2011 Kia Optima First Impressions

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Kia has served notice to the major players in the mid-sized car market in Canada. The company didn’t do it by taking out fancy ads or by wild media claims. They did it with the introduction of the Optima which will replace the Magentis in their lineup (in the US, the car has always been known as the Optima).

This introduction took place on the roads around Miami, Key West and on the banked oval at Homestead Motor Speedway in Florida. It seems as if the company intended to make the statement that they are willing to take on the likes of segment leaders Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen which all have rich heritages in competition.


Models
With eight models, spread over three trim levels, Kia covers the full range of this market segment. At the entry level, the Optima LX comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, a 2.4-litre, 200-horsepower four-cylinder, a cloth interior and more airbags than a political party at election time. Move to the top of the list, and the SX comes with everything you can think of, including a 274-horsepower turbocharged four, two-level heated and cooled front seats as well as a single-level heated rear seat. Toss in a panoramic (twin panel) sunroof that is power operated for both sun shade as well as opening and closing, and you are in the lap of luxury.

Interior
The seats, regardless of being covered in cloth or leather, are quite comfortable. Up front, Kia utilizes a pair of bucket seats, while in the back, a semi-sculpted bench seat will seat three if necessary and two in comfort. Legroom and kneeroom are pretty good depending on the generosity of those in the front.

Quibbles with the interior layout center on three things. The instruments tend to disappear in bright sunlight when you wear your sunglasses. Problem number two for me is that the sunroof chews up enough headroom to make it a bit tight inside.

Issue number three is the location of the seat heater/cooling controls. Kia has chosen to mount the controls on the passenger side of the console up at the base of the dash. This causes me concern because the button cannot be seen clearly from the driver’s seat, which means that the driver may have to take his eyes off the road to work the switch. In addition, the driver has to reach around the gear shift lever to reach it.

Design
On the outside, the new platform and blank sheet of paper has produced a four-door design that is close to show-stopping. The front grille has a bit of brightwork and a signature Kia opening. Headlights blend in and help the front transition to smooth sides, which have noticeable bulges around the wheel wells.

Despite the stunning looks, there are weaknesses in my mind. The tail doesn’t flow well for me and I can't get used to it, wondering what the designer was thinking. In addition, on some of the darker-colored models with the panoramic roof, the chrome accent stripe on the roof makes the design look busy and the chrome, out of place.

Driving
Driving the Optima can be broken into three segments. The streets and congestion of a large city such as Miami are good examples of how cars in a big urban area get used. To drive in stop-and-go traffic, coupled with the need to change lanes to get by everything from delivery trucks to poorly marked construction, means you need a car that has good visibility and a decent amount of acceleration. In this environment, both the turbo and normally-aspirated versions fared about the same. Excellent visibility from the driver’s seat coupled with comfort and a nimbleness that belies the size of the car means that the Optima shines in city driving.


Out on the highway, both engines are perfectly adequate. The 2.4-litre four needs you to pay attention to your driving and plan your moves. The turbo motor makes up with power what you lose by not paying attention or planning ahead. The difference in power usage will show up in fuel economy. Until you stick your foot on the floor and spool up the innovative dual exhaust intake turbo, fuel economy of these direct-injected fours that run on regular fuel is quite similar.

On a banked oval of Homestead, extra legal speeds of up to 170 km/h tax both the suspension and brakes. One of the things Kia has done to counter any potential brake issues is that when you move up to 17-inch wheels, Kia installs larger front rotors. After two hours of what should be considered emergency panic stops, the brakes may have been smoking, but never failed.

In another move that provides comfort as well as stability at all speeds, Kia uses twin-valve shocks so that the net effect of hard driving is that the dampening action of the shock stiffens up, body roll decreases and the car feels planted on the pavement. Nose dive is minimized and the new stiff platform keeps the car from squirming under such hard braking.

In the end
The Optima may not be for everyone, but the leaders of this segment better be looking over their collective shoulders. Kia is coming and coming fast!!