Everyone loves the uppity underdog, the cheeky upstart who dares to take on the establishment and challenge the status quo. Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor, reports.
The Japanese did it decades ago, rising from a point of ridicule to be now firmly ensconced in the top tiers, largely on the basis of their reputation for reliability.
Now another Asian manufacturer is making its way to the top. In the boardrooms of GM and Ford, where they are busy fighting off the Japanese brands like Toyota, someone has undoubtedly muttered the phrase: "Oh, God, now the Koreans are coming".
Admittedly not all three Korean brands have had the same success to date, and GM has managed to get its own foothold in the peninsula by taking over the troubled Daewoo brand. However, no such troubles seem to beset Hyundai as it moves to fulfil its intentions of taking a top-five position.
Part of this strategy is to use the Hyundai brand as the mainstream family marque, while Kia is supposedly "young and trendy". It's an image that fits with the cars such as the Picanto supermini, with its funky front grille and impish nature.
But does it really work with the Cerato, Kia's mid-range family car, now entering the largest segment of the Irish market and up against best-sellers such as the Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla?
Yes and no.
This is Kia's first real foray into the segment. The Cerato model range replaces the Shuma II and the New Mentor, both stultifyingly boring cars which did more harm than good to Korea's reputation. It comes in two formats: a retro-looking hatchback that bears certain comparisons with European counterparts on the outside, and a saloon that bears every resemblance to a host of other Korean cars, for good or ill.
The problem with the Cerato saloon is that it looks too much like the Hyundai Accent and Elantra, neither of which would win awards for catchy design. Even with its rear spoiler, the saloon is arguably too family-orientated to be anything other than judged as a functional bargain buy.
Alternatively the hatchback, which costs an extra €500, is more in keeping with the new image being espoused by the brand. The rear resembles the likes of the Mazda3 and the new Opel Astra.
Inside, the finish also bears a striking resemblance to regular Korean fare rather than something "trendy and youthful". The plastics are solid but hardly eyecatching, while the seats seem to be of a harder sponge than you would find on a European model - it's firm to the point of benchlike.
However, it does have ample room for three teenagers in the back and can accommodate two adults without any squashing.
There are the requisite 12v power points littering the car as well. Seemingly, when Koreans travel to work, they must bring mobile fridges, microwaves and a dozen laptops.
These power points are scattered in some of the strangest places in the car. They don't do any harm - in fact they are a bonus - but you do have to wonder.
The decision to fit a JVC stereo system as standard should have hundreds of owners pulling their hair out in frustration - or turning to a single station and leaving it at that, so infuriatingly fiddly are the buttons and controls.
Driving the Cerato, there's ample power from the 1.6-litre engine. Its official 0-62mph time of 11 seconds symbolises a car that has the necessary puff to get you around without ever feeling like you've been caught short. Plans include a 1.5-litre diesel due here in November. However, there is no criticising the petrol model - it can hold its own in terms of fuel consumption.
On the road the Cerato handles itself competently, though the front- and rear-suspension settings seem at odds with each other when put to the test in corners. The lack of a stability system even as an option puts it at odds with its, admittedly more expensive, competitors.
Yet the ride is supple and comfortable at all times. It's easy to imagine a family quite content to head off on long-distance sojourns without complaint.
Boot space is 345 litres in the saloon, with the chance to fold the back seats down in a 60:40 split.
The Cerato is smaller than several of its competitors, such as the Daewoo Nubira, Suzuki Liana and the Ford Focus, all of which have over 400 litres on offer in their saloon guises.
So, back to the question at hand: is this car in keeping with the new youthful image planned for the brand?
That depends on which version you choose. It's too reminiscent of its Hyundai counterparts to represent a real difference between the brands - and it doesn't have the same retro styling of the likes of the Picanto.
Pricing is competitive and the overall package is competent - the engine worthy of note. But it probably won't set the target 'trendy' pulses racing.