No offense, but if you still think Kia cars are the automotive equivalent of low-thread-count sheets, you’re really out of the loop.
The Kia brand is in second place on J.D. Power’s 2015 U.S. Initial Quality Study, topped only by first-place Porsche. And, for the first time in the quality study’s history, Kia tops all non-premium brands.
Consumers have been catching on. Last year Kia set an all-time annual sales record for itself, exceeding the 500,000-unit mark for the third consecutive year.
Credit the third-generation Optima midsize sedan, introduced for model year 2011, for much of Kia’s success. Affordably priced, well equipped, and with sport sedan styling, it’s the company’s best selling model. Let’s note too that the Optima, like all other Kia vehicles manufactured since 2008, comes with Kia’s generous 10-year/100,000 mile warranty program.
Kia is sparking repeat interest in the Optima with a redesigned version for 2016 arriving now at dealerships. Exterior changes are subtle, not straying too far from the previous version’s popular appearance, but the changes are easily distinguishable: wider grille, bigger taillights, more glass at the C-pillar.
The new Optima is slightly longer, wider and taller, creating more passenger space and a roomier trunk. Chassis stiffness has been increased considerably, which means a quieter cabin and smoother ride than the outgoing model could claim.
The car’s interior is markedly different for 2016, moving closer to a more premium atmosphere with real rather than simulated stitching for the doors and dash, and new seats whose creators had comfort foremost in mind during the construction process. Heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats are available, including height-adjustability not only for the driver, but also the front passenger.
Entertainment and connectivity technology is prolific within the cabin, including four new eServices not previously offered: Geo-fencing, Speed Alert, Curfew Alert and Driving Score – a kind of “parent’s package” intended to discourage recklessness and irresponsibility on the part of young, inexperienced drivers.
A six-speaker audio system is standard and “will satisfy all but the most demanding enthusiasts” Kia says. If you transcend that demographic, there’s an optional Harman Kardon QuantumLogic 7 Premium Surround Sound system with 10 speakers, Clari-Fi 7 technology and an upgraded 630-watt digital amplifier. QuantumLogic extracts signals from the original recording and redistributes them into an authentic, multidimensional soundstage for clear, refined and detailed playback. Clari-Fi is a patented music restoration system that rebuilds audio signals that are lost in the digital compression process.
Buyers have a choice between three different four-cylinder engines, depending on trim level. Two of them were used in the previous Optima but are retuned for 2016 to deliver better fuel economy and performance: a 185-horsepower 2.4-liter GDI, and a 245-horsepower 2.0-liter GDI turbo. Both are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift ability.
The third engine option is new for 2016: a 178-horsepower 1.6-liter turbo, combined with a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission (DCT).
Trim level options include six variants: LX, LX 1.6T, EX, SX and SXL. Base prices in the same order and including an $825 destination charge are: $22,664; $24,815; $25,715; $30,515; and $36,615.
City/highway fuel economy ratings are 25/37 mpg for the LX 2.4; 28/39 mpg for the LX 1.6T; 24/35 mpg for the EX 2.4; 22/32 mpg for the SX 2.0; and 22/32 mpg for the SXL 2.0.
The 2016 Kia Optima is built in West Point, Georgia.
This overview of the 2016 Kia Optima is based on an introductory event held by the manufacturer. Although the vehicle was driven briefly during the event, automotive reviews that include driving impressions and other opinions appear only after a vehicle has been given the standard weeklong test-drive.
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