Outsider view: Koreans catch up

In the strangely named cee'd, Kia have come up with a car that virtually sells itself and is the envy of many other manufacturers. Apart from providing superb value for money, the Koreans can now justifiably claim to be offering attractive design and state -of-the-art technology. Likewise, the choice of materials and the finishing no longer permit much scope for criticism. In addition, purchasers concerned about reliability will be reassured by the generous seven-year guarantee. The Koreans have now also come up with a delightful van, the new Venga, which has the potential to continue the Kia success story in Europe. Not only the local opposition but also those other Asians in Japan have good cause to be worried. The price of the Venga is, however, still to be announced.