Kia Optima ?!
 

Kia.... I know, right? This car looks really good, plus DI, turbo, Hybrid, etc.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/01/2011-ki...rk-2010-reveal/

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog....maext01opt.jpg

This is basically the other Sonata, since they share platforms.

not feeling the wheels, but it looks to be a great car!

Nice, ugly wheels. Needs ce28s/rpf1s.

The wheels remind me of VWs.

thats a good looking car

As everyone has said, ugly wheels, but looks very nice otherwise

looks really nice

Not overly excited about that front grille, but as a whole its quite a step forward from the prior generation.

Also, why not bring the hood all the way down to the grille? That hood line is distracting.

so if this thing is everything the sonata is...what's the difference? i'm assuming Kia is cheaper?

The two cars share powertrains, but nothing else. The Kias have the Microsoft OS similar to Ford's Sync, which is a huge selling point imo. Kia seems to be for "younger" folk, imo.

looks sharp

honda should take some notes as far as power train options are concerned - big bore/FI/Hybrid

maybe i missed it, whats the price point of this vehicle?

it comes with a turbo version too!! now i want one as a daily :thumbup: :thumbup: good job kia!

[QUOTE=Saki GT,Apr 1 2010, 11:05 AM] Kia.... I know, right?

If you don't want the Sonata look but the drivetrain... the Optima delivers.

I actually think the wheels look good with the car.

Keith, the hood line is VERY distracting now that you mention it.

Schreyer's on a ROLL --- hows it feel, Audi?! :D :thumbup:

Not a fan of the wheels, but it looks sharp

Looks sweet.

Korea is actually doing alot better

Daaaang.
I'd take this over and MS3, not cuz itll outperform it, but because I prefer a sedan. Looks real sharp, kinda would like to see them drop this motor into the gen coupe and bump up the V6 especially with the new stang coming out.
Rims suck, grille is weird but I applaud them for taking some risks because overall it;s a great looking car.

Some of it looks good but notice they never show a side profile. The side profile looks a lot less clean with the weird kink in the C-pillar and some odd cut lines.

Still, it's 1000% better than the current Optima. Definitely a huge improvement and definitely a nice-looking car at most angles. :thumbup:

The rear three quarters reminds me of the Lexus IS series. The front three quarters reminds me of the new VW design studies for the Jetta/Bora replacement. Overall, looks nice...

Car looks great from the side - its like a large Hoffmeister kink.

I like it.

Looks hot :thumbup:

It looks good, follows Kia's new grill design like the forte and sorento.

wow. nice

Well I just had to bring this thread back!!!

So many people say Honda is going to always do great because they have such incredible re-sale value, and how that happens to be so very important to so many people. Well, I have a new flash for them....



Say what you want negatively about Consumer Reports, but the fact is, they sway LOTS of people in their purchasing decision.
With Kia now beating out Honda the perceived value will continue to change, and as that continues to change so with re-sale values.
So many people seem to think Honda is the great untouchable, well they are not, and it looks to me like Kia/Hyundai has Honda squarely set in their sights.

CONGRATS KIA!!!

It was a one point win and they tested the weakest Accord possible (it does tick me off that Honda doesn't just put the 200hp 2.4L motor as standard in their vehicles!). The Kia was cheaper so perhaps they were trying to maintain price parity. They're also comparing a brand new design to a four year design, so some "overlap" is expected.

Regardless, Kia is doing amazingly well. They look great, they're generally less expensive than the competition and they have some dynamic new products. Time will tell how they hold up. Don't forget that if you're not keeping the car for ten years, the warranty goes away to a standard 5/60K when you sell it and resale WILL suffer accordingly. Most people don't keep a car for ten years and most people drive more than 10K miles a year if it's their primary vehicle, too...

I drove one a few weeks ago, after seeing one at the Dallas Auto Show. It was the 274hp SX version with the six-speed auto.
Excellent looks inside and out, excellent interior materials and layout, excellent features, excellent EPA estimated 22/34, and excellent price.
With 3385 lbs and 274 hp that's 12.3 lbs per hp, nearly the same power to weight ratio (on paper) as an AP2 (2864/237 = 12.1.)
But it felt NOWHERE near as fast as and S2000. Possibly an overrated engine? I dunno, but was quite disappointed.
Oh, and it had typical un-fun FWD handling. A candidate for my 80-90 mile daily commute, but it just doesn't speak to me.

Your great, can do no wrong Honda, is going downhill
Grasp at all the rationalizing you want, it does not change the facts
The writing is on the wall, the Honda play it safe, take no risks policy is biting them in the asss

:roflmao:
You comparing a drop top sportscar to a large 4-door sedan, like they were supposed to be equal or something

I think it looks better/sportier than the sonata. A 6 speed manual would definitely get me to test drive it.

Ah yes. The sky is falling. Perhaps you should change your nickname to "Triple-Chicken-Little"...

Have you even DRIVEN any of these cars that you're such a fan of to make a personal determination of what is and is not that great? At least I'm honest enough to say what I have and have no driven or sat in... I have a feeling you haven't even seen the new Civic in person, sat in a new Focus or even popped the trunk of a new Elantra.

Honda sucks.

Car Talk's Motto.

What does a car's roof style and door count have to do with it's power-to-weight rating and perceived acceleration rate. Nothing, IMO. I used the AP2 simply because this is an S2000 site and most users are familiar with them. If it helps you, I'll mention that the Optima felt drastcally slower than the IS350 we drove, and only marginally faster, if at all, than the IS250 we drove, which barely has more than 200 hp IIRC. And in case you now start complaining that I'm comparing vehicles with very different price points - so what? I'm simply saying that a car with 274 hp and 3380 lbs should feel a lot faster than the Optima does, regardless of whether it costs $10k, $30k, $100k or whatever, has two, four or twenty doors, etc.

:roflmao:

I took this pic with my crappy phone, therefore, logic would have it, I have been kind of close to it...

https://i1106.photobucket.com/albums...g?t=1305132298


One of the saddest design executions I have ever seen lies inside that orange circle, it's like the dash was designed in one country, the door in another, and when they came together there was not only no integration, but no desire for them to look integrated. Sad!

But one is normally aspired 2.5L and one is 2.0L Turbo. Turbo lag is common. So gutless until you floor the sucker. Unless you compare the Lancer Ralliart with the Hyundai/Kia turbo, there are difference.

That does not change the fact that I still find it funny you are comparing the FEELING of a sportscar to a large 4-door sedan.

*shrug* Perfectly valid to compare the feeling of acceleration, IMO. Still, I'd like to see instrmented 0-60 and quarter mile tests of the Optima SX, see if it really is closer to the IS250 than IS350...

It can't be as slow as a 250. That engine in the 250 is really pathetic

Comparing cars back to back is the best way to shop. Easy to cross options off your list if it does not meet your expectations.

We cross-shopped dozens of sedans and bought a Sonata turbo. It is fast enough to satisfy our needs, good to drive, big with lots of features, gets good mileage, and was a relative bargain. Had it four months so far and am impressed every time I use it. It is not perfect but we are very happy with the choice.

Sonata turbo owners that have real timing slips show 14.5 quarters (launches without TC vary) so acceleration is not bad. WOT from 50 to 100+ is impressive and top speed is ~150. Max torque from 1700 to 4000 so driving with the 6speed auto is responsive.

You have to speed some time driving these cars to really know what it right for you.

If I was shopping for a family sedan, I don't think I'd hold them to the same standards of an S2000, or say, Pagani Zonda.

Commuter sedans we drove, all within about a week's time:
Lexus IS250 and IS350
Audi A4
BMW 328i
VW CC and GTI
Volvo S60 T6
Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
Acura TSX and TL
Subaru Legacy
Kia Optima SX

Did not drive Accord, Camry, Infiniti, Mazdas, domestics, etc.

We liked the Lancer the best - it's the sportiest of them all, after all. But the mpgs killed it as a consideration, given my commute. The Kia was impressive for what you get for the money - I'd get it over the IS250, VW CC, Acuras, Legacy, even the 328i. The others - well, they're materially better in various ways, but also often more expensive.

I still think of the Kia as a great car if you're not using fun-to-drive as a significant factor - which it is for us.