Furthermore this supermini is easy to drive, has plenty of gadgets, and looks modern.

Ralph Morton, Editor of Business Car Manager, commented: “Any Kia Rio is a good car – but the EcoDynamics version is a champion. It returns a staggering 88mpg and emits just 85g/km of CO2 thanks to a punchy and characterful 1.1-litre three-cylinder diesel engine.”

John Hargreaves, Head of Fleet & Remarketing, Kia Motors (UK) Ltd, commented: “Low CO2 emissions are relevant to all our customers, but with the imminent BIK tax changes sub-100g/km levels – like those on all Rio 1.1 CRDi EcoDynamics – will become increasingly important to our business customers. So I’m delighted that our environmental efforts have been recognised by Business Car Manager with this award.”

Kia has stolen a march on the competition by loading up a version of its smallest and most fuel efficient car with all a full slate of comfort and convenience items. The Rio sedan, released only a few months ago, is the recipient of this largess. But you will pay for it – $21,695 with all the bells and whistles. The best seller in the Rio sedan lineup is the LX+ with an automatic transmission. which at $16,595 comes with an impressive standard equipment list: six-way adjustable driver’s seat, power locks and windows, power heated mirror, tilt wheel, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, a/c, heated seats, cruise control, keyless entry and wireless connectivity.

But we sampled the line-topping EX luxury with all of the above attributes. If you skip the voice-activated navigation system you can chop $1,200 off the tag and get Kia’s UVO infotainment system developed in conjunction with Microsoft.

In either case you’ll get a nimble little car that all but sneezes at gas pumps. It carries a class-leading Transport Canada rating of 4.9 litres/100 on the highway with an automatic transmission. If you’ve been paying attention to all the hoopla about hybrids you’d see this number is righty up there with the best of them – from a conventional gasoline engine. I didn’t manage that number on our hilly Nova Scotia roads, but did pull off a 5.9-litres/100 session by telling my right foot to control itself.

These mileage numbers are a tribute to this fledgling company’s engineering prowess. The engine is the new 1.6-litre “Gamma” all-aluminum four-cylinder, with dual overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder, unit with direct injection. The latter, with multiple injections and ignition events per cycle allows it to run a high compression ratio for excellent power and economy without the need for premium fuel. At 138-horsepower it ties the Chevrolet Sonic for most power in class. All Rios equipped with an automatic transmission come with what Kia calls Active ECO. Push that button and throttle response is softened and shift points lowered.

Aiding and abetting these high mileage efforts are a pair of six-speed transmissions. Also designed in-house they allow the engine to have sufficient ratio spread to ensure punch off the line and when passing or climbing hills while loafing along at minimal fuel-sipping revs the rest of the time. You won’t win many drag races with a 1-100 time of more than 10 seconds, but you’ll beat the competition at the pumps.

The interior has a more upscale feel, with soft-touch surfaces for the front portion of the dashboard.

Compared to the Rio5, the sedan gets a different grill, front bumper, headlights and sits 15-mm lower. The different front fascia shortens overhang at that end by 25mm. Pillar-mounted side mirrors help the aero numbers and reduce wind. The sedan is 320-mm longer overall, but most of that is aft of the rear wheels. The two have the same head, shoulder, hip and leg room but the sedan gets a conventional and roomy trunk. Kia says the majority (70 per cent) of its customers prefer the five-door but in an effort to leave no stone unturned or potential customer walk away, it has brought out the sedan.

The award was presented to Mr. Byung Mo Ahn, Group President and CEO for Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc., on behalf of the plant’s more than 3,000 team members.Ahn thanked Deal for the prestigious award and noted the importance of the state of Georgia’s role in Kia’s success during his speech to the 1,200 attendees at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta.

“I want to thank you, Governor Deal, and also Quick Start and the Technical College System of Georgia for this great honor,” he said. “We would not be in this position for achievement without the unyielding support of the State of Georgia, the Department of Economic Development, and in particular, Georgia Quick Start, which has been our partner in workforce training from the very beginning.”

Ahn also credited the outstanding team members who “work enthusiastically each and every day to build world-class, high quality vehicles.”

“We have developed the ‘Kia Way’ to define the workplace culture and establish a ‘one system/one team’ approach at our facility,” he said. “The Kia Way is built on trust, mutual respect and open communication among all team members to ensure continuous improvement, and in our view, is a key element of the market success of Kia and KMMG.”

Deal congratulated KMMG for being the 2012 large manufacturer of the year and said the state looks forward to many more years working together as successful partners.

“Kia’s West Point, Ga. plant is a shining example of Georgia’s commitment to supporting new industries in our state and how that continued commitment allows companies like Kia to prosper and grow,” Deal said after the award presentation. “Kia has continued to invest in our state and has delivered a tremendously positive impact in this region. I am so proud to be presenting this outstanding company with the large manufacturer of the year award today.”

Deal was joined by Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Chris Cummiskey and Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Ron Jackson at the luncheon, which marks the culmination of Manufacturing Appreciation Week. The event was co-hosted by the Technical College System of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

“We’ll see about that” I pondered while boarding the plane to attend the South African launch of Kia’s new Optima. I was thinking back to a release they sent out late last year, bravely claiming that this new mid-sized sedan would literally “challenge German brands” on local soil.

Somehow I didn’t get the feeling that they were referring to the VW Passat, although that Veedub did get a mention in the slide they showed in Durban on Monday, along with the usual non-premium sedan names like Accord, C5, 508, 6, Kizashi and so forth. How are your words tasting Kia?

Not to worry – the Optima is equipped like a cruise liner and sells for just R305 995, undercutting all but the Suzuki and Passat. Yet I can’t imagine it selling on price alone.

DESIGN REVOLUTION

Continuing the design revolution that beautified the Sportage, Picanto and Rio, the Optima has a stauncher, more muscular appearance than the Hyundai Sonata that it shares its platform with. Details like the swept-back headlights and rising rear door window line even evoke memories of the previous Saab 9-5.

The now defunct Swedish nameplate was probably also floating around in the interior designer’s head, considering that Kia describes the cabin as “based on aircraft principals, with everything within easy reach.” While not quite a jet fighter cockpit, the Kia’s interior does set a slightly sporty tone, with a dashboard angled towards the driver and dark leather seats with a splash of light cloth around the edges. Build quality is solid and the materials are of a good quality, although I wouldn’t go as far as calling it classy.

Sloping roofline gives it a coupe-like appearance at the back.

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There’s nothing fighter-jet-like about the performance either. There’s only one model for now and that’s powered by the same 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that does duty in the Hyundai Sonata. Our launch route only covered coastal roads, and here the 132kW/231Nm engine proved more than brisk enough by family sedan standards but if the Sonata is anything to go by it might feel a tad sluggish at Reef altitudes.

Yet there is hope. Kia is currently testing a 147kW 2.4-litre direct injection motor for our market and that’s likely to join the range in the not-too-distant future, but that’s not the most exciting news. Further down the line Kia is also hoping to bring in a 204kW 2-litre turbopetrol model and a super-frugal 100kW 1.7-litre turbodiesel.

Back to the engine we have, this 2.4 Theta II MPI sends its power to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox, which is not the smoothest or quickest-reacting tranny in town but it does allow silent, low-rev cruising on the highway. Kia claims a combined consumption figure of 8.7 l/100km, aided by its ‘Active Eco’ system that optimises the ECU and transmission for economy at the press of a button.

PRETTY AVERAGE

With a fully independent rear suspension and a slightly stiffer suspension set-up for the South African market, it is agile enough for a car of its size but the steering is rather light and devoid of feel and feedback. The ride quality is also no better than average.

The Optima lacks the smooth, comfortable and dynamically-sharp feel of the Honda Accord, but then the Korean car costs R70 000 less and it’s certainly not lacking much in the way of standard amenities.

Dashboard is angled towards the driver. Cabin has plenty of kit.

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In fact if we’re talking standard specification, this Kia is a five-star hotel on wheels. There’s only one option and that’s a sunroof for R10 000. What you do get as standard is electric seats (eight-way for driver, four-way for passenger) as well as dual-zone climate control, rear ventilation, keyless entry and start, cruise control and an eight-speaker Bluetooth-compatible Infinity Premium sound system complete with an external amplifier and eight-inch subwoofer.

VERDICT

The Optima is not a car for those who enjoy driving but it will make sense to those dreaming of a solidly-made, pleasant looking car that has a great deal of kit for the price.

After being officially presented to the public last month at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, in both five-door hatchback and station wagon versions, the new generation of the Kia Cee’d is once again placed into the spotlights, this time with the car manufacturer announcing that its production has just started in Slovakia. According to the company, the second generation of the Kia Cee’d is currently being assembled in Slovakia at the company’s plant in a three-shift operation.

“We believe that the new model will help us increase production this year to a total of 285,000 vehicles. Kia Motors Slovakia invested EUR200 million in production technologies last year. We’ve hire more than 900 people thanks to the new model and we’ve had a three-shift operation since January 2012. We plan to invest around EUR110 million this year while production of the wagon version of the Cee’d will launch in the second half of the year”, said the Kia Motors Slovakia CEO, Eek-Hee Lee.

As a reminder, the 2013 Kia Cee’d is coming with both interior and exterior updates, more powerful engines and more features added to the cabin. The model is 10 mm lower and 50 mm longer than its predecessor, its body is 10 mm narrower and its track is 17 mm wider at the front and 32 mm wider at the rear. The model’s cargo room has also increased by 40 liters for a total of 380 liters. The 2013 Kia Cee’d will arrive in European showrooms in mid-2012, followed by the Pro Cee’d and the Cee’d SW.

[Interview : Suh Sung-moon, Senior Analyst
Korea Investment & Securities Co.] “The rise in market share to over nine percent is meaningful in that it happened after Japanese companies have recovered from the March 11 earthquake and tsunmai.”

The most popular Kia vehicle among U.S. consumers
Hyundai’s Sonata also managed to sell over 23-thousand units last month, followed by other Hyundai models like Elantra and Accent,each posting almost 20-thousand and 8-thousand units, respectively.
Analysts point to a series of factors supporting the automakers’ recent numbers.

[Interview : Suh Sung-moon, Senior Analyst
Korea Investment & Securities Co.] “The brand image and quality of Hyundai and Kia Motors has shown great improvement and newly updated vehicles are also introduced in a regular basis. The exchange rate also positively affected their sales.”

The analyst added that the two Korean automakers are expected to keep breaking records until at least the end of this year.
Hwang Ji-hye, Arirang News.

The K9 sedan is built on the same platform as Hyundai’s Equus and uses the 3.3-litre and 3.8-litre engines that power Hyundai’s Genesis.

‘Kia has lacked a luxury car line-up. The K9 launch will help raise average sales prices of Kia cars in the domestic market and narrow the gap with Hyundai,’ said Mr Lee Sang Hyun, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities.

Kia’s K series midsized and large sedans, called the Optima and the Cadenza overseas, weakened sales growth of the Sonata and the Azera, key flagship models of Hyundai, Kia’s sister company.

The pricing of the K9 has not been decided yet, Kia’s domestic marketing chief said. The Genesis sells for between 42.1 million won (S$47,000) and 61.5 million won.

The K9 will pose a threat to Hyundai’s high-end models especially in the captive home market that supports the carmaker’s growth overseas.

Hyundai’s Genesis and Equus account for 5 per cent of Hyundai domestic sales, but they have higher margins and are significant for Hyundai’s attempt to grow beyond its image as a maker of value-for-money cars.

‘We are entering new terrain for Kia – a big luxury segment. This is a really a big step for Kia,’ the company’s chief design officer Peter Schreyer told a media briefing.

The nose bears a new version of the pinched Kia grille, separated from the headlights. The waistline rises steeply as it heads rearwards, and the whole car is 50mm longer and, in a welcome development, 10mm narrower despite having extra interior space. Weight has dropped slightly, too. There’s an attempt to give the cabin a premium feel, and the engines – two petrol and two diesel, each type of 1.4 or 1.6 litres – are all calibrated to generate minimal CO2.

Power options are 99 or 133bhp petrol, 89bhp for the 1.4 turbodiesel and either 108 or 126bhp for the 1.6 diesel. All come with six-speed gearboxes, be they manual, conventional auto or double-clutch semi-auto.

What’s the 2012 Kia Cee’d like to drive?
We tried two versions of the new Cee’d – the 126bhp turbodiesel (likely to be the biggest seller), and the 133bhp petrol with the new, Kia/Hyundai-made, double-clutch gearbox, which is optional only with this engine.

Both are impressively smooth and quiet most of the time, but the petrol engine can sound tinny and raucous when worked hard – which you have to do a lot if you’re in a hurry. It certainly doesn’t feel like it has 133bhp, but the gearbox’s responsive, smooth-shifting, paddleshift manual mode helps you make the most of the engine’s efforts. There’s also a Sport setting for the auto gearbox, but it hangs on to the lower gears for too long.

The diesel is a more relaxing drive, but in this pre-production test car it didn’t feel as lively as it does in the equivalent Hyundai i30. Another disappointment is the ride, which feels too stiff over sharp bumps. However, the stiffer body structure helps ensure that the impacts don’t crash through too noisily. The upside to this is that the Cee’d handles very tidily and precisely, with excellent control of big body movements and accurate, consistent electric power steering with credible weighting and none of the stodge that often afflicts such systems.

What’s the 2012 Kia Cee’d like inside?
Quite upmarket, with a fully padded dashboard, some interesting shapes framing the instrument panel and centre console, chrome around the dials and an aluminium-look, piano-black or chrome finish to some of the detailing depending on the trim level.

Higher-spec Cee’ds get a TFT central dial, like the one in a Jaguar XJ, which looks like a conventional instrument around its edge but is actually a screen image. A graphical information screen occupies the centre console.

Lower-spec models have a normal handbrake, uprange ones suffer an electric version. Top Cee’ds have electric adjustment for the driver’s seat, but all have a comfortable and thoroughly adjustable driving position. A large-screen sat-nav is optional; the next level down has a touch-screen stereo. Quarter windows in the front pillars avoid the blind spot that troubles the Cee’d's i30 cousin.

There’s plenty of space in here, more than in the previous Cee’d and among the best in the class. The boot has grown, too, with a 380-litre capacity (more than in a Ford Focus or VW Golf), and the rear seats fold fully flat with the cushions tipped forward out of the way.

The highly influential consumer magazine praised the Rio’s “nimble” handling, simple climate and radio controls and smooth transmission. Consumer Reports also said the interior is more cohesive than its earlier version, which had visible screws.

Nissan Motor Co got poor marks for the overhaul of its Versa sedan. The magazine said the ride was jittery and engine sounds were “overwhelming and offensive.”

“The changes plunged it from the top of CR’s ratings to the bottom,” Consumer Reports said in a press release Thursday.

Rising gas prices since 2008 have prompted more U.S. consumers to consider small cars. As a result, automakers have revamped their cars to be more stylish and comfortable. Many of these vehicles also come with options like back-up cameras and voice-activated entertainment systems.

“Subcompact cars were once collectively known as ‘penalty boxes,’” said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports. He added that the new redesigns “make a number of subcompact models good all-around choices for people looking to stretch their budget.”

The Rio sedan’s overall road-test score was 67 out of 100. It edged past refreshed versions of Hyundai Motor Co’s Accent and the Chevrolet Sonic, built by General Motors Co. Both scored a 65. The Fiesta snagged a 61 and the Versa got a 53.

The hatchback version of the Rio fared worse. It landed at No. 3 on the list of small hatchbacks, behind Honda Motor Co’s Fit and the hatchback version of the Versa.

Last year, the top seller in the small car segment was Ford, which sold more than 68,500 Fiesta cars. Honda sold nearly 60,000 Fit vehicles and Hyundai sold more than 55,000 Accents. Kia sold little more than 20,000 of its Rio subcompact

The Rio and the Accent are built on the same platform and share the same engine, but otherwise, development of the two vehicles is kept separate.

Consumer Reports touted the Accent’s 31-miles-per gallon fuel economy, but said the ride was bumpy. The Chevrolet Sonic got 28 miles per gallon, which Consumer Reports deemed “unimpressive” for the segment.

The cheapest model that Consumer Reports tested was the Nissan Versa at $15,490. The most expensive was the Sonic LTZ hatchback at $19,870.

“As a result of this fire, we’ve canceled production for all shifts Monday and Tuesday. That’s hourly team members who would be working on the line. Now, we still have quite a few people working as many as possible. So, really our teams are working around the clock right now so that we can come back to work as quickly as possible,” Kia representative Corinne Hodges said.

Right now, both plants are scheduled to be closed for two days.  Hodges says Daehan Solutions is a major supplier. They make metal car parts that protect drivers from the engine and electrical wiring. She says Kia is currently searching for an alternative source to get production back up and running.

“Daehan Solutions is a provider of headliners and that’s a key ingredient in building the vehicle. So, we’re able to look around and find some alternatives. [We're] working quickly to replenish that supply line as quickly as possible.”

News Leader 9 spoke with some employees who say they have to use their paid time off to compensate for the missed days.  If they do not have the time, they will not get paid for the time off.

Daehan Solution declined to comment at this time. They say they do not want to alarm their employees or the community before they have a set plan in motion.