Hawkinson Kia Takes Chicago Land by Storm!

Hawkinson Kia in the Matteson Auto Mall is Chicago Land's GIANT Kia dealership! Kia owners can get FREE oil & filer changes for life. Call 708-720-8970 to set up your appointment.

10Best Test Notes: 2010 Kia Forte / Kia Forte Koup – Cheaper Can be Better

September 29, 2009 at 5:55 pm by Mark Gillies - Car and Driver

We are sampling three flavors of Kia Forte on our 10Best evaluation: EX sedan, SX sedan, and SX Koup (that’s coupe in English rather than marketing speak). And we discovered that the nicest of the three in many ways is the base EX, which has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 156 horsepower, shy of the SX’s 173 hp from a 2.4-liter four.

Sure, the EX was saddled with a four-speed automatic transmission, whereas the SX had a slick five speeder, but it was just a sweeter all-around package. The SX runs on bigger 17-inch wheels and tires and has a standard sport suspension, to the detriment of the ride quality. By contrast, the EX has a pleasing ride and yet corners neatly, with good steering and a nicely fluid chassis. Actually, if Kia had sent us an EX with a manual transmission, the car would have earned more points, because the four-speed auto sucks the life out of its straightline performance.
Still, the Forte is a contender in its class, and should have Toyota looking seriously at the next iteration of the Corolla, which is dull and suffers from a cheap-looking interior by comparison. I recently drove a Hyundai i30 in Europe—a renter—and that car impressed, too, a much better all around vehicle than a Toyota Yaris.

Test drive the Kia Forte and Kia Forte Koup at Hawkinson Kia in the Matteson Auto Mall or,
visit http://www.hawkinsonkia.com

10 Best Test Notes: 2010 Kia Soul

September 30, 2009 at 7:15 pm by Erik Johnson - Car and Driver

Jumping into the funky Kia Soul, I was first struck by how incredibly red everything was. (One editor said it was like someone had sat in the front seat, closed their eyes, and told the interior designers, “everything I touch should be red.” And then had a seizure.) But once I was past the color, I realized how incredibly well-executed the cabin is. It’s a great example of hard plastics done right. There are lots of varied textures and shapes, and the result is an interior that doesn’t feel cheap despite the dearth of softer materials. Rap on the dashboard or center console and you hear and feel a solidity, too, not the hollowness associated with most vehicles in this price range.

It would be too easy to dismiss the Soul as more marketing than anything—every boxy car since the first Scion xB has been hyped as the choice for people who are so damn awesome that it physically hurts; of course, most boxes are bought by really, really old people—but this Kia is genuinely good. Beyond the cabin, I also was impressed with its manners on our driving loop. The brakes offer good feel, the steering was accurate, and body roll is pretty minimal considering the high center of gravity. My biggest complaint: the boomy resonance and harsh buzziness in the engine compartment when you near redline. Otherwise, I dig.

Test drive the new Kia Soul at Hawkinson Kia in the Matteson Auto Mall or,
visit them at http://www.hawkinsonkia.com

KIA IS BACK IN THE MATTESON AUTO MALL!

Hawkinson Kia is now open in the Matteson Auto Mall on Rt 30 and I-57.
Here is Hawkinson Kia's first Cable Tv spot for Matteson and surrounding
South Chicago land suburbs. If you don't know how to get to the Matteson Auto mall, click on Hawkinson Kia's spot below!