of selling a Chevy Nova in Mexico. My view is they are cheap for a reason.
Kia also built a van to take on the Toyota Hiace in Australia did kia succeed no l almost forgot about the kia van until l saw one they are almost extinct but not the Toyota Hiace will the Kia ute become extinct in ten years time there are at least 9 other brands of utes sold in Australia and that includes the Chinese and European brands although the Mercedes ute is a rebodied Nissan Navara
@@thehopelesscarguy There are a variety of 4X4 utes some are good some are bad the good ones are from the Japanese brands and one European believe or not There is one from Mecedes Benz which is the best Mecedes Benz available we know new Mercedes-Benzes are crap but underneath its a Nissan Navara which are pretty good and the other one is the VW Amerock well weall know how unreliable VWs are and the Chinese utes and Chinese built vehicles are absolute crap there is a neighbour who has a GWM ute and it has an issue because yesterday there was a mobile mechanic there for hours he wasn't doing a service he was looking under the bonnet for a very long time and the mechanic left after a couple of hours were l own a rear drive 1997 Toyota Hilux and its fine getting back to the utes there is the Ford Ranger they have a list of issues but now they they are tge biggest selling vehicle in Australia they aren't a Japanese brand there is the Isuzu D MAX and tge Mazda BT50 which share the same platform there reputations are petty good for reliability and of course the Toyota Hilux and we know all about Toyota's reputation for reliability and the Mitsubishi Triton the Nissan and Mitsubishi reputations for there reliability aren't the best because of there awful JATCO CVT transmission but the utes don't have that awful JATCO transmission but the Toyota Hilux and a couple of other utes come in rear wheel drive such as rhe Toyota Hilux l can get a rear wheel drive cab chassis rear wheel drive with an aluminium tray the same configuration as my 1997 Toyota Hilux it would obviously be safer tand slightly more comfortable have a couple more gadgets than my Hilux and more economical but 5 years ago l paid aud $1500 for my Hilux and it is still running and driving very well
Thanks for the vid.
Made me more aware of the Mazda input into KIA starting out.
Fascinating early history of the brand. They sell very well here in the UK.😊😊
I had always thought the Pride was their automotive beginning, but it seems not.
In 1995 , I was looking for a new SUV, and was seriously considering the Suzuki. Reports about a new “KIA” SUV were coming in. I did tons of research. It won several prizes in the Baja 1000, Baja 500, and other events.
The Sportage was released in California, first, and I watched all the car shows/magazines. Finally, I got one. The first in Naples Florida. Off the first delivery. I got Manual trans, and 4 wheel drive. It was over designed/overbuilt. A solid little truck. I really liked it.
BUT , as soon as I pulled in at work, they heckled it: “K-K-K-K-KIA🎶- Pour Water On It And Watch It Grow “🤣. Still, it was a tough little truck.
🚗🙂
Image isn't everything. I remember a guy pulling into Truck & Tractor pull in a Daihatsu Rocky and getting boo'd, but it placed in its weight class.
Kia/Hyundai struggled here in the U.S. with quality issues around the turn of the century which led to their 10-year/100,000 mile drivetrain warranty plus a conscious internal effort to achieve a “Toyota/Honda” quality reputation for Korean vehicles. They also encouraged their design studios to class up the offerings, making the vehicles look more expensive than they were… especially the Kia designs. Today in America, Kia vehicles are quite popular.
Yeah, my niece recently bought a Niro and loves it, but my wife had some bad experiences with the early Excel and still holds a grudge.
@@thehopelesscarguy My daughter has a ‘15 Optima she bought new that she’s been very happy with. She’s going to have her first child in October so I suspect she’ll soon be looking for something more child friendly. My nephew bought a new Telluride a year or so ago that he loves, as well.
@@thehopelesscarguy
Those early Excels were pretty horrid .
The debate was whether the Excel was as bad as a Yugo.
Well, not quite, but not much better.
🚗😮
@@Primus54 Congratulations.
@@thehopelesscarguy Thanks, HCG! 👍
Glad to see you posting, hope you've been able to work out your issues with the internet and UA-cam. Hope all is well.
Thanks, things seem to be worked out.
So glad to see you posting thanks
Thanks. Fingers crossed I don't run into any other problems.
Great to see you back!! I have a 2020 Rio, really a nice little car.
Glad you were able to post. The last vid put that in question.
Me too, as it was in question.
Kia briefly sold the Rondo tall wagon in the U.S. from 2007-2010 and, aside from a V-6 option, was otherwise unlamented.
I'm not surprised.
I owned a 2009 Kia Spectra SX. A solid, if not spectacular car that was darned reliable. I traded it for a 2017 Kia Soul! with the 1.6 Liter Turbo. I love my Soul! It has been an excellent efficient car with plenty of pep when I need it. It has a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. I know some people don't like it but it has never given me any trouble. If I went to buy a new Kia today, I'd probably move up to the Seltos.
We considered buying a Soul in 2012, but they didn't have one equipped the way we wanted within a 500 mile radius.
Had secondhand proceed for 11 years, most reliable car I owned, now I own new rio for 5 month... I have't good feeling about that one, it seems much worse built than proceed...
That doesn't bode well.
Kia Has a Huge factory in Western Georgia. Will they pro Duce an affordable EV with long range?
Perhaps.
In 2023 Kia was the fourth biggest selling car brand in Australia spread of a large range of models. Hyundai fitfh.
However both Korean brands are under pressure for these spots from Chinese brands like the English sounding MG make and GWM that has light truck models that Kia and Hyundai do not sell here yet. But they are working on it and call it a ute as a sop to those missing the disappearance of car based utes.
GM vehicles do not even make it into the top 100. An amazing decline as GM provided the top makes in Australia from the thirties until around 2005.
The RAM 1500 making it to only 68 or similar.
Before buy kia make sure you get insurance on it because some insurance companies will not insure them buyer beware
I like that S. Korea is a first world country in stark contrast to the N.; Same people, same geography, same resources, same culture, different governance. I didn't realize that Kia was a licensed manufacturer for a number of other notable brands. This is also good. But I am not sure it is really a fair comparison for reliability to other brands. Change the fluids and drive reasonably, most cars will go 300,000 miles. So what. Also, Kia \ Hyundai clearly had a big miss on key fob security. Lastly "KIA" is an acronym. It should be along the marketing lines of the effect of selling a Chevy Nova in Mexico. My view is they are cheap for a reason.
Kia also built a van to take on the Toyota Hiace in Australia did kia succeed no l almost forgot about the kia van until l saw one they are almost extinct but not the Toyota Hiace will the Kia ute become extinct in ten years time there are at least 9 other brands of utes sold in Australia and that includes the Chinese and European brands although the Mercedes ute is a rebodied Nissan Navara
I may have to look more into the Utes you have there.
@@thehopelesscarguy There are a variety of 4X4 utes some are good some are bad the good ones are from the Japanese brands and one European believe or not There is one from Mecedes Benz which is the best Mecedes Benz available we know new Mercedes-Benzes are crap but underneath its a Nissan Navara which are pretty good and the other one is the VW Amerock well weall know how unreliable VWs are and the Chinese utes and Chinese built vehicles are absolute crap there is a neighbour who has a GWM ute and it has an issue because yesterday there was a mobile mechanic there for hours he wasn't doing a service he was looking under the bonnet for a very long time and the mechanic left after a couple of hours were l own a rear drive 1997 Toyota Hilux and its fine getting back to the utes there is the Ford Ranger they have a list of issues but now they they are tge biggest selling vehicle in Australia they aren't a Japanese brand there is the Isuzu D MAX and tge Mazda BT50 which share the same platform there reputations are petty good for reliability and of course the Toyota Hilux and we know all about Toyota's reputation for reliability and the Mitsubishi Triton the Nissan and Mitsubishi reputations for there reliability aren't the best because of there awful JATCO CVT transmission but the utes don't have that awful JATCO transmission but the Toyota Hilux and a couple of other utes come in rear wheel drive such as rhe Toyota Hilux l can get a rear wheel drive cab chassis rear wheel drive with an aluminium tray the same configuration as my 1997 Toyota Hilux it would obviously be safer tand slightly more comfortable have a couple more gadgets than my Hilux and more economical but 5 years ago l paid aud $1500 for my Hilux and it is still running and driving very well
Unless it's American
I just can't watch
Peace and victory.