Re: New Car Reviews

On 19/08/2026 19:46, Wilson wrote:
> On 8/19/2026 11:31 AM, Julian wrote:
>> On 19/08/2026 16:04, Wilson wrote:
>>> On 8/18/2026 8:02 PM, Dude wrote:
>>>> On 8/17/2026 8:43 PM, dart200 wrote:
>>>>> On 8/17/26 7:56 PM, Dude wrote:
>>>>>> "We planned on a year of bare-bones motoring. These features make 
>>>>>> us feel like we're cheating." - Aaron Gold, Aug 17, 2026
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Motor Trend:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Five—No, Six—Sorry, Eight—Features I Didn't Expect in Our $25,000 
>>>>>> Kia K4
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://tinyurl.com/2mmsamkj
>>>>>
>>>>> most of those are software feature that cost zero to replicate once 
>>>>> implemented. the fact they aren't standard across all new cars is 
>>>>> kind of a market failure imo
>>>>>
>>>> You forgot to mention the Kia warranty:
>>>>
>>>> Powertrain Warranty: 10 years or 100,000 miles for engine, 
>>>> transmission, and drive parts.
>>>>
>>>> Basic Warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles for most other vehicle parts 
>>>> (bumper-to-bumper).
>>>>
>>>> Anti-Perforation Warranty: 5 years or 100,000 miles for rust hole 
>>>> damage on body sheet metal.
>>>>
>>>> Roadside Assistance: 5 years or 60,000 miles for 24/7 help like 
>>>> towing or flat tires.
>>>
>>> They need those because they have a deservedly bad reputation for 
>>> reliability.
>>
>> Certainly a decade and more ago and until five years ago
>> easily stolen but, at least in Europe, they are well above
>> average, in the top 10, for reliability.
>> https://www.whatcar.com/news/are-kia-cars-reliable-most-and-least- 
>> reliable-models-revealed/n27619
> 
> I might be behind the times in my negative attitude towards the Koreans.
> 
> "Kia (and sister brand Hyundai) transformed from lower-tier reliability 
> in the early 2010s through major quality investments, platform sharing, 
> and engineering improvements. Recent models are generally viewed as 
> dependable daily drivers with competitive build quality.

"Made in Korea" signified "Cheap imitation" until the 1980's which
fixed the post war economy and facilitated big national investment
in the likes of Samsung, Hyundai, LG and Daewoo. By 2000 they were
becoming among the elite in advanced heavy, shipbuilding etc., and
electrical/onic engineering.

There's one thing they are not very good at making and that is
people...

According to United Nations and demographic projections, South Korea's 
total fertility rate is expected to slowly rebound from its historic 
lows to approximately 1.0 child per woman by 2050, remaining well below 
the 2.1 replacement level needed for a stable population