2006.5 Kia Optima
When thinking of a mid-size family sedan variety, I beat most of us won’t think of Kia.The Korean-based manufacturer would like to change that, with its new 2006.5 Optima, which was recently introduced to the automotive press in California’s Napa Valley and is now available.
You might tend to confuse the 2006.5 Optima with the 2006 model, huge mistake. The new-generation Optima shares only the name, and the optional V6 engine. It’s built on a new platform, with a longer wheelbase and increased width giving more interior space - more than any of the other common mid-size sedans, actually.
The trunk is substantially larger, and like all new Kias, the full complement of safety equipment - six airbags, active front headrests, a tire pressure monitoring system, and four-wheel disk brakes - is included as standard equipment in all models. Antilock brakes with electronic stability control, traction control, and brake assist are available as a packaged option.
Most apparent is new and much more contemporary styling. Gone are the somewhat strange proportions of the first-generation Optima, replaced by a fuller and much more mainstream look, with short overhangs for optimum space utilization.
Like its competitors, the new Optima is a front-wheel drive car available in four-cylinder or V6 trim. The V6 is the same 2.7-liter unit found in recent models of the first-generation Optima, but it now has 185 horsepower, a nearly ten percent improvement, and improved fuel economy. The 2.4-liter four is all-new, and with a fifteen percent power increase, to 161 hp, it bests most of its four-cylinder competitors. The four comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission, but is expected to be more likely sold with the optional five-speed automatic, which has a “Sportmatic'’ manual-shift mode and is the only transmission with the V6.
Suspension is fully-independent, with MacPherson struts in front and a multilink setup in the rear. It’s tuned in a very European manner, softly sprung but well-damped, with spring, shock damping, and anti-roll bar rates all matched for a comfortable ride and good handling.
The new Optima competes in a price-sensitive class, and with base prices ranging from $16,995 for a four-cylinder manual LX through $ 21,000 for an EX V6, it’s very competitive. For the mid-size sedans that are available with both four-cylinder and V6 engines, the fours are the best sellers.
The 2006.5 Kia Optima is a car with a distinctive character that offers an alternative to the common mid-size sedan.
Written by admin on May 21st, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Previews.