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DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Keara At SouthSide Works

"She's a lot like me. She is cute, energetic and a lot of fun."

The Ride
The Driver: Keara
Car in Question: White 2010 Kia Forte
Spotted at: SouthSide Works, South 27th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Odometer: 4,823
Car's Nickname: Lola

THE DEFENSE

Q: Great Kia! How long have you had her?

A: Since March this year. I had a 1997 Chevy Cavalier. It was pretty old and beat up. I do a lot of traveling between Pittsburgh and Ohio, so I needed something newer and more dependable.

Q: Where do you travel in Ohio and why?

A: That's where I'm from. I live in Pittsburgh, but I'm originally from Martins Ferry. My family is there. It's about an hour and a half drive from here.

Q: How long have you lived in Pittsburgh?

A: A little over a year.

Q: Ah, you're still pretty new to the area. So is driving in Pittsburgh a lot different than driving in Martins Ferry?

A: Oh yeah. There are a lot of country roads in Martins Ferry. The only time I ever had to get on the highway was when I went to the mall. There are a lot more city roads here, a lot more traffic and a lot more construction. There are train stops and one way streets that go one way here and then on the way there. We don't have all that in Martins Ferry.

Q: Does your car have a name or nickname?

A: Lola. She looks like a Lola.

Q: Are there any rules in Lola?

A: I quit smoking, so I'd rather people not smoke in the car. It doesn't bother me too bad if they do, but I'd prefer they didn't. I finally got the cigarette smell out of the car. I don't really want the car to smell like smoke anymore. But that's not gonna work with my boyfriend. He still smokes in it all the time.

Q: Awesome. So I noticed that you have a sunroof. Do you drive with it open a lot?

A: Yeah. It's my favorite. When I got the car, there was another vehicle I could have chosen that was a little cheaper because it didn't have a sunroof. But I picked this one because I really liked the sunroof. My first car was a 1987 Honda Accord, the kind with the flip-up headlights. It had a sunroof that decided it wanted to rain on me. It was a power one, but it leaked. This one hasn't rained on me, and I'm hoping it doesn't.

Q: That makes sense. So finally, tell us what initially attracted you to the Kia Forte.

A: When I was at the Kia dealership, they showed me a lot of different cars. Then they showed me the Forte and told me to take it for a test drive. I came back from the test drive and said, "I like it." Then I test drove a couple other cars, but I liked the Kia better. I went around from place to place looking at different makes. The Kia was the first one that I test drove. After that, I test drove the Chevy Cruise, and it was similar but I felt like the Kia had just a little bit more room. I ended up eliminating one after another and kept going back to the Kia, so I figured it must be the right car for me.

Photos and interview by Sarah Beth Martin

View previous Defend Your Ride features as well as other great stories for people who love cars at CBSPittsburgh.com/Autos



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