Korean car manufacturers have had it the toughest, in my opinion. They ventured into car manufacturing in the late 80s and slowly tried to challenge the establishment. It took them years to properly establish a foothold, and by the time it seemed like they were primed to make a big dent against the ‘big boys, ‘ China came in and took their market share.
Forced to reinvent itself, Kia has found its way back to relevance. We were hosted by the brand in the very north of Luzon with most of their lineup.
My special relationship with Kia
Funnily enough, in the early days of Korean car manufacturing, my family was one of the first to experiment with them. My father, at the time of my birth, had a Kia Pride sedan while my family also used on big occassions a Kia Pregio Van (which ironically is still with the family). So yes, my motoring journey had truly humble beginnings, and even more, Kia was actually one of the founding members of CAMPI (Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines), they assembled a few models here way back.
Another side note, one of the first media units I was asked to bring home was the Kia Stinger, the brand’s sporty and stylish sedan that captured my heart and still holds a special place as one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. It’s safe to assume that I have a soft side when it comes to Kia. I may not regard them as the best, but I’m definitely rooting for them.
Northen Expedition
With the year headed towards the end, Kia PH decided to throw one more adventure in, and boy, what a drive it was. Asking us to drive from Manila, LU, Ilocos, Pagudpud. A drive of this magnitude requires a roster of cars worthy of the trip, and we had an all-star team in the Sonet, Sorento, Carnival, and EV9. We departed Solaire North bright and early, and the first car that I was assigned to was the Sonet, which, coincidentally, is my favourite Kia at the moment.
What I love about the Sonet is the fact that it may be the most affordable model, but it doesn’t feel ‘cheap’; compared to its rivals, it actually feels a notch higher. It has all the features you could want, good build quality, and just the right size for a small crossover. Even if it was also on paper the least powerful car of the convoy, the power-to-weight ratio was decent; it wasn’t hard to keep up ‘convoy pace’, especially on the provincial roads and highways.
After a brief lunch stop, we moved up to the big brother Sorento hybrid, which I’ve already driven extensively in an earlier media drive up to Baguio. I find that the Sorento is one of the best-looking SUVs on the market now. I love how macho but stylish it looks without trying too hard (ahem, Santa Fe). It is also, as expected, relatively comfortable, a hoot to drive, and that hybrid powertrain is frugal in all aspects. It was put to the test, from Rosario to San Juan La Union, we had an eco challenge that was easy peasy for the Sorento.
We ended our first day at Awesome hotel in LU, and settled in for what would be a long 6-hour drive the following day, all the way up to Pagudpud. Our day began in the Sorento, and we eventually made our way up to the Carnival, one of Kia’s best sellers, because they claim it shouldn’t be considered a van anymore, but more like an SUV in terms of driving.
We tested this, and we were surprised at just how good it is to drive; it really doesn’t feel like a van at all. The way it drives is somewhat comparable to any large SUV, but it retains the core competencies of the Carnival. The space, of course, is plentiful, and the plushness is also turned up a notch; smoothness is taken care of by the introduction of a hybrid powertrain (one of the biggest reasons for the Carnival’s sales success).
For the final stretch of the trip, we finally got our hands on the EV9, Kia’s new flagship EV in the country. The EV9 at first looks absolutely futuristic. It takes the EV6 design language and pushes it further; it also looks huge, being a real 3-row SUV. My expectations of the EV9 were realistic. I thought it would be comfortable and smooth, but pushing it would be like asking an elephant to tightrope.
I was wrong, the EV9 was not just a good drive for an EV SUV, but a good drive for any car. Through the twisting coastal roads, the EV powertrain made overtaking a breeze; it had so much oomph, and through corners it felt planted, the braking was easy to modulate, and the steering was direct enough to incite apex hunting. The seats are also one of the most comfortable I’ve ever sat in, plus the refinement is top-notch. We drove over deep puddles, and the water splash barely registered throughout the cabin.
One of our last stops was the Aqua Grande charging station in Pagudpud, which is a feat for ACMobility. Here, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, is a free 120 kW DC charger for anyone to use. It just goes to show how committed to expansion ACMobility is.
Silent Reinvention
Kia’s rollercoaster history is a testament to never giving up. While it could have thrown in the towel when the China threat came, it worked on itself behind the scenes and, in recent years, has rebuilt the brand to withstand any new threats. Kia’s lineup has the diversity and unique selling points to entice any car buyer; it’s hard to ignore how good the products are. They are no longer just alternatives; Kia models can now be the ‘first choice’.
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