2002 Kia Magentis SE from UK and Ireland - Comments

I have owned my KIA MAGENTIS (A.K.A KIA OPTIMA) since new in September 2002. It is without doubt the best car I have ever owned. It is certainly very fast and also quite economical for its engine size - average mpg around town is 23/25 mpg, which is excellent for a 2.5 V6

I opted for the gray leather trim - looks and feels great, and adds to the overall comfort and general feel good factor of owning a car, which looks a lot more expensive than it actually is.

Also, in England it is a very rare car, so everywhere I go people ask "that's a nice car, what make is it" and they often do not believe me when I tell them how much it cost.

I agree. It's a brilliant car for the money. High rent for low money. These 2.5 Litre V6 engines are sweet. Same as used in the Coupes. If Kia (under Hyundai ownership) can make a car like this, then why is the Sonata on which the Magentis is based on, an inferior cousin? I've owned 2 Sonatas, and both have suffered paint, trim, and electrical problems. Yet the Magentis is better built. Has superior paint and trim finish, and is esthetically more pleasing to the eye. Seems I made the wrong choice. Next time it will be a Magentis.

I'm sorry, but the Kia Magentis is Rubbish!

Top Gear, proved when they did that Korean Car Comparison.

Jeremy Clarkson said that he wouldn't pay £17.500 to have a Hyundai Sonata or £13.000 to have the Kia Magentis, because apart of the Different Badge, both Cars: Magentis and Sonata are the same Garbage.

And I am afraid he is right...

The Kia Magentis is a Very Lacklustre Car.

The Rivals are Much Better, even the Vauxhall Vectra is better than a Kia Magentis (Hyundai Sonata).

If you want a Cool, Reliable Family Saloon, I got two words for you guys: Subaru Legacy.

Subarus has always been rated as More Reliable than Kia and Hyundai, not to mention the Legacy is a LOT BETTER car.

Yes, it is a Bit More expensive, but you really would rather buy a Cheap Family Saloon that it isn't any Good???

Think for the Car, not the Price, unless you are a Miser...

Jeremy Clarkson hates anything from Korea, so his expert advice is purely subjective. I've owned many Hyundai cars in the past, and have found them to be reliable, comfortable, and they don't break the bank. Just because some plebs like more aggressive styling, burning rubber, and owning run of the mill rep mobiles, does'nt mean we all have to.

The New Vectra, though a vast improvement on the old model has an autobox which sometimes forgets which gear its in. Has an awkward to use indicator stalk, and a cruise control which is all too easy to accidentally activate. The Mondeo also has one major fault, an unreliable CVT autobox.

So if you want a high rent-low cost, reliable and dependable motor, which is far cheaper than its Japanese rivals, looks different from its euroblob UK counterparts, then Korean metal makes for a sensible choice.

Do not listen to that comment. It is in fact utter rubbish. I am avid top gear follower. If you had looked back in the back at Jeremy Clarksons reviews of the car you would find. And I quote.

"Now this is more like it. A large comfy family car that makes perfect financial sense"

Anyone who looks in the back of an 2002/3 top gear magazine will see that.

The magentis is faster than the sonata, not so cheap looking and way better value for money.

I agree with the other guy a few lines above and from my own point of view, all Korean cars are just a piece of junk. They are slow, rubbish, unreliable and can barely go over 100mph. I have owned a KIA Sedona 2.9 V6 and I thought that it had a good, powerful engine, but it wasn't good. I then bought a Honda Jazz for my brother and Ford Ka for myself and felt it was so much more powerful than that heap of kia junk.

Well I like to comment to the last gentlemen that said they do not go more than 100 mph, I am a guy that likes speed as much as the next guy, i just bought a 2002 megantis and when I tried it out, I had it doing 225 km per/h. That is not too bad for a 2.7LT V6. Besides that the car really ride nice at low and high speeds. You might get a little drift or sway at a high speed, but that is natural if you do not have tires for high speeds, etc. Over all I think it is a really good and affordable car.

A Honda Jazz is nowhere in the same segment. A Jazz's 0-60 acceleration time is 12 seconds, a V6 Optima is only eight...

Well you couldnt compare it to a Honda Jazz.

Its not a bad car, looks great, drives reasonably well, extremely comfortable.

Yet I've had it for 70,000 miles and have the check light popping uo every now and then and the car does a sudden jerk and I lose some engine power.

Window motors in the rear have died.

The airconditioning goes off suddenly at times.

My lights are continually misty

Well you get your moneys worth I guess, but still my warranty covered most of it I shouldn't be grumbling. Yet the checklight is becoming to annoying and whenever it flashes it means another drive to the dealership.

Well I console myself with the lovely leather, and my remote trunk lid, the good brakes and on the dot ABS, the oh so powerful ac when it works, the nice red door courtesy lights, good build quality was in an accident, optima had a bit of a fender bender, the corolla who knocked into me was much worse. Powerful projection head lights, brilliant radio - I have a remote:)

Well weigh the good points and the negatives... if you get a better deal go for something else instead. There was nothing else really available with me.. and really its not all that bad.. i guess it varies.

I drive a 05 Kia Magentis 2Litre se automatic as a Taxi in Dublin, it does 8 to 10 hour shifts at a time.

I find it a great car to drive, I get a lot of compliments from my clients for the comfort and style of the car. I was a mechanic before I went into the Taxi business so I think I have a fair knowledge about cars. It is a bit heavy on fuel 25mpg in the city 30mpg on a long run. Dealership in Ireland is poor, but getting better. When its time to change I will be buying another Megantis with a Diesel engine.