Hyundai and Kia have not always had it easy with some of their Theta engines, spending years dealing with the consequences of buggy, older Theta II engines. But they certainly seem to be on the right track with the Theta III, and this engine is getting great reviews in a range of products, from the Kia K5 GT to the Hyundai Santa Fe. It features an interesting combination of a thick torque curve, dual fuel injection, and good economy. And crucially, the strongest mainstream application of this engine costs about the same as some lower-powered, more established enthusiast cars.