Nice review. Yes, the Mud and Shoe comment was funny and got me to hang in to see what this Gentleman was going to say in the rest of the interview. All and all Dave, I think your style of reviews is very good and has a refreshing slant. I think I'm going to purchase the 2018 model next week. Keep up the Great work Dave.....Vey Best Regards....Jeff.
I had the 2016 Optima as a rental car and I loved how it handled and also we got it to 40mpg on the highway for our overall highway drive! The transmission is nice and the handling is excellent! I was also surprised how quiet it was inside the car on the highway! When you gun it, it responds very well. We had it for 4 days, so I got to experience it very well! Everyone who drove it on our trip was just as impressed!
Jess Barnett If you try the SX, you will be even more impressed. I drove the 2016 Maxima, A5 2.0T, and I would still take the Optima SX without even thinking.
KIA replaced my kids 2013 Optima’s blown engine w 118k miles NO questions asked. I was blown away by their customer service. A Honda guy making the switch to Kia.
Love my Kia Optima had a Chevy Impala took care of me 10 years now I’m on on to a more reliable dependable car it’s very quiet smooth and with the 1.6 turbo and a 7 speed dual clutch sure is fun to drive very quick too
Thank for asking, I put a text overlay- but it was only a few seconds- as the only changes I found were the addition of Hybrid & Plug-In Hybrid (which I hope to review soon): www.caranddriver.com/news/2017-kia-optima-hybrid-plug-in-hybrid-photos-and-info-news This is probably because it was all new for 2016, so if you can find a 2016 for a good price- GET IT!
A guy says that the Optima SLX 2017 come with led lights. Do you know something about this ?? Here Kia have a great deal for 2016, so, did you found any other changes in 2017 ?
Johnson Li New LED headlights, a bit different tailights, SX startup package wheels, and the ability to get a very lightly equipped SX for 20-21k with a discount (called sx value package).
Ahh good question- taking my sporty bias into account (which is why I add Mazda 6): Mazda 6 then, tie between Sonsta/Optima,Focus,Accord- then Altima and Camry bringing up the rear. Haven't done full reviews of Focus/Accord, but having driven them- & that's my sense based on style, sportiness, tech.. Altima and Camry got killed because they're long in the tooth (mid cycle refreshes only) and weren't as ahead as say the Focus or 6 was. Of the ones you've experienced, let me know your thoughts!
Greetings from Australia, the SLX model is badged GT here oddly. When I was considering a new mid sized sedan in this segment my first choice was the Mazda 6, however, in the top trim the Optima is just better value. I particularly like the pop up head light sprayers. So I bought one. If you're not a badge snob try one out, they're excellent.
I bought a 2011 Optima a few months ago and never regretted it once, the 2011-2013's are my favorite years of this car as they have the best performance specs and the modelling is much better in my opinion. I cant tell you how many people have asked me "Is that Lexus?" or "What kind of Audi is that?". Another satisfying spec is being able to put the 16 year old driving his dads BMW to shame while yelling "YOU GOT BEAT BY A KIA" as you leave him in the dust. Not to mention there are A LOT of sporty and classy mods you can do to this car through the K5 optima store.
FreeWave - Copyright Free Music you are absolutely right the 2011-13 optimas are the nicest ones out there I really hate this new design specially the hideous tail lights.
For sure! Drove the last gen one- it was a good car--only problem was the 370/G37 which were slightly more fun. Heck throw Cadillac ATS coupe too. But to answer your 1st question I think too different to compare- FWD/RWD- 4/2- etc.
Hey wassup Greetings from LA . I am going to buy a brand new car , and the question is which is better mazda6 or optima? I need you are honest opinion and BTW I Don't care about the price Thx
Mr Prince so you live in LA? for traffic Optima has slight edge- for the canyons hands down Mazda. I like to describe it as Optima being closer to Mercedes (nice interior, cool tech)- and Mazda like the Asian BMW (the old fun ones)- where it's all about the driving and then also a very very solid car all around. Does that answer your question? ;-)
Starts at 22k US goes up very quickly to 36/37, almost 40k (at which point there are lots of other options out there, including I'd suggest looking at used/CPO), because options don't add too too much value to used cars.
DFWs Cars You can buy a new 2016 SX for 23,000 as the final purchase price. Thats about as much as a basic accord 4 cyl. I would still take this vs any used luxury car. But whats funny is that this Optima SX is basically a luxury car!
haha, good review man... been watching the KIA brand of cars ever since the 2008 mess. I love the direction they are going and only hope for more polished engineering in the up and coming models... They should definitely keep the features with the price...good bang for the buck, because it really makes you think about how much more are you paying for the premium cars and their features... P.S. -- "Maybe not during dusk with all the crickets next time" haha I live down south so I completely understand with all the noise...
Tj Davis thanks- Kia is upping their game in a serious way! I hear ya on the friggin crickets gonna try to film on days off or during lunch break so I can beat them! Lemme know if there are other car brands you are interested in. Should have a Kia SUV coming up and some other cool cars.
Honestly, I drove almost every midsize sedan on the market (including the maxima), and in my opinion, the Optima SX is just the best. Performance (really fast off a 40 roll), design, comfort, features, quality, safety, efficiency, handling, are all class leaders. I drove the new A5 2.0T, and I found the 2016 Optima SX to be much nicer than any of these sub-mid $40,000 cars. Its also nicer in my perspective than the 2012 Infiniti M37 that I saw. Nothing comes close to the Optima SX in its class. Whenever I see an SX on the road, it makes me smile. It's such a nice car!
"Intensive purposes"..lolz. Sir, even though i am uphauled by your use of phrases you've never seen written correctly, (thanks internet illiterati) I enjoyed the review...just a few years too late. ;)
Been thinking about one, having trouble finding an affordable Bluetooth one that is sleek (don't want to play Doug DeMuro with a mic bigger than my head). I'm open to suggestions!
Nice review. Yes, the Mud and Shoe comment was funny and got me to hang in to see what this Gentleman was going to say in the rest of the interview. All and all Dave, I think your style of reviews is very good and has a refreshing slant. I think I'm going to purchase the 2018 model next week. Keep up the Great work Dave.....Vey Best Regards....Jeff.
Hey Jeff- thanks for those words. Welcome aboard, good to have you!
I had the 2016 Optima as a rental car and I loved how it handled and also we got it to 40mpg on the highway for our overall highway drive! The transmission is nice and the handling is excellent! I was also surprised how quiet it was inside the car on the highway! When you gun it, it responds very well. We had it for 4 days, so I got to experience it very well! Everyone who drove it on our trip was just as impressed!
Jess Barnett what trim level did you rent?
For sure Hyundai/Kia has come a long way. I am reviewing the Santa Fe/Sorrento this week
Jorge Rivas I think it was just the base model. We rented it from Enterprise. It was nice! It drove nice!
Jess Barnett Thanks for the info
Jess Barnett If you try the SX, you will be even more impressed. I drove the 2016 Maxima, A5 2.0T, and I would still take the Optima SX without even thinking.
KIA replaced my kids 2013 Optima’s blown engine w 118k miles NO questions asked. I was blown away by their customer service. A Honda guy making the switch to Kia.
Love my Kia Optima had a Chevy Impala took care of me 10 years now I’m on on to a more reliable dependable car it’s very quiet smooth and with the 1.6 turbo and a 7 speed dual clutch sure is fun to drive very quick too
I bought it and I love it.
Mani JR Its an awesome car!
What gas does it require? Regular(87) or premium?
It should say on the side but if I recall right it could do regular (review was a few years back tho)
Hey DFW, great review. Quick question, what are the changes from 2016 to 2017? Couldn't find where you talked about it.
Thank for asking, I put a text overlay- but it was only a few seconds- as the only changes I found were the addition of Hybrid & Plug-In Hybrid (which I hope to review soon): www.caranddriver.com/news/2017-kia-optima-hybrid-plug-in-hybrid-photos-and-info-news This is probably because it was all new for 2016, so if you can find a 2016 for a good price- GET IT!
A guy says that the Optima SLX 2017 come with led lights. Do you know something about this ?? Here Kia have a great deal for 2016, so, did you found any other changes in 2017 ?
Johnson Li New LED headlights, a bit different tailights, SX startup package wheels, and the ability to get a very lightly equipped SX for 20-21k with a discount (called sx value package).
Camry/Accord/Sonata/Altima/Focus/Optima...what's your order of preference
Ahh good question- taking my sporty bias into account (which is why I add Mazda 6): Mazda 6 then, tie between Sonsta/Optima,Focus,Accord- then Altima and Camry bringing up the rear.
Haven't done full reviews of Focus/Accord, but having driven them- & that's my sense based on style, sportiness, tech.. Altima and Camry got killed because they're long in the tooth (mid cycle refreshes only) and weren't as ahead as say the Focus or 6 was. Of the ones you've experienced, let me know your thoughts!
Ford fusion competes with the midsize segment, the focus is a compact
I just got the 2017 optima
Beautiful car
I really like this car
I bought a 2016 and I love it!
Greetings from Australia, the SLX model is badged GT here oddly. When I was considering a new mid sized sedan in this segment my first choice was the Mazda 6, however, in the top trim the Optima is just better value. I particularly like the pop up head light sprayers. So I bought one. If you're not a badge snob try one out, they're excellent.
Ya-- in the curves it's not quite up with the 'Mazda 6, but it's close- and man if it not a good all arounder!
Here in the US the price on the 2 is actually close- kinda a bummer how car companies set prices per country.
I bought a 2011 Optima a few months ago and never regretted it once, the 2011-2013's are my favorite years of this car as they have the best performance specs and the modelling is much better in my opinion. I cant tell you how many people have asked me "Is that Lexus?" or "What kind of Audi is that?". Another satisfying spec is being able to put the 16 year old driving his dads BMW to shame while yelling "YOU GOT BEAT BY A KIA" as you leave him in the dust. Not to mention there are A LOT of sporty and classy mods you can do to this car through the K5 optima store.
FreeWave - Copyright Free Music you are absolutely right the 2011-13 optimas are the nicest ones out there I really hate this new design specially the hideous tail lights.
ESPECIALLY THE TAIL LIGHTS!!!!! My god, the SX tail lights on the 2011-13 are perfect, there was no need to change them to red blobs... :(
2017 Hyundai Genesis Coupe vs this? Not sure if that would be a fair comparison or not. A review of the Genesis Coupe would be great.
For sure! Drove the last gen one- it was a good car--only problem was the 370/G37 which were slightly more fun. Heck throw Cadillac ATS coupe too. But to answer your 1st question I think too different to compare- FWD/RWD- 4/2- etc.
That car is nice af even with the mud color
Haha totally agree
Hows the vision from the rearview mirror? The back window seems very slanted.
Hey there- I didn't have any problems the week I had the car, so it seems they did a pretty good job!
Hey wassup Greetings from LA .
I am going to buy a brand new car , and the question is which is better mazda6 or optima?
I need you are honest opinion and BTW I Don't care about the price
Thx
Mr Prince so you live in LA? for traffic Optima has slight edge- for the canyons hands down Mazda. I like to describe it as Optima being closer to Mercedes (nice interior, cool tech)- and Mazda like the Asian BMW (the old fun ones)- where it's all about the driving and then also a very very solid car all around. Does that answer your question? ;-)
rear end reminds me alot of the tlx/genesis
I totally see that!
does it have remote start? I didn't notice it on the key fob
you know- I don't believe it did. :( Perhaps if you used the app you could since it was internet connected.
I'm trying to get a 2018 SX with Tech package for $28,000 but no one will sell it for that much :(
i bought 2016 kia optima fe and the guy told me that they do not come with car mats..seems ridiculous..are they lying?..help
Diane Camillo wow that seems kind of bizarre- may be it depends on which model/trim. Worst case Target/Walmart, etc have pretty decent mats for cheap.
whats the value of that type oc Optima?
Starts at 22k US goes up very quickly to 36/37, almost 40k (at which point there are lots of other options out there, including I'd suggest looking at used/CPO), because options don't add too too much value to used cars.
DFWs Cars You can buy a new 2016 SX for 23,000 as the final purchase price. Thats about as much as a basic accord 4 cyl. I would still take this vs any used luxury car. But whats funny is that this Optima SX is basically a luxury car!
Genadiy Ivken well I was saying, even consider look at a Optima with a few miles too. Or like you said 2016 saves some $
haha, good review man... been watching the KIA brand of cars ever since the 2008 mess. I love the direction they are going and only hope for more polished engineering in the up and coming models... They should definitely keep the features with the price...good bang for the buck, because it really makes you think about how much more are you paying for the premium cars and their features...
P.S. --
"Maybe not during dusk with all the crickets next time" haha
I live down south so I completely understand with all the noise...
Tj Davis thanks- Kia is upping their game in a serious way! I hear ya on the friggin crickets gonna try to film on days off or during lunch break so I can beat them! Lemme know if there are other car brands you are interested in. Should have a Kia SUV coming up and some other cool cars.
Honestly, I drove almost every midsize sedan on the market (including the maxima), and in my opinion, the Optima SX is just the best. Performance (really fast off a 40 roll), design, comfort, features, quality, safety, efficiency, handling, are all class leaders. I drove the new A5 2.0T, and I found the 2016 Optima SX to be much nicer than any of these sub-mid $40,000 cars. Its also nicer in my perspective than the 2012 Infiniti M37 that I saw. Nothing comes close to the Optima SX in its class. Whenever I see an SX on the road, it makes me smile. It's such a nice car!
I want the color code or number please
"Intensive purposes"..lolz. Sir, even though i am uphauled by your use of phrases you've never seen written correctly, (thanks internet illiterati) I enjoyed the review...just a few years too late. ;)
Those purposes are very intense and intensive, haha.
4:45 Quilted seats. I was onboard till the narrator got to those. Yuck.
It’s a style thing, I think it looks premium but surely it’s not for all.
Got the '16 EX, great package and quality for US $21K. Seems like the '17 EX doesn't have as many standard features.
This car is great on gas!
ya perfect combo there of sporty and great on gas!
Vincelen Alexander Yes, it gets 31mpg easily))
How many cars are " LOVELY" or " PRETTY" lol
Japanzhabu hey hey- to me lots of cars, usually ones with Italian, British (or even German) designers or design elements.
I thought for a minute you were going to say the car was the colour of shit. It is a lovely car though.
Ed Straker haha- for a minute so did I!
I have heard that Mazda 6 is full of shit, just be careful...
MrPentre Well that stinks- I definitely wouldn't recommend buying a car filled with shit! If I did, I would want a really big discount
u need to get a mic
Been thinking about one, having trouble finding an affordable Bluetooth one that is sleek (don't want to play Doug DeMuro with a mic bigger than my head). I'm open to suggestions!
Color's between mud and a shoe...lmao
Glad you liked that, try to have a little zinger per review.
Ferrari Dave Car Reviews please i want the color name or code because i want to paint my 2017 optima like this color