Forza Motorsport 5

Kia

With its headquarters in Seoul, Kia is Korea’s oldest car company and its second largest automobile manufacturer, selling 1.6 million cars worldwide in 2009. Though focused primarily on the European market, Kia opened its first U.S. assembly plant in Georgia in 2010 and has increased its U.S. market share every year for the last 15 years. Determined to improve a perception of their automotive design, in 2006 Kia hired award-winning Peter Schreyer as Chief Design Officer. Schreyer, who had previously designed the Audi TT, a very stylish two-door sports car, set out to create a recognizable “face” for the brand, so that consumers would recognize a vehicle as a Kia immediately. The result of Schreyer’s redesign was a new three-dimensional signature grill known as the “Tiger Nose,” which was built across all models. The high-visibility grill, which gives Kias a more sharp and assertive look, was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007.

2011 Kia Cee'd

It takes moxie to toss the keys of a car like the Kia cee’d to a world-famous celebrity like Tom Cruise or Simon Pegg and ask them to knock out a couple of hot laps around an old airfield. That’s exactly what the BBC’s hit automotive show TopGear has in mind when they put a “Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car,” and for Season 15 and 16 the Kia cee’d is that car. While the cee’d’s 1.6-liter engine can only muster 123 horespower, handling is on par with some of the top-notch European hatchback competition. In fact, the cee’d was designed and built in Europe, tuned to Continental sensibilities for taut cornering and zippy around-town dynamics. Hop in the cee’d and test your luck on Forza’s TopGear test track against the likes of Jeff Goldblum and Cameron Diaz, or simply against your next-door neighbor.