Kia Optima lives up to its name

Kia is expressly chasing market share in this country -- and it doesn't care whose toes it must tread on to get there. Even parent company Hyundai is fair game, as the new Optima confirms.

"With Optima, Kia is not only giving Australian buyers not only an outstanding vehicle, but the opportunity to experience prestige motoring, at unrivalled value," announced Kia's local COO Tony Barlow, during the local media launch last week. "Optima is a stunning design statement and a remarkable drive experience..."

Imported in just the one level of trim, the Optima shares mechanicals with the Hyundai i45 and is priced at $36,990. That's $1000 lower than the top-spec i45, but with additional kit, Australianised suspension/steering and a swoopy (0.29Cd) style that garners plaudits wherever the car goes.

The only real downside for the importer is that it just can't obtain enough supply from the factory. Global production at the company's Hwasung plant in South Korea is flat-out building the Optima for other markets already. Kia in Australia is limited to 1000 units initially, but local management anticipates that the car may sell up to 5000 units a year once supply issues are ironed out. In the meantime, there may be a delay of months for the colour and specification of the buyer's choice.

Kia expects those buyers will be mainly aged 35 to 50 years, married, male (70 per cent) with one or two kids. White-collar employees, they'll be interested in technology but tending to be risk averse and conservative. The Optima's combination of packaging, value and driving dynamics is bound to make a splash in this demographic.

For the local market, the Optima, which replaces the slow-selling Magentis, rides on re-worked suspension and steering, but sticks with the i45's direct-injected 2.4-litre Theta II four-cylinder petrol engine. Also inherited from the Hyundai is the Optima's sequential-shift six-speed automatic transmission, driving to the front wheels. Kia claims that the Optima delivers class-leading power (148kW) and torque (250Nm). Only the i45 -- with the same engine -- and Honda's Accord Euro can match the Kia for power. The Hyundai develops the same torque figure of course.

Fuel consumption is 7.9L/100km in combined cycle, with CO2 emissions rated at 189g/km. Kia claims that fuel consumption can be lowered as much as 9.1 per cent through the Optima's Active Eco system, a facility that monitors and regulates engine, transmission and climate control for the best possible outcome (ie: the most frugal use of fuel).

Although rated a mid-size car, the Optima is longer than any of its obvious VFACTS medium segment rivals -- including the i45 -- and only loses out to the i45 and Honda's Accord Euro in width. For wheelbase the Optima beats all comers other than the i45, naturally. At 505 litres of luggage capacity, the Optima is comparable with locally-built large cars, although it can't top the boot space of the Toyota Camry, the Mazda6 and the i45.

Standard equipment for the Optima Platinum includes 18-inch alloy wheels shod with Kumho 225/45 R18 tyres, cruise control with steering wheel controls, electric windows/mirrors (with auto-up/down for the front windows), panoramic sunroof, smart-key entry with push-button starting, auto door locking on the move, full leather trim, eight-adjustable powered driver's seat with two-position memory, four-way adjustable powered front-passenger's seat, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, colour TFT display (3.5-inch) for seven-function trip computer (located in instrument binnacle), Bluetooth connectivity, duazl-zone climate control, ventilated driver's seat, front-seat warming, cooling glovebox and Infinity brand eight-speaker six-disc CD audio system with MP3 compatibility and USB/aux input.

Metallic paint, priced at $450, is the only option and Kia is yet to introduce a satellite navigation feature for the Optima, although it's in the works.

Expected to achieve a five-star ANCAP rating, the Optima bundles together the following standard safety features: Static cornering lights, rear parking sensors, reversing camera (display in the mirror), stability control, ABS/EBD, Brake Assist, traction control, Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), active front headrests, HID headlights, LED day running lights, LED tail lights and front/rear fog lights. According to Kia, the faster response time of the LED tail lights reduces reaction time for the driver behind by between 170 and 200m/secs, freeing up an extra 5.6m-long patch of braking distance.

Inside the Optima is trimmed in black, but Kia offers buyers a choice from the following seven exterior colours: Snow White Pearl, Bright Silver, Ebony Black, Platinum Graphite, Satin Metal, Santorini Blue and Spicy Red.

The Optima is now available to order and TV commercials for the new car are already being broadcast during the Australian Open, which is sponsored by Kia.

Watch out for our launch review of the new car in coming days or read our first drive in Korea.

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