Faults:

Exhaust (front pipe and back box). Normal wear and tear problem, but expensive compared to other vehicles.

Leaking wheel cylinder (again, normal wear)

General Comments:

The 1.3 unit is not the most refined, but as it is old trusted Mazda technology, it has proved it's reliability.

Cabin space is surprisingly generous for a supermini this size, but don't expect to stretch out in the back.

Trim is basic, but functional.

Handling is reasonable for the class of car. Very nippy around town and extremely easy parking.

Not a great distance vehicle. Runs out of steam at higher speeds, making overtaking a chore. Also noisy at speed.

Reliability is second-to-none. Which is a good thing, as when parts do need replacing, they can be on the pricey side.

Fuel economy is above average - very cheap to run.

Looks are nothing to be ashamed of - it's not an ugly car, just nothing outstanding to look at (it's an old Mazda 121).

Faults:

I'm on my third set of discs!!! They seem to have warped due to the relatively low annual mileage we do. Or so the dealer says!

Heater controls don't produce hot air in the two extreme left positions - or so the dealer says!

General Comments:

Other than the above, it's a bit spongy, if driving hard (ish) it's great. And that's from someone who drives a new Renault Espace and the previous car before for the wife was a Lancia Delta Turbo - a truely flying machine if a bit rusty at the end.

Faults:

Not a lot. Clutch, brake pads and exhaust (pretty run of the mill stuff), apart from that it's been a sound car. A wee darling in some respects, but if you want to drive a stallion, don't buy a Kia.

General Comments:

For a 1.3 engine, it does not have a lot of oomph and feels more like a 1.0, but getting around town is not a problem. If I were to take it on the open road, I would feel like I was driving a dodgem on a rollercoaster, but this is a fairly typical comment from drivers of most small cars.

My husband claims that he got it up to 95, but there must have been a wind behind him on a downward gradient or else he was talking crap!

Faults:

Various normal things, brake pads, tyres, pipes rusted.. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Worst thing being that the battery went and I had to buy a new one!

General Comments:

Beautiful car, pretty reliable, reasonably easy to get parts for if you have a Kia dealer close by, but 90% of Mazda parts will fit as it is a rebadged Mazda!

Definitely worth a buy considering I'm still using it now after all this time and it just got through the MOT yesterday with only 3 fails (number plate light out, revs at idle too fast and the exhaust emmisions are too high). To fix those it cost quite a lot less than my Vauxhall Nova which is 6 years newer than the Kia!

Faults:

Apart from when I left the light on in Luton Airport car park, it only ever refused to start once, in the biggest downpour I ever saw. The AA man came along and thumped the solenoid with a crowbar and said it would have worked again after it had warmed up. My Dad has kept it meticulous, replacing bits like brake pads and alternator belt.

General Comments:

I was soooo lucky to get this car. No rust anywhere, and still capable of dashing from one end of the country to the other without complaint. No frills, but no trouble either. Very economical, very reliable. Very green, but hey. And I like the white wall tyres. For two of us, it's perfect - I can get three grown ups in the back and their luggage in the boot. If you want a cheap starter car, you can't go far wrong with the Kia Pride.