More pictures of the all new 2011 Kia Optima
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The more pictures I see of this car, the better I think it looks.
The mid sized segment is getting better looking cars all the time.
And from companies who were hardly mentioned a few years ago.
Let’s hope buyers can get past the idea of “buying a Kia” instead of a Camry or Accord…
More official pictures really soon.
i didnt like the official pictures. these new reallife pics are much better.
The Koreans are not stupid like the Germans. They know that reliability is what people want and did two simple things. They offered a longer warranty and improved the quality of their cars. The Germans on the other hand believe that badge power is a cure all for their clunkers. Except for BMW that threw in free service for the first 4 years, which over its life really saves you no more than a few hundred bucks.
I really don't understand the appeal of this car. It's like everyone is so surprised at how much it doesn't suck. That's hardly kudos.
Unless something shows up to top this real soon, it's simply the best-looking car in its segment, by a good mile. In fact, everything coming from Kia lately is top-notch, style-wise. Mighty impressive.
the interior looks very audi…me like
Koreans are on a roll!
What is that metallic button on the gear knob? And where is the manu-matic?
Koreans are the new German!
Am I the only one that sees a strong likeness to the Jag XF?
The thing that surprises me about comments here and the general American car buyer is how much they are moved by looks and not the overall value of a vehicle. Granted Hyundai/Kia have improved but they had no where to go but up.
While this new lineup seems exciting, I sat in some at our local auto show and was far from impressed. Shutting the door on the new Sonata felt tinny and rattle-y and cheap, interiors looked cheap. Still a far cry from the Japanese quality and build.
"I really don't understand the appeal of this car. It's like everyone is so surprised at how much it doesn't suck. That's hardly kudos."
if camry a.tima, or accord ended up looking this nice ppl will be surprised too, this car, at least styling wise, is a big leap forward for the entire mid-size segment, not just for the hyundai/kia.
on a side note, you can really see the audi-influence inside and out. they made a good move hiring that former vw designer.
Anonymous March17 9:58AM said…
…While this new lineup seems exciting, I sat in some at our local auto show and was far from impressed. Shutting the door on the new Sonata felt tinny and rattle-y and cheap, interiors looked cheap. Still a far cry from the Japanese quality and build.
Agree.
the Forte(s) I 'inspected' were my biggest disappointment from web-pix in about 5 years
This is a very nice looking vehicle. Most mid-size car buyers aren't looking for the nicest style or best performance. This car, however, exceeds my expectations from Kia! Come on! Since two years ago, Kia has been bringing out very nicely designed cars! The Soul, 'Ceed, Forte, new Sportage, and now this Optima are going to take the Auto industry by storm! Very cutting edge looking and classy at the same time! Kudos to Peter Schreyer and the Kia design team!
While this new lineup seems exciting, I sat in some at our local auto show and was far from impressed.
DISAGREE. I drove an Accord, a Camry, a Malibu and a Fusion. Then a Hyndai Sonata, Genesis & Optima. The Ford wins for overall quality; but the Koreans are ahead of everyone else in styling. And yes, when I spend $20k or more–styling is important. whether it's a car, furniture, clothing or art work–for $20k++ it darn well better not be UGLY! (I've crossed Toyota off my list permanently, and won't be testing them in the future).
I got to sit in a Sonata at my local dealer and felt it had surpassed the Japanese in all those areas except in the materials used. Closing the doors felt solid and everything fit quite nicely to me. Maybe the car at the show wasn't a post production model?
The appeal of the new Sonata is in the fact that a quality car can look this nice, have a lot features and still be at this price point. The previous Sonata wasn't a bad car at all. Maybe a half generation behind the Japanese. But this new Sonata maybe a half generation AHEAD of them. That's what makes this so appealing.
This car is intriguing now because it's new. So was the K-Car and the PT Cruiser. This might be better than anything from Toyota or Nissan, better than anything from Kia or Hyundai and better than anything from Chrysler. But it's not as good as what's coming from Ford, Audi, Buick or (arguably) BMW. The styling isn't very compelling, and that fact that it's a Kia is a deal kill for now.
Hyundai and its Kia sibling have gone from being crap and joke fodder a decade ago to becoming serious cars.
Good for them!
How is Hyundai placing Kia in the lineup? Are they supposed to be a notch below Hyundai?
Hard for me to see how they are marketing as most other companies (Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda)have their corporate name on the mainstream product and then have a luxury brand (Lincoln, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura) placed above.
Here however, we have the main company with a sister lineup that slots below it. At least that is how it comes across to me.
As far as styling, I like the look of the Optima much better than the new Sonata. The Optima actually looks more akin to the previous generation of Sonata. The new Sonata reminds me of a cartoonish Chinese knock off of the previous ES Lexus. Don't understand the hoopla over it. But I do like the looks of this Optima.
"… the Koreans are ahead of everyone else in styling."
You've GOT to be kidding. The only reason that this is passable as a modern car is because they stole Audi's general look. Peter Schreyer appears to be a one-trick pony who has sabotaged his career by being so blatant in his theft of this visual language. I hope he likes it at Kia, because he won't be able to go anywhere else until he comes up with something new.
Even so, this car fails at being a convincing knockoff. The c-pillar is a nightmare, the portholes look cheap and the wheel options are all very lo-rent. These tail lamps are more garish than anything ever produced by Toyota. And that's saying something.
Toyota WISHES it could make a mid-size sedan as distinctive as this new Kia Optima. You want to talk about nightmares? Take a look at the new Scion xB and new Avalon that look like they dropped out of Toyota's bunghole
"You've GOT to be kidding. The only reason that this is passable as a modern car is because they stole Audi's general look."
the MDX has Audi's tailights. Scheyre don't work for them. The Lancer and Tundra has the grille, Scheyer don't work for them. the Ford 500's greenhouse looks like the Audi A6 Scheyer don't work for them. So what's your point?
I can get cars from A to Z don't start this copying crap with me. I can get Buick, Jeep, Caddy, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Infinti. I can get all them. For example the 2010 Ford Taurus headlights came from the 1999 Nissan Altima's. I can make a novel you want me to? I can get cars that you NEVER even thought in your life looked anything else. I can make you think others copied for Kia even got this good in design.
Take this 3 sedans. Honda Accord, Infinti G sedan and Lagacy. Hint look at the sides. Or how about the 2009 Ford Edge and the Venza's headlights? I can get cars from A to Z. This Optima looks less like an Audi than the new Infinti M sedan looks like the 2009 Buick LaCross. Now what? You want me to Get Honda. No wait lets get jeep. The side profile of the Campus is on the Outlander, Rav-4, Mazda 3, cee'd and the old Suzuki veronica.
For the person that said this looks like a Jaguar XR. At least it ain't cloned like Messiriti did their version of the XR. Infact, what Kia is actually cloned off Audi? The Chrysler 300 looks more like a Rolls Royce than this Optima looks like An A4. the Mitsubishi looks more like a Lexus IS than this looks like an Audi. Heck the Lancer's face looks more like an Audi than this looks like an Audi in the face.
I can get designs from A to Z you guys wanted to complain about the Koreans copying well guess what? The look less like anything else now compared to others. Like how the Acura TL looks more like the Saturn Aura. Or how the Pontiac G6 looks more like the 2005 Camry. The Legacy looks more like the inifnti G sedan than this looks like an Audi. The Buick Regal looks more like an Insigna than this looks like an Audi. The Prius, Leaf and Insight look more alike than this looks like an Audi. Heck the Honda CR-Z looks more like Audi than this looks like an Audi.
People still seem to have double standards on Korean cars, always assuming either that they've copied existing designs (points nulled for having the damn designer who penned those original designs in the first place) or that they'd be good-looking lemons (also nulled for various impartial performance / safety tests and award nominations). When people say "oh well, it's still a Kia" it's proof enough that they simply want to see and hear only the things they want.
"Toyota WISHES it could make a mid-size sedan as distinctive as this new Kia Optima. You want to talk about nightmares? Take a look at the new Scion xB and new Avalon that look like they dropped out of Toyota's bunghole"
How much is Hyundai paying you to say this?
"I can get designs from A to Z you guys wanted to complain about the Koreans copying well guess what? The look less like anything else now compared to others. Like how the Acura TL looks more like the Saturn Aura. Or how the Pontiac G6 looks more like the 2005 Camry. The Legacy looks more like the inifnti G sedan than this looks like an Audi. The Buick Regal looks more like an Insigna than this looks like an Audi. The Prius, Leaf and Insight look more alike than this looks like an Audi. Heck the Honda CR-Z looks more like Audi than this looks like an Audi."
You too, how much is Hyundai paying you? English is obviously not your first language judging by your grammar mistakes.
The amount of pro-Hyundai posts and anti-Toyota drivel on this blog and many other auto blogs sickens me.
Karma will soon catch up to the Koreans.
To the poster above:
Good job trying to sound like a well spoken individual, while not in fact saying anything of substance. How do you prove those Korean carmakers are paying people off for posting positive things about them, and how do those posters' imperfect written language have any sort of relevance to what they have to say?
You have said nothing to back your apparent dislike for Korean carmakers (you'll have to explain a whole lot on what you think is their bad "karma") and somehow you're holding this holier-than-thou attitude against everyone else? Now that's funny.