KIA has become one of the greatest success stories of the last decade thanks to a combination of value for money and the sort of quality that is more normally associated with upmarket brands such as Volkswagen or Volvo.
Such is the Korean company's faith in the quality, reliability and durability of its products that it is unique in offering the reassurance of a seven-year warranty.
This can be transferred to subsequent owners during its life-time, which makes the cars much sought-after on the second-hand market and safeguards residual values as a result.
Star of the Kia line-up is the five-door cee'd hatchback and its three-door equivalent, the pro_cee'd plus cee'd SW estate versions.
These are models in the compact class to rival the Focus and Astra but are more exclusive and are extremely well equipped for the money.
The cee'd is a roomy five-person hatchback with the benefit of folding rear seats that enlarge the already-generous cargo area to a cavernous 1300 litres, which is greater than that of the Focus.
There is an enviable maximum five-star safety rating plus half a dozen air bags at the front, sides and at head height on all models.
Air conditioning, CD player and electric operation of the front windows are standard throughout and all models come with the option of metallic paint whilst automatic transmission is available on 1.6-litre petrol models.
Prices start at £10,995 for the 1.4-litre pro_cee'd, rising to £15,475 for the 2.0-litre CRDi Sport model which boasts 50mpg economy and a top speed of almost 130mph.
A greater compromise between economy and performance comes in the guise of the 1.6 CRDi, which achieves economy of 59mpg with a top speed nudging 120mph.
Also included in the Kia line-up is the Rio hatchback, which is a five-door model offer five-seat accommodation with prices starting at just £6,995 for the 1.4-litre petrol model rising to £9,995 for the 120mph 1.6-litre Sport.
This model comes equipped with alloy wheels, air conditioning, front, side and curtain air bags, four electric windows and a CD player, as does the 1.4 model with 3-level trim at just £9,015.
Even less expensive is the Picanto hatchback, which comes in a choice of three and five door versions costing from just £5,995 for the one-litre model, which achieves economy of 58mpg and has CO2 emissions of just 117g/km.
The 1.1-litre model is the ideal city car with its optional automatic transmission and various levels of trim that result in a car with 50mpg economy and a possible combination of metallic paint, alloy wheels, air conditioning, four electric windows and a CD sound system.