So - people shit on Kia, because they remember what it was like before Hyundai owned it.
My sister bought a Kia around 2000. It was garbage. You have to go a ways farther back, but once upon a time Hyundai wasn't very good either. At some point (I guess in the 90's?) people started talking about how Hyundai had caught up to Toyota and Honda, and Ford and Dodge needed to do the same.
I've driven many Kia rentals the past ~15 years, and they are awesome. Even remembering all of what I wrote above, I was surprised at times at how premium the fit and finish was, and how powerful and smooth the ride was.
Yea, in the past decade or so, both Kia and Hyundai have stepped up their game to compete with Honda and Toyota. Great warranties, easy to work on, etc etc. I'm curious what the world will look like in another 20 years. Will Hyundai's get more expensive than Toyota? Will Honda bring prices down to better compete? Or will some Chinese startup roll in and attempt the same playbook as the previous brands? I any case, I think it's a net positive for consumers.
I had a 2006 Kia Spectra and learned to drive manual with it. Lasted for 10 years until it got rusty enough from winter salt that I wanted something else. Other than oil changes and front struts it was trouble-free.
My sister bought a Kia around 2000. It was garbage. You have to go a ways farther back, but once upon a time Hyundai wasn't very good either. At some point (I guess in the 90's?) people started talking about how Hyundai had caught up to Toyota and Honda, and Ford and Dodge needed to do the same.
I've driven many Kia rentals the past ~15 years, and they are awesome. Even remembering all of what I wrote above, I was surprised at times at how premium the fit and finish was, and how powerful and smooth the ride was.