TAKE a good look at this stunner because you won't get to see it on British roads until next year.

I got a sneak preview of the new Kia Magentis at one of the firm's top secret test facilities near Seoul, South Korea.

The all-new saloon may not even be called the Magentis by the time it reaches our shores but the K7 as it is codenamed is aiming to challenge the Ford Mondeo and the Vauxhall Insignia.

It certainly looks the part and the newcomer represents a huge leap forward for the company.

It has bags of style and presence and is easily a match for anything the European manufacturers offer.

As you can see it has a coupe-style roofline, sleek headlights and a nice tail.

It is larger than the current car and because of other design changes it offers plenty of space inside for five adults.

There is plenty of head and legroom prices are liable to start at about £15,500 and rise to about £21,000 for a flagship model.

Kia will continue to trouble its rivals by offering more equipment as standard.

The finish inside is impressive and the kit in the car I was shown included sat-nav.

I was only able to drive the US-bound 2.4-litre petrol model with automatic transmission which will not be offered in the UK.

It really impressed, but UK buyers will get to select from a choice of a 2.0-litre diesel engine or a 1.7-litre diesel.

Both can be mated to six-speed manual boxes or the six-speed automatic in the test car. Kia are also working on a petrol-electric hybrid which will follow after the original launch.

CO2 emission and economy figures are still being kept secret but you can expect them to be competitive.

Engineers confidently told us that the car we drove would be improved dynamically for UK roads and that is more good news.

The American market car offered excellent control and plenty of steering feedback so the new Magentis has real potential.

Make no mistake, customers will be attracted to this car for its looks alone and its twin exhausts and great-looking tail-lights make the rear view every bit as good as its front or profile.

The new car will also come with Kia's seven-year warranty, making it even better value for money.

When asked if the warranty costs the company a lot of money, Kia officials were quick to point out that its products are very reliable making the warranty costs worthwhile as a great  marketing tool. 

They added that in the USA they were already offering 10-year warranties.

The newcomer certainly seems to deliver the goods and when it goes on sale early next year it will be a real alternative to mainstream rivals.