Kia Forte (Malaysia)

The ONLY C-Segment Remote Keyless Entry I

2010-02-23T23:16:00.002+08:00

Gong Xi Fa Cai for those who celebrate Chinese New Year. And congrats to the second batch of Kia Forte owners in Malaysia. I read in FB, many received their cars before the holiday season. In previous article, I promise to reveal on how to lock / unlock the car without using the Smart Key lock / unlock button or the hidden key. Here we go...

With the Smart Key kept in my pocket, I will walk towards the driver side of the car and press the black button to lock / unlock the door. As long as the car detects the Smart Key, the door will lock / unlock. The black button is located at the handle of the car door. The picture on the left is the handle of the driver's front door. Can you spot the black button? Its located beside the key hole.

There is also a black button at the passenger's front door (picture on the right is the handle of the passenger's front door). So, in total, there are two black buttons. FYI, both pictures are from the same car, the difference in colour were cause by the different angle of natural light. Next, try to spot me in both pictures :-P

I though I would be able to cover more features of the keyless entry system in this write-up, unfortunately, my brain has stop functioning (the time is now 11.20pm). So guys, you'll just have to wait for the next article...

My Visit to Setapak SC

2010-01-12T23:42:00.008+08:00

Busy week, trying to squeeze some time to write about last Saturday (9 Jan 2010) experience in Setapak SC . I was there for two reasons, hmm.. two main reasons and one minor problem.

A drop in engine performance after 1,000KM
Left hand side pull while driving
Driver side dashboard was drooping down. The panel which ESC Off button is located.

A day before the appointment, Naza Kia Customer Service X called me to confirm the appointment date and time. The appointment is 9am, and my contact person Y, also a customer service personnel station at Setapak SC.

On the day itself I departed about 8.30am from home to Setapak SC, thinking that I would be able to reach Setapak SC within 30mins. I thought to myself, its a Saturday and traffic would not be heavy on MRR2. Lo and behold, the traffic was bumper to bumper! I had to call Y at about 9.10am to let him know that I was late, Y said they will wait for me to arrive. Upon arriving at the junction to exit to Ampang, I saw a car on the most right lane smashed pretty good, that explain it all! Traffic was smooth after the smashed car.. I bet lots of drivers slowed down to memorise the car number for 4D!

I arrived in Setapak, but couldn't figure out where I was. Called Y and asked for direction, he gave me pretty good directions and I finally arrived at Setapak SC about 9.45am. Here is what you guys have been waiting for.. the meat..

Upon arriving I was greeted by the Senior Manager of Setapak, lets call him SM. SM introduce me to few people and my car was drove into the workshop. During this time I had a good talk with two person, SM and N. We spoke about car headlights condensation, wheel alignments, my experience with Kia Forte and lots of other subjects, one of those which I would like to highlight is on my occupation and the location of my office. When told where I worked, SM immediately offered to send a staff to personally pick-up my Kia Forte for the next preventive maintenance during a week day. It was a surprise, Surprise! Two thumbs up! Of course they only provide such service within certain radius from Setapak SC. I'll certainly consider this offer.

After the chit chat, N and I went into the workshop. Lots of people were surrounding a computer and the computer had a cable which is hooked to my car. The cable connector is located below the steering wheel. N explained to me about the software that was used, showed me how errors can be detected via the software and whole lots of other stuff.

N then pass the work back to this guy, which was introduced as a Kia Specialist. His nickname will be KS. I took the opportunity to ask quite a number of technical questions, this includes simple mods such as replacing stock spark plugs with iridium type of plugs, and also replacing stock air filter to K&N air filter. This guy really know his stuff well. Then they told me that KS was a mechanic to Karamjit Singh, yes, the Flying Sikh of Malaysia! YES, Karamjit Singh's mechanic was fixing my Kia Forte! To some, this is a dream come true.. to me, I just want my drive to be fixed!

KS, Y and I went for a drive after my Kia Forte had the reset done. KS was my front passenger and Y was at the back seat. Took my drive around the town but mostly in the highway, KS observe the way I handle the car and gave me few driving tips, besides that.. we had a good talk and laugh.. these two guys are really funny! Once we are back in the workshop, KS departed, (he had to attend to another appointment in PJ) and I was a happy owner of Kia Forte, the drive was back to normal (as before 1,000 KM service).

Next was the driver side dashboard. The dashboard's clip was missing/broken, I'm really not too sure what happen, I had only notice the dashboard droop after my 1st service, I'm not too sure whether it was there from the start or someone broke the dashboard during my 1st service. Anyway, it was a small matter, the clip was replace and everything is in tip top.

The last item to fix was the alignment. Phew.. it was just a normal alignment problem. So the alignment and balancing was done pretty quick. After all the ordeal my Kia Forte when through, they gave it a good bath, because my case was hand down from Naza Kia HQ, the Service Manager had his hawk eye on those whom are cleaning my Kia Forte. Yes, he was standing there monitoring the car cleaners!

While waiting for the alignment and balancing to complete, I had some time with Y. Had a good chit chat with him, of course, me being me, I took the opportunity to ask several important questions.. ;-) Y is really a pleasant, and cheerful guy. I can see that Y love his job a lot.. By the way, just for your information, the person N, that I spoke off previously, he used to be a technician but was promoted to a Manager, N take cares of 6 Naza Kia branches (I was told, if remembered correctly).

There, you have it, you be the judge of Naza Kia's service. For me and myself I'll give Setapak SC a A++.

Driving Experience I (at 1,000KM)

2010-01-06T09:00:00.003+08:00

I promised few friends to write about my Kia Forte's driving experience right after the 1,000 KM service. Its a little few days late.. nevertheless here is my experience.

Handling

Driving on a straight road really feels like 'gliding', the car travels effortlessly on straight roads. This is a 1.6SX, I can't imagine the kind of feeling on a 2.0SX!

On cornering, there is a little lag while making sharp turns especially after a straight road. But once you are at the turn, maneuvering either the opposite or current direction, the car nose will just simply point to where you desire. And also at sharp turns, you will feel the couple torsion beam axle (CTBA) system kicks in.. this is when you say, SYIOKnya! Its like you and the car is moving as a single 'person'. The famous, But.. you'll feel some body roll, its acceptable.

Steering feedback is a little on the soft side, hard core drivers will have few things to say about this one.. Setting the drive to "D", gear change is not noticeable. Gear change can be felt only if sport mode is used.

Ride
Driving on a 220kpa front tyre and 210kpa back tyre. The Kia Forte absorb uneven surface well, you won't feel the uneven surface, in fact, the car feels very solidly planted to the road. I was driving the new Proton SAGA 1.3L (BLM) the other day, same stretch at the Federal Highway, the poor proton was bouncing like waves.
But when it comes to pot holes, a dip into the hole is prominent to the front seat passengers (includes the driver) and intrusive to the back seat passengers. Back seat passengers will hear a loud thud and bounce a little on the seat. I guess the CTBA is setup towards handling, this causes the ride to suffer. Not to mentioned the suspension is tuned to sport and the made in Korean Kumho performance tyre, Solus KH17 does not help either. I plan to change to comfort tyre in future.
And one advise, you really don't want to drive on roads with lots of pot holes.. give it a try and you'll know what I'm talking about...

NVH
Passengers can barely hear the engine noise. Within this 1,000KM driving experience, there were few times I forgot to shut the engine because I though engine was off! Yes, it's that quite and vibration is almost non-existence during stand still, especially when auto climate is off.
Driving in city and highway roads have mix experience. Front seat passengers (including driver) experience is always good, however, back seat passengers may hear sound from the contact between tyre and road, this is not always true, it really depends on the road condition and material. It is obvious that Kia Motors decided to cut cost in sound proofing for the back seat passengers. But then again, Malaysia's road conditions are really crazy! Bi-polar to a certain extend.. one stretch smooth, another horrible..
Sound of wind is not noticeable unless you go beyond the region of 110 KM/H.

Most of my drive is in the City (KL and PJ), the only highways I drove is Connaught Highway, Federal Highway, and Kesas.

Surprise, Surprise! Naza Kia, you Surprise ME!

2010-01-05T23:03:00.002+08:00

Today I receive a call from Naza Kia Customer Service, staff X. He called regarding the engine performance issue. Requested me to go SC this Saturday for check-up. I was a little ambivalent at the beginning.. not because of him, but me, myself!
Then I told X that I'll be going to Setapak for alignment, to my surprise, he said he knows about it.. wow.. news spread fast nowadays.. especially if its Kia Forte! Then I told him if I go Jalan Cheras SC, I'll end up going 2 SC. He then recommended me to do both the engine check and alignment at Setapak and added that, its not a problem since the records are computerised. I agreed, and X said he will call Setapak SC to informed them that I'm coming for the engine check!

I feel like a 1st class customer here, really!

Follow-up on 1K Preventive Maintenance

2010-01-04T22:50:00.003+08:00

Jalan Cheras SC called me today. We spoke on three subjects.

#1 Scratch at door panel.
SC said they will replace the tab that was scratch by foreman for FOC. WOW! Yes, this caught me by surprise. Pretty good service here! I've always hear of horror stories about Naza Kia service, but this call made me think hard about my perception on Naza Kia's SC.

#2 A drop in engine performance after 1,000KM
Immediately after my Forte's 1,000KM Preventive Maintenance, I drove my sister to KLIA. While driving, I notice,

The engine sounded louder
The car throttle pedal is heavier
The car throttle pedal is not as responsive as before the service; It doesn't have the light feeling anymore

Upon reaching KLIA, I called the SC and Customer Service to make a complaint. On Sat (2 Jan), I email the SC and cc a copy to customer service management on the subject. Apparently, I am the FIRST Kia Forte owner to make a complain about this issue.
Well.. today, SC called me to ask on the status of the engine performance. I told the SC, its still the same as before. He ask me to come in this Saturday for a check, even if its after workings hours, they are willing to wait for me. This lead me to the third subject, which I will speak about shortly.

I read in the MyFORTE FB group, few owners had the same problem as me. One in particular told me that, his cold start is louder but as of today the engine noise subsided to the original volume. I do hope mind will too. Hope that this is part and parcel of 'break-in' process for engine.

#3 Left hand side pull while driving car

Isn't it obvious this is the third subject :-P I have plans to take the Forte for alignment service in Setapak on Saturday morning, therefore I'm unable to visit Jalan Cheras SC in the morning, the Jalan Cheras SC extends their help to me even after Saturday office hours (Saturday is a half day for SC). In our conversation, I asked SC why he recommended Setapak SC to do alignment (Setapak is about 1 hrs drive from my home). SC told me that, at the moment, only Setapak SC has the parts to change the chamber if required. Asked about Jalan Tandang SC, he said they can service alignment but if there are issues, they are unable to change and repaired them, the most Jalan Tandang SC can do is alignment. Of course that is not good enough, even after they "fix" (in quote because its seems to be fixed but its not) the alignment will run out again. So guys, if you are reading this, please take note, and take the extra effort to go Setapak SC if you have alignment issues.

I read in MyForte FB group and lowyat.net, quite a number of Forte owners have this issue. Not sure whether its a normal alignment issue or chamber need to be fixed. But none know about this little tips from Jalan Cheras SC.

Even though I had some unpleasant service at Jalan Cheras. Today, after the call, I feel pretty satisfied with the service. That is how a SC should be run. So overall, I'm satisfied with Jalan Cheras SC's service. They called to follow-up on pending matters, and are willing to extend their working hours to accommodate my Saturday schedule.

My New Year 2010 Modification List

2010-01-01T16:12:00.000+08:00

Tradition holds it that 'fragile' humans need to make a list of wish list yearly. This is by New Year Modification wish list for 2010.

Tint the car to further reduce heat and UV light
Sound proof the Kia Forte for better back seat comfort
Car detailing
Replace stock drop-in Air Filter to K&N Filter
Replace stock spark plug to Denso iridium spark plugs

It's going to cost a bomb! Good luck to me!

Preventive Maintenance at 1,000 KM

2009-12-31T23:09:00.002+08:00

Did my 1,000 KM preventive maintenance for Kia Forte today morning. Besides carrying out the 1K service, I reported the following issues at Jalan Cheras Naza Kia Service Centre (SC).

Rattling noise at passenger side door
Left hand side pull while driving the car; only noticeable if drove at speed above 100 km / h
Very faint squeaking noise. Gear set to neutral, press accelerator. Squeaking is faint and only at the start of the rev..

#1 SC did not know where the rattling noise is from. They simply tighten all ends within the door. Unfortunately the rattling noise is there, but only if the roads are really bad (fill with deep pot holes).

When I was back at home, I took a good look at the door, I might have found the cause of the rattle. The questions is now, how do I verify this? And also, I saw some scratch marks at the doors, foreman had to open the door panels.. so.. ouch.. that was painful for me. Is this issue worth solving at the moment? New car scratched because dear Victor wants to fix some minor rattling noise..

#2 Jalan Cheras Naza Kia SC do not have alignment service. They requested me to go to Setapak, Puchong or Petaling Jaya. They highly recommend Setapak SC. Actually, I was quite annoyed when they told me to visit another SC for alignment service, they should have told me earlier then I would have drove to Setapak for the preventive maintenance instead (they only told me after the foremen had completed the preventive maintenance).

Now I need to go Setapak (or any other SC with alignment service), before my ODO reaches 2,000km! Alignment warranty only valid if ODO is below 2,000KM. Another ridiculous process flow from Naza Kia.. I reported the issue when ODO shows 925KM, how come, I will not be entitle to a free alignment after 2,000KM? They should based it on the ODO when I reported the issue, furthermore SC did not have alignment service. sheesh..

#3 The 'squeaking' noise was playing hide and seek today. When I was at SC, no squeaking noise. When I left SC, 'he' said HI to me :-) I was rushing for another appointment, so, I did not go back to SC.

The total damage for 1,000 KM preventive maintenance is RM227.79. Below are the itemise charges.

Oil Filter RM16.19
Oil Plug Gasket RM2.50
Petronas Syntium 3000 RM209.00

I might consider a different SC the next round. Can anyone help me?

Kia Forte's Smart Key

2009-12-31T00:56:00.014+08:00

Any decent modern car comes with a car remote. A basic car remote allows the car owner to open and shut its doors at a distance. Typically, the remote is attached to the car key for convenience (one part remote another key). Kia Forte however comes with, what we call a Smart Key (applicable to SX model only). The Smart Key, is part of Kia Forte's Remote Keyless Entry system, what? Did you just say Remote Keyless Entry... Yes, its a mouth full just to say it correctly, and it is one car feature that you don't want to miss.

In Malaysia, the lowest priced car which such equivalent feature is a D-segment car, Toyota Camry 2.4V, priced at RM174,990 OTR (as of current writing). And here Kia Forte (a C-segment) is offering such a feature for all SX models, with the lowest priced car at RM81,800 OTR (as of current writing).

For this particular write-up, I will exclusively cover the Smart Key. Will leave the Remote Keyless Entry for another day... hmm... maybe I'll just give you some teaser as to why the Remote Keyless Entry is not so 'Keyless' after all.

Numbering based on picture (image of Smart Key on the left)
1. Lock button. All doors are locked if the lock button is pressed.
2. Unlock button. All doors are unlocked if the unlock button is pressed.
3. Trunk open button. The trunk is opened if the button is pressed for more than 1 second. Yes, the trunk can me opened remotely.
4. Panic button. The horn sounds and the hazard warning lights will blink for a continuous 30 seconds if the button is pressed for more than 0.5 second.
5. This is where the Remote Keyless Entry is not so.. 'Keyless' after all. Press this button to release a hidden key.

This is how it looks like after we've removed the hidden key from the Smart Key case.

There are three ways to lock / unlock the car doors. The first two, are obvious, using the Smart Key lock / unlock button and the hidden key. The third, I shall reserve it when we speak on the Keyless Entry of Kia Forte. Most of the time, car owners won't be using the hidden key. The hidden key is for emergency, especially when the Smart Key battery is flat or when the communication signal sent to the car is weak. For myself, I've only used the key once, its to test the lock / unlock mechanism. And I rarely use the Smart Key button to lock / unlock my car. How do I lock / unlock the car then? Take a guess...

By now you must be wondering why its call a Smart Key! My guess is as good as yours. The Smart Key 'talks' (or communicates) with the car. Its sends encrypted signal to the car for verification. Without the Smart Key, the driver can't start the car. Yes, it has an immobilizer feature. With the Smart Key, the driver do not have to use a car key to start the car, in-fact, Kia Forte SX models do not have a key hole for driver to start the car; fyi, conventional car ignition system uses a car key to start the car.

Oh ya.. the Smart Key is powered by a 3 volt lithium coin battery (CR2032), 20mm in diameter. Hope this will get you a little curious and excited about the Remote 'Keyless' Entry of Kia Forte. I wonder how much do Forte's owners have to pay for a replacement of a Smart Key?

Pricing Effective from 1 Nov 2009

2009-12-30T21:47:00.003+08:00

Effective from 1 November 2009. Naza brought in 3 different specs of Kia Forte. I've scan the price list of all three models. From left, 1.6EX, 1.6SX, and 2.0SX

Malaysia Kia Forte (aka Forte) Brochure

2009-12-30T21:18:00.002+08:00

Interested in buying a Forte? But unable to visit Naza Kia Showroom due to commitments at work. I've scan a copy of Forte's Brochure.

My Kia Forte's Fuel Consumption

2009-12-28T11:16:00.023+08:00

Last Updated on 11 Jan 10

Will try to update the Fuel Consumption of my Kia Forte as frequent as possible. Especially, within the first two service intervals (1,000km and 10,000km). Fuel Consumption details will be read on each fueling.

Summary
I was advise not to 'sayang' my drive from Kia Specialist, he told me to drive normally, the gearbox's fuzzy logic will adapt according to my driving style. I've start to just drive without thinking of the FC. I'm enjoying.. it.. . Best FC: 11.78 KM/L , Worse FC: 9.2 KM/L.

FAQ on FC Manual Calculation
1. Where do I read the distance (in KM)?
[Answer] Trip Meter during each refuel
2. Where do I read the Fuel amount (in Liter)?
[Answer] From the petrol station, during refuel

Here are my latest Fuel Consumption Readings,

Fuel Brand	Shell RON95
ODO Distance	1398 KM
ODO Ave. FC	10L / 100KM (approx 10 KM/L)
Manual FC Calc.	9.29 KM/L (409KM / 44 L)
Area Covered	70% City; 30% Highway
Date	11 Jan 10

--- All readings above this marker is after 1,000KM service ---

Fuel Brand	Shell RON95
ODO Distance	987 KM
ODO Ave. FC	9.1L / 100KM (approx 10.99 KM/L)
Manual FC Calc.	11.78 KM/L (473.2KM / 40.17 L)
Area Covered	40% City, 60% Highway
Date	31 Dec 09

Note: I notice my Forte's Fuel Consumption improve after 600 KM

Fuel Brand	Shell RON95
ODO Distance	514 KM
ODO Ave. FC	10.3L / 100KM (approx 9.7 KM/L)
Manual FC Calc.	9.2 KM/L (414KM / 45 L)
Area Covered	100% City; Mostly bumper to bumper
Date	25 Dec 09

Top 10 Tips for Improving Your Fuel Economy

2009-12-25T09:00:00.000+08:00

Hope this Article is will help those interested in improving their Fuel Economy.

Article extracted from Edmunds.com Top 10 Tips for Improving Your Fuel Economy
------
Top 10 Tips for Improving Your Fuel Economy
By Tara Baukus Mello
Email

Filling up is a fact of every driver's life, but for some drivers it is a necessary evil. If you are one of those people who gulps every time you have to fill up your vehicle, there's good news: there are some simple things you can do to improve your fuel economy no matter what type of vehicle you drive.

Monitoring your average fuel economy regularly is a good idea, too. (Some vehicles have a handy computer that computes this for you.) If you notice a significant change, then something has changed with your vehicle.

Here are 10 things you can do today to get better gas mileage right away.

Follow the Recommended Maintenance
A vehicle that is well maintained means it will operate with greater efficiency. This not only improves your overall vehicle performance, but it will improve your fuel economy as well. Fouled spark plugs or a clogged fuel filter will affect your fuel economy. Proper maintenance also means using the right octane gas and the recommended grade of motor oil. Using the recommended types for your vehicle will give you optimum fuel economy — and can save you money as well. Check your owner's manual for your vehicle's recommendations and have maintenance performed regularly by a dealer or reputable mechanic.
Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated
Underinflated tires require more energy to roll, which translates into more frequent fill-ups. You can improve your fuel economy by about 3.3 percent if you keep your tires inflated properly, according to the DOE. The psi number noted on the sidewall of your tires is the maximum pressure of the tire and is not the proper inflation level for your car. Your vehicle manufacturer will list the recommended tire pressure in your owner's manual or a sticker on the doorjamb of the driver-side door. Buy a tire-pressure gauge and check your tires monthly, adding air as necessary.
Take a Load Off
Heavier vehicles require more energy to move, so carrying around excess weight will also affect your mileage. Empty out your trunk (or even your backseat) of unnecessary items. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk will reduce your fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent in the typical vehicle. If you have a roof rack or roof carrier, install it on your vehicle only when absolutely necessary. Not only does the carrier add extra weight, but it also increases the aerodynamic drag on the vehicle, which further contributes to a loss of fuel economy.
Don't Drive Aggressively
We're not talking road rage here, but the type of driving many people do when they are in a rush. Mashing the accelerator pedal from a stoplight, braking hard and speeding all contribute to a decrease in fuel economy. Give yourself extra time to get to your destination and think "steady and smooth" as you drive. On surface streets, driving at the speed limit will give you mostly green lights, which improves your gas mileage as well as reduces the wear on your brakes. On the highway, the DOE says that every 5 mph you drive over 65 mph represents a 7-percent decrease in fuel economy.
Use the Highest Gear Possible
Cars are designed to start in the lowest gear possible because that's where they have the most power, but that power translates to an increase in fuel consumption. To improve your fuel economy, drive in the highest gear possible when you are cruising at a steady speed, such as on the highway. If your vehicle has an automatic transmission with a "sport" mode, it's most likely that this is a computer program designed to shift later (and therefore keep you in a lower gear longer). While this gives you greater performance, driving in "sport" mode will also decrease your fuel economy.
Use Cruise Control — Selectively
Using cruise control can improve your gas mileage by helping you maintain a steady speed, but only if you are driving on mostly flat roads. If you are driving in hilly terrain, using cruise control typically causes your vehicle to speed up faster (to maintain the preset speed) than it would if you were operating the accelerator yourself. Before you push that cruise control button, think about the terrain ahead.
Think Clean
Keeping your car washed and waxed improves aerodynamics and therefore affects fuel economy. Engineer Tom Wagner, Jr. reported to Stretcher.com (as in stretching your dollars) a 7-percent improvement in fuel economy, from 15 to 16 mpg, during a 1,600-mile road trip.
Avoid Excessive Idling
When a car is idling, it is using fuel, yet not going anywhere. This translates to 0 mpg. When you leave your car running while you are waiting in line at the drive-thru, or as you wait outside your kids' school, you are wasting fuel. It is more efficient to turn the engine off while you wait and then restart the car. If that's not practical (like in the line at McDonald's), then park the car and go inside instead.
Think Before You Vent(ilate)
Running your air conditioner does cause your vehicle to consume more fuel, but driving with your windows rolled down can be even worse due to the increase of drag on the vehicle. If you are driving slowly, such as around town or in city traffic, then you are better off leaving your windows open, if at all possible. For highway driving, roll up the windows and turn the air conditioning on.
Combine Your Errands
A little planning can make a big difference in fuel economy. When your engine is cold, it uses more fuel than when it is warm. Combining errands can improve your gas mileage because your engine will be warm for more of the trip. It might also mean you travel less total miles. According to the DOE, several short trips all begun with a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a single, longer trip that covers the same distance.

Kia Forte Design by Peter Schreyer

2009-12-24T09:00:00.002+08:00

Many compare Kia Forte and Honda Civic's (8th generation) design. To be frank, with one look both does look similar. But a closer look at Kia Forte's design, you will find that Kia Forte's curves are refine and subtle, very European like...

The clean lines couple with the 17" wheels, leaves no complaints from many, including me. In fact, those whom shun past Kia's cars are now impressed with Kia's design. Thanks to Peter Schreyer, Design Director at Kia Motors.

A brief history of Peter Schreyer, he worked in Audi for more than 25 years and created the original Audi TT that we know today. Also worked with Volkswagen, he is the designer of VW new Beetle and Volkswagen Concept R roadster. Let's hear what the man behind the Kia Forte design have to say about the car's styling.

Kia Forte News & Awards

2009-12-23T15:17:00.003+08:00

(Last updated on 06 Jan 2010)

Awards
NADAguides.com Awards 2010 Kia Forte "Car of the Year" at the Los Angeles International Auto Show

The Straits Time Car of the Year 2009 (Family Saloon Category)

News
Kia to work with Lotus on ride and handling

Kia Forte Crash Test Videos

2009-12-23T11:00:00.001+08:00

How safe is Kia Forte? US NHTSA rate it at 5 Star.

2010 KIA Forte/Cerato NHTSA Frontal Impact

2010 KIA Forte/Cerato Sedan NCAP Side Pole Impact (New NHTSA Test)

2010 KIA Forte/Cerato NCAP Side Impact (New NHTSA Test)

Naza Kia Customer Careline I

2009-12-22T23:12:00.002+08:00

The official name for Kia Malaysia's customer service is Naza Kia Customer Careline. The hotline is 1-800-888-KIA (542).

Yesterday (Monday; 21 Dec 09), I called Customer Careline to lodge a report on the Kia Forte's headlight condensation defect. Two items which I wanted them to look into are,

Service centre do not want to write a report on the headlight condensation defect. They will write a report only if I have a photograph of the headlight condensation. Why are they reluctant to write down in the service order what I've reported?
Since this is a known defect, why aren't the mechanic informed about it. Kia should have a solution by now.

The Customer Careline personnel told me they will investigate the matter and get back to me. Lets see how will they handle this issue.

PS: After the call to Customer Careline, I posted the defect in MyForte (Facebook). One of the guys told me to read Kia Forte's manual page 7-56 "after driving in heavy rain or washing, headlight and tail light lenses could appear frosty...". Its sound like a "defect" that Kia do not want to fix or they "normalise" the "defect" to a non-issue. Now I'm beginning to wonder, which car manufacturer would inform their customer that, headlight condensation is normal and non-issue? Guys.. please do let me know if you find one coz I really would like to know.

Third Day On my Ride..

2009-12-19T18:49:00.018+08:00

Third day on my ride and I've spotted two defects on the Kia Forte.

Front Headlight with condensation. Driver side
Gear knob head loose.

I went to Cheras's Kia Service Centre. Apparently, my spicy red is the first Kia Forte to be service here. The mechanics are friendly, Gear knob head loose was fixed on the spot. On the Headlight condensation issue, they asked me to take a photograph of the condensation.

What I don't understand is.. Kia Forte headlight condensation issue is a known Kia Forte issue/defect. Why do I need to take a photograph of the condensation for proof! I'm planning to call Customer Service on Monday for explanation..

On top of that, the mechanics are pretty clueless of the headlight condensation issue/defect. This has been highlighted by journalist during their test drive from Penang to KL on November 2009.

Purchasing A Kia Forte

2009-12-19T14:48:00.015+08:00

Kia Forte was officially launch at Pavilion on 25 Nov 2009 (Wednesday). I went on the same date (after the official ceremony; gotta work to earn a leaving..) to view the car. Was on display, are 1.6 SX Clear White and 2.0 SX Spicy Red. The sales representative spent a good 30mins with me, explaining and showing me the car's equipment/features.

The next day, I called up Naza Kia Customer Care hotline to inquire for the nearest Naza Kia Showroom in Cheras. Call up the Cheras showroom, spoke to sales representative X and made test drive booking on 27 Nov 2009 (Friday), 4 - 5 pm.
On 27 Nov 2009, my wife and I reach the showroom at about 4pm, for test drive. Was annoyed when X told us that test drive is not available today, its a public holiday and insurance companies do not provide coverage during public holidays. Why wasn't I told when I called? X reasoning was simple, there was a miscommunication, X understood that we were arriving on 26 Nov 2009 (Thursday), 4 -5 pm. Well what can I say.. we then booked another test drive date, 28 Nov 2009 (Saturday), 9.30am.

On 28 Nov 2009, we arrived early at about 9.20am. Showroom is open, but X is not around, neither his colleagues or I was able to contact X through his mobile. His colleagues was not keen to allow us for a test drive, stating that we should wait for X. After waiting for 20mins, I told X's colleague about our situation, he reluctantly assist us for a test drive on a Forte 1.6 SX and told me to 'deal' (work out the car purchase if interested) with X. My wife, and baby Jason was on the back seat while I took the wheel (sales representative sat at the front passenger seat).

During first gear acceleration, the power to move the car was adequate (3 adults, 1 baby). I immediately notice that gear change is smooth (but not silky smooth). Not to mentioned car handling is pretty good, good feedback from the steering (but not excellent, its not a Ford Focus). Interior build quality is good. My wife commented that, the back passenger seat is comfortable. Rear window is narrow, not really issue with us.

After the test drive, we head back home. My wife and I discussed about the car at home and we decided to purchase it. Few things that captured our hearts were, (1) Easy on the eye exterior design, with a little taste of sportiness, (2) Good Handling, (4) 5 star NHTSA rated safety (only applicable to Kia Forte with 6 airbags; 1.6SX only 2 airbags), (3) Interior Build is good, and (5) C-segment car priced at B-segment car price range.

Gave a call to X, and the first thing he did was to apologise to us, on his 'nonappearance' during the test drive time allocated, he had an emergency to attend too. X and I discussed about the purchase, and on the same day, my wife and I went down to the showroom to put down the booking fees and provide the necessary documents to X.

Here is a short summary of our purchase.

Purchase At	Taman Maluri
Car Model	1.6 SX, Spicy Red
Booked	28 Nov 2009
Loan Approved	1 Dec 2009
Downpayment	2 Dec 2009
Car Delivered	17 Dec 2009

Despite of the miscommunication and setbacks, we find that X (sales representative) is a friendly and honest salesman. We're pretty comfortable recommending anyone to Taman Maluri showroom to buy a Kia Forte.

At Last A Replacement..

2009-12-18T14:28:00.001+08:00

At last.. a replacement for our old age 17 years Proton Saga! We (my wife and I) started our 'hunt' about 3 years ago. What! 3 years! Yes, we never found a car that is 'worth' buying. Cars that we love are usually beyond our budget, those within our range are pretty much lifeless cars.

Buying a car with passion is a 'SIN' in Malaysia. Prices of car is so high that, many put priority in car's re-sale value over Ride & Handling, Safety and Comfort. For the benefit of non-Malaysians, car tax is as high as 70% - 110%, exception for Proton and Perodua. Mind you, our income per capita is estimated about USD8,000, roughly translate to about average earning of RM2,000 - RM2,500 per month for an average Malaysians working in Malaysia.

Lowest priced car would be the Perodua Viva (A-segment), priced at about RM25,000, its a basic car without basic safety features such as ABS, Airbag, car alarm/security or central locking system (I bet it doesn't even come with safety belt pretensioner). It is not even equip with an Audio system and power window. To some, this is shocking! Yes, this is my country, Malaysia.

Lets go to the main dish. After all the test drive cars ranging from Peugeot, Toyota, Ford, etc. We've finally decided to buy the car that we love, "affordable" packed with the statement "Value for Money". Kia Forte 1.6SX, Spicy Red. The price is a hefty RM81,800 (on the road price; OTR).

The objective/purpose of this blog is to provide information about the car, especially to Malaysians. Hope the information will be useful for both current and future Kia Forte car owners.