I like everything Ive seen about that car except the rims!

 

Yeah... same here. I'm not a fan of the rims either. I hope they give some sort of option.

 

its defintely nice, but seeing as how kia is positioned lower than hyundai, im guessing the interior will feel cheaper.... i personally prefer the curves of the sonata than the boxy, muscular shape of the optima

also, the back looks better than the front.

 

QUOTE (kton @ Aug 30 2010, 10:43 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353147

also, the back looks better than the front.

How many times have I said that about women I see.

Oh, sorry, we were talking about cars.

Never mind.

:innocent:

 

QUOTE (kton @ Aug 30 2010, 09:43 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353147

its defintely nice, but seeing as how kia is positioned lower than hyundai, im guessing the interior will feel cheaper.... i personally prefer the curves of the sonata than the boxy, muscular shape of the optima

also, the back looks better than the front.

From what Ive seen across their lineup, it seems Kia is trying to turn into a Sportier or more youthful division, sort of like how Pontiac used to be the "Excitement" Division of GM.

The Optima has several hi-tech features like the Microsoft Sync (or whatever they're calling it) and factory available HIDs and LED tailights that make it appear more "hi-tech" than the Sonata.

You can see this across their entire lineup. The Forte is much sportier and more athletic looking than the Elantra. The Soul is aimed at the same market Scion and the Nissan Cube is aimed at. Even the Kia Sportage is a bit more of an exciting mini-SUV than anything Hyundai has to offer.

Im not attacking Hyundai by any means, Im merely stating that I think Kia's focus has changed from economic Korean car to a more youthful and sportier targeted brand.

 

Actually I think Hyundai is having troubles trying to determine which brand will target what market. I agree that it I think Kia wants to be a sport brand but at the sametime they are trying to be a luxury brand above Hyundai.

Reason I feel Kia is trying to be luxury is based on looks and content. Optima has more chrome than Sonata, has panoramic sunroof, LED tails, HID, leather stiched dash panels and doors, wood trim, memory seats, Sync type setup and looks like more goodies than Sonata. Their design is more luxury than sporty too. The new sportage has push button, and a whole bunch of goodies not found in Tucson either.

I feel Hyundai should have all the goodies that Kia shouldn't have or atleast both should have it. Makes no sense that the lower priced brand has more goods than the "luxury" brand.

 

Nice. Wheels like that of a concept car.

 

QUOTE (Souks @ Aug 30 2010, 11:25 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353167

Actually I think Hyundai is having troubles trying to determine which brand will target what market. I agree that it I think Kia wants to be a sport brand but at the sametime they are trying to be a luxury brand above Hyundai.

Reason I feel Kia is trying to be luxury is based on looks and content. Optima has more chrome than Sonata, has panoramic sunroof, LED tails, HID, leather stiched dash panels and doors, wood trim, memory seats, Sync type setup and looks like more goodies than Sonata. Their design is more luxury than sporty too. The new sportage has push button, and a whole bunch of goodies not found in Tucson either.

I feel Hyundai should have all the goodies that Kia shouldn't have or atleast both should have it. Makes no sense that the lower priced brand has more goods than the "luxury" brand.

For sure! When I saw it had leather stitched interior I was like what!! I love this look.

Overall nice looking car.

 

Kia might have something there. To bad when I looked at the Kia's the base model was so base it turned me off. To get anything near what I wanted I had to pay more then I should have.

 

Meh, I'd still buy the Sonata over it.

 

I really hope that some of the Optima exclusive features eventually make it over to the Sonata. I mean, I guess I probably shoudlnt care because by the time they do, I will have already bought one and then I'll just be jealous...but for future buyers of the '12, '13, and so on models, I think that Microsoft Sync system would be a really nice feature to have. And of course the HIDs and LED tailights and the other features not available to the Sonata.

 

QUOTE (Mike Eckman @ Aug 31 2010, 10:35 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353269

I really hope that some of the Optima exclusive features eventually make it over to the Sonata. I mean, I guess I probably shoudlnt care because by the time they do, I will have already bought one and then I'll just be jealous...but for future buyers of the '12, '13, and so on models, I think that Microsoft Sync system would be a really nice feature to have. And of course the HIDs and LED tailights and the other features not available to the Sonata.

Highly doubtful. Those features are probably brand exclusive and help to be the selling points over the Sonata. If anything does come over it would the LED tail lights.

 

I prefer the look of the Sonata to the new Optima. It does include some nice features but I just don't dig the exterior styling like I do with the Sonata.

 

I must say that while I'm very very impressed with the new Optima, I dislike the rims and the interior. I have no regrets about buying my Sonata at all. I'm hoping there will be more variety among cars sold now as I'm getting tired of seeing all these Sonatas in the parking lot along with mine :thumbsup:

 

haha, every Sonata I have seen this past month and it must have been about 20 have had Enterprise Stickers on them. Too bad such a good looking car is in a rental fleet. :-(

But yeah you would think exclusive items would belong to Hyundai and not Kia especially when it's high tech or luxury items.

 

QUOTE (Mike Eckman @ Aug 30 2010, 06:57 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353083

I like everything Ive seen about that car except the rims!

+1

 

for the person who mentioned a luxury brand. i talked to a dealer and he said in the next few years they are dropping th dead weight veracruz and bringing it back into the new luxury brand which he said they are most likely going to be called "genesis", fittingly. then they are supposedly bringing back either a luxury version of the veracruz or using the santa fe.


as for the optima/k5..i do not like it as much as i do the sonata...thats like, liking a chevy over buick. the interior looks inferior. exterior i do like but like the sonata's luxury/sport attack more.

 

Hehe, yeah I was 100% sure I was going to get a Sonata until I saw pictures of the Optima. Now I'm going to have to test drive the Optima before I decide. I like the look of the Optima a lot more than I do the Sonata so I have to wait and see.

 

QUOTE (mayasonata @ Aug 30 2010, 05:38 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353063

wow...holy fcuking wow is all i have to say about this optima! have't had this type of hard on since the acura nsx.

heck, i didn't heven get this excited when the lexus ls460 came out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrDw_XNrdBk...feature=related

By the name of your title, I assume you are serioulsy thinking about trading in the Sonata for it? Its a sweet looking ride.

 

QUOTE (XxSuperGmaN25xX @ Sep 1 2010, 03:27 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353629

for the person who mentioned a luxury brand. i talked to a dealer and he said in the next few years they are dropping th dead weight veracruz and bringing it back into the new luxury brand which he said they are most likely going to be called "genesis", fittingly. then they are supposedly bringing back either a luxury version of the veracruz or using the santa fe.


as for the optima/k5..i do not like it as much as i do the sonata...thats like, liking a chevy over buick. the interior looks inferior. exterior i do like but like the sonata's luxury/sport attack more.

This is half right, half wrong. If they re-brand the name will be "Equus" and the entire line will be more luxury orientated. It all depends on how well the Equus launch this fall goes. Those dealerships that get to ffer it have some pretty rigorous service offering expectations that they must achieve. And the Equus car seems liek a knock out. Still it depends on how well consumers buy into it. It could also go the way of the VW Photon. As for the Veracruz, that does very well in some markets, so I'm not sure they would drop it.

 

the sonata yf is nice, but the styling makes it look so much smaller than it is and that bugs me.

the 2010 nissan maxima clocks in at 190 inch but looks so much bigger, the is250 clocks in at 183 inch but looks like
same size as sonata.

the yf sonata designers totally forgot the importance of "presence" in a mid size sedan and that's going to be their
number one drawback for people buying the car.

the design cut every corner that makes a car appear "large". the fender bumper section have been overly rounded off, the quarter
trunk rear bumper section have been overly rounded off.



QUOTE (wacktool @ Sep 2 2010, 09:36 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353802

By the name of your title, I assume you are serioulsy thinking about trading in the Sonata for it? Its a sweet looking ride.

 

Kia Optima

Looks like they changed the rims.

 

QUOTE (matt317 @ Sep 2 2010, 11:25 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353820

Kia Optima

Looks like they changed the rims.

Now THATS sharp!

I have to say, the front end reminds me of the new Ford Fusion. I like it a little better than the front of the Sonata. The rear is nice too, but I like the rear of the Sonata better. Those 17" rims are MUCH nicer than the 18"s I've seen on the other Optima pictures Ive seen.

I like the Sonata interior better overall with one exception and thats the red lighting in the instrument panel. This is just a personal preference, but I have always liked red/orange interior lighting over blue/green lighting. Call me corrupted by Pontiac!

 

QUOTE (mayasonata @ Sep 2 2010, 10:48 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353813

the sonata yf is nice, but the styling makes it look so much smaller than it is and that bugs me.

the 2010 nissan maxima clocks in at 190 inch but looks so much bigger, the is250 clocks in at 183 inch but looks like
same size as sonata.

the yf sonata designers totally forgot the importance of "presence" in a mid size sedan and that's going to be their
number one drawback for people buying the car.

the design cut every corner that makes a car appear "large". the fender bumper section have been overly rounded off, the quarter
trunk rear bumper section have been overly rounded off.

I for one love the fact that the car looks smaller than it is. I always get people who are pleasantly surprised by how roomy the interior and trunk is.

I love the smooth styling. As for the Optima, the rims are very controversial, but at least they'll be very easy to change. Also looks like they might have done away with it in some models as well.

For me, the biggest win in the sonata vs. optima is the interior. The Sonata layout just looks a lot better. I hate the gigantic kia logo on the steering wheel and the very dated look of the climate/audio controls.

 

QUOTE (Souks @ Aug 30 2010, 10:25 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=353167

Actually I think Hyundai is having troubles trying to determine which brand will target what market. I agree that it I think Kia wants to be a sport brand but at the sametime they are trying to be a luxury brand above Hyundai.

Reason I feel Kia is trying to be luxury is based on looks and content. Optima has more chrome than Sonata, has panoramic sunroof, LED tails, HID, leather stiched dash panels and doors, wood trim, memory seats, Sync type setup and looks like more goodies than Sonata. Their design is more luxury than sporty too. The new sportage has push button, and a whole bunch of goodies not found in Tucson either.

I feel Hyundai should have all the goodies that Kia shouldn't have or atleast both should have it. Makes no sense that the lower priced brand has more goods than the "luxury" brand.

I don't think that kia is above hyundai mainly becuase kia generally has cheaper cars and hyundai has the genesis (and soon equus). Also, the sonata has an option for the panoramic sunroof, just not in the north american market, and i think that if the optima gets it, the sonata would get it first, if not sooner than the kia.

And after looking at the interior pics, i strongly believe that the sonata has a more luxurious/fluid interior than the optima.