I’m being asked the same question over and over this week: “Hey, what’s the white car you’re driving?” And when I answer that it’s Kia’s new Optima mid-size sedan, a couple have responded: “Wow, it’s really beautiful. Too bad it’s a Kia”. What?
I ask them why they dismiss the new 2011 KIA Optima so quickly, and one person notably said “Well, you know, Kia doesn’t make reliable cars; my uncle had a Sephia a few years ago and it was a total piece of doggie-doo”.
It seems as though Kia still has a ways to go to change the public’s perception of the quality of their cars.
Come on. The Optima isn’t the first vehicle that represents the Korean company’s turnaround; the Forte, the Rondo, the new Sportage and the new Sorento have all impressed us with their quality, drive and bang for the buck. This new Optima, though, might just be Kia’s ticket for reaching the big leagues.
The stunning bodywork strikes a balance between elegance and sportiness, and should please both the younger and older crowds shopping for a mid-size sedan. The elegant Hyundai Sonata might please older buyers but not the younger ones, while the Suzuki Kizashi’s sexy shape might lure people my age, but is too daring for baby boomers. The Optima positions itself comfortably between the two.
And spiffed out in SX trim with its flat-faced 18-inch alloys, sportier grille, xenon headlights, LED taillamps, lower-body aero add-ons and subtle trunklid spoiler, this particular Optima draws an extra dose of attention everywhere we go with it.
The good impression lives on as you sit down in the cabin and notice the stitched leatherette trim on the instrument panel, the quality feel of the switchgear and the tasteful layout.
Kia didn’t skimp on equipment either, as the SX includes an intelligent key system, a trip computer with colour LCD screen, a 530-watt Infinity sound system with USB port, a navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity, cooled front seats, sporty cloth and leather upholstery, heated rear seats, rearview camera, panoramic sunroof, and the list goes on.
Curiously, the Optima offers class-leading legroom up front, but trails the pack in rear legroom. The slanted roofline also reduces rearward visibility and rear-seat passengers must watch they don’t bump their head as they climb in.
Although lesser versions of the Optima make do with a 200-horsepower, 2.4-litre four, which is honestly enough guts for the vast majority of drivers, the SX gets a new turbo 2.0-litre engine. It produces 274 ponies as well as 269 pound-feet of torque that peaks from 1,750 to 4,500 rpm.
Connected to a mandatory 6-speed automatic with manual mode, the Optima SX gallops to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds and reaches a quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 159 km/h. It’s fast, but the engine’s power doesn’t brutally rush in to make the car harsh and twitchy; you benefit from a smooth, progressive surge of muscle.
You do get paddle shifters with the SX, which is better than rowing through gears with the shift lever’s manual gate. Yet the Kia doesn’t feel as though it wants you to go hunting for BMWs. The suspension is a little noisy over rough roads, but otherwise, does a good job of keeping up with the car’s performance, and isn’t too firm, either.
We’re averaging 9.2 L/100 km this week; fuel economy goes up on the highway, particularly; at 100 km/h, the engine spins at a low 1,750 rpm.
What sweetens the deal is the car’s relatively affordable price. The 2011 Kia Optima SX retails for $33,695 before taxes, freight and delivery charges. In comparison, a loaded Ford Fusion SEL V6 with the Sport Appearance Package costs $35,249; a Mazda6 GT-V6 with navigation, $40,040; a Nissan Altima 3.5 SR with all the trimmings, $38,798. The all-wheel drive Suzuki Kizashi SX is less expensive at $30,495, but is also less powerful and doesn’t offer as much content as the turbo Optima.
How do you compare the new Optima to the old Magentis it replaces? You don’t. Kia’s new sedan has the looks, the drive, the performance and the feature content to please anybody in the market for a mid-size sedan. I’ve said it before; you can now enter a Kia dealership to shop for a car that has style, not just a car that has a low monthly payment.
Kia has the solid product line-up to make the public forget about the cars and trucks they were selling 10 years ago. As for this turbocharged SX, you get what is expected: V6 performance with 4-cylinder fuel efficiency. If Kia doesn’t reach the big leagues in North America with this car, I don’t know it'll happen otherwise.
