But Kia is now owned by Hyundai and shares many of its platforms and mechanical components. What's more, it has a design department that's clearly been trained in the right schools. So I'm not surprised to see the new Kia Rio5 being praised by the media.

Motor Trend magazine selected it as a finalist for the Car of the Year Awards and now the folks at Edmunds.com have tested the Rio5 and they, too, had nothing but good words to say. (And for once, an Edmunds test is not overburdened with long-winded prose.) I've not driven the new Rio yet but I've tested the 2006 Hyundai Accent for About Cars and was much impressed. As the Rio5 uses the same platform and engine but features more attractive styling and me being a sucker for a pretty face, no doubt I'll join the long line of admirers when I do test one.