Kia Magentis Review (2001 to 2006)

Quick Summary

Paying under £8,000 for a 2001 model Kia Magentis V6 feels almost criminal. The problem is there aren't that many to choose from. Never in the field of used car purchasing was so much offered for so little by so few. Your best hope of finding one may well be to canvass your local Kia dealer in the hope that they've got an ex-demo car. As a used buy, the Magentis' surprisingly stable residual values don't make it quite such an outrageous steal as many had predicted but its still a whole lot of metal for your money. If you're a mature buyer looking for a comfortable car that will last for a few years, the Kia Magentis is a serious contender.

Overall:

Models Covered:(4 dr saloon 2.0, 2.5 litre petrol [LX, SE])

RIGHT KIA, RIGHT NOW

As audiences go, motoring journalists are a tough crowd to please. It's true that writing about a bad car usually generates more entertaining copy than writing about something uniformly competent. With this in mind, many members of Her Majesty's press corps were gleefully sharpening their knives in advance of Kia's launch of the Magentis in 2001. Their faces when they emerged from the car were a study of lost opportunity. The withering comments, the unflattering comparisons and the opening paragraphs on the theme of 'ideas above their station' would all have to be saved for another day. The Kia Magentis, they grudgingly accepted, was actually pretty good which, coming from this dispirited bunch, was high praise indeed.Actually, the Magentis is better than pretty good. It's a huge step forward for Kia and drives like cars costing twice its asking price. It's also one of the more interesting used buys around at the moment, the initial slice of depreciation having reduced these quality cars to prices that read like a misprint.
Used Kia Magentis for sale

History of the Magentis

Perhaps we shouldn't have been so surprised that the Magentis was quite as well developed as it was. Its predecessor, the Clarus, wasn't a bad car. It was saddled by a curiously bovine name and was launched at a time when bashing Kias was still widely accepted behaviour but it showed signs of promise. Few expected quite such sweeping advances at the 2001 launch of the Magentis, however, and Kia were rightly proud of their flagship car.Initially only a V6 engined model was available, although at prices starting from under £12,000 here was a Mondeo sized car that retailed for less than the price of some Fiestas, making it the cheapest V6 engined car on sale in the UK. An upspec model laden with gadgets and fitted with a sports H-matic suspension was also made available.Late 2002 saw the first change to the Magentis range. The flagship V6 SE automatic carried on as before but the entry-level V6 car, badged LX, had its engine swapped for a 2.0-litre four cylinder unit and £1,000 was lopped from the price. A number of minor styling changes were also made to the Magentis range in early 2003 including different headlamps. The jury's out on whether the new look represents an improvement. In 2004 the 2.5-litre V6 engine was shown the door and the Magentis range reduced to one model with 2.0-litre power and a choice of manual or automatic transmission. An all-new Magentis made landfall in 2006 replacing this model.
Used Kia Magentis for sale

Kia Magentis Road Test

Kia not only have Hyundai to thank for saving their corporate hides, they also owe them a debt of gratitude for the V6 engine that they saw fit to share with their Sonata model. Fitted to the Magentis, it offers a creamy, if not particularly rapid, driving experience, the feeling of well being augmented by the huge seats and velvety ride quality. Turn up the air-conditioning, crank up the stereo and you can't help but feel that this Kia is a very pleasant companion, just so long as you don't simultaneously show it a bend and press the pedal on the right, whereupon it's prone to a touch of roll and wallowing.The V6 model gets the Sports H-matic transmission. Whilst sounding about as sporting as an attack of gout, it is no less than the Porsche-based tiptronic gearchange system and helps to make those twisty bits something less of a chore, although with a car as relaxed as the Magentis, it's inclusion is something of a puzzle. This is a car you'd much rather stick in Drive and waft about in, enjoying the toys and taking it easy. As an antidote to road rage, it pretty much hits the spot.
Used Kia Magentis for sale

Buying a Kia Magentis

Make sure the car is in perfect condition. There's no reason why it shouldn't be, as it will be within warranty, but any dents, scratches or interior damage will knock values hard. One advantage of the Magentis is that most cars will have had a relatively easy life, the majority of customers using them for motorway wafting. Otherwise insist on a full service record and contact a few franchised dealers to try to find the best bargain available.
Used Kia Magentis for sale

Kia Magentis Typical Pricing

A big Korean car that few people have heard of, powered by a thirsty V6 engine would normally be a prime candidate for the sort of depreciation curve that starts steep and just keeps going. It seems that a small but committed section of the public have realised what a decent product the Magentis is, however, and residual values have remained reasonably strong. Take a 2001 51-plated Magentis LX V6. This car retailed new for £11,995 whereas today you'd be able to pick that same vehicle up for just under £4,400. A 2001 51-plated SE V6 will retail for around £5,700. Insurance is reasonable, all V6 engined Magentis models being rated at Group 15.
Used Kia Magentis for sale

Kia Magentis Parts

(approx based on a 2001 Magentis 2.5LX) Like their cars, Kia spares prices have gained an enviable reputation for good value, and replacement parts for the Magentis are all agreeably cheap. A clutch assembly is around £255, whilst front brake pads weigh in at around £40. An alternator will cost around £150, and for a starter motor you'll be looking at £130. The only comparatively pricey parts are the jewel effect headlamps.
Used Kia Magentis for sale