- Fuel-efficient engines
- Spacious interior
- Engine performance only adequate
- Poor dynamics
- Seats lack support
- Low quality of interior fit and finish
Review: Kia S1 Mentor (1996-98)
Overview
Released in December 1996, the Kia S1 Mentor was small, five-door hatchback. Manufactured in Hwasung, South Korea, the front-wheel drive Mentor was powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that was mated to either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. Furthermore, the Mentor range consisted of two variants: the SLX and GLX.
Engine
The Mazda-sourced 1.5-litre B5-ME petrol engine had a cast iron block, a single overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder and a compression ratio of 9.3:1.
Dimensions
The Kia Mentor hatchback was 4253 mm long, 1692 mm wide, 1390 mm tall and had a 2500 mm long wheelbase.
Suspension
The Mentor had MacPherson strut front suspension and dual lateral link rear suspension.
| Variant | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLX, GLX |
1.5-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man. |
59 kW at 5500 rpm | 120 Nm at 2500 rpm |
Features: Mentor SLX and GLX
Standard features for the entry-level Mentor SLX were limited to a two speaker sound system with a radio and cassette player.
The Mentor GLX was further equipped with 14-inch alloy wheels, a four speaker sound system, central locking, power windows and mirrors, a height adjustable driver’s seat and power steering.
Review: Kia S2 Mentor and Shuma (1998-01)
Overview
Released in May 1998, the Kia S2 Mentor was available as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback. There was also a choice of 1.5- or 1.8-litre four-cylinder engines, mated to a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission, and two variants were initially offered: SLX and GLX. Compared to the 1.5-litre B-Series engine, the Mazda-sourced 1.8-litre ‘BP’ engine was distinguished by its double overhead camshafts and higher compression ratio (9.5:1 compared to 9.3:1).
In 2000, the ‘Shuma’ moniker was applied to Mentor hatchbacks, though the Shuma was available as a distinct model until April 2000.
| Model | Body | Variant | Years | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mentor | 4dr sedan | SLX, GLX |
1998-99 | 1.5-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man | 65 kW at 5000 rpm | 135 Nm at 4000 rpm |
| 5dr hatch | SLX, GLX |
1998-99 | 1.5-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man | 65 kW at 5000 rpm | 135 Nm at 4000 rpm | |
| 1998-00 | 1.8-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man. |
82 kW at 5000 rpm | 152 Nm at 4500 rpm | |||
| Shuma | 5dr hatch | N/A | 2000-01 | 1.8-litre petrol I4 | 4sp auto, 5sp man. |
82 kW at 5000 rpm | 152 Nm at 4500 rpm |
| FX | 2000 |
Features: Mentor
Standard features for the Mentor SLX included a two speaker sound system with radio and cassette player, air conditioning and power steering. Beyond this, the GLX added a six speaker sound system, tilt adjustable steering wheel, central locking, power windows and power mirrors.
Features: Shuma
The Shuma was similarly equipped to the Mentor SLX but added a driver’s airbag. To coincide with the renaming, Limited Editions of the Shuma and short-lived Shuma FX were also released; compared to the standard Shuma, the Limited Edition added 14-inch alloy wheels and a CD player. The Shuma FX Limited Edition was further equipped with a six speaker sound system, remote central locking, power windows and power mirrors.
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