2008 Kia Optima EX - 4 Cylinder Family Sedan Comparison - video Dailymotion

MotorTrend

MT Senior Editor Ron Kiino examines the next contender in our 4-cylinder family sedan comparison

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00:00 I'm here with the 2008 Kia Optima EX.

00:08 This car has a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder, puts out 162 horsepower and 164 pound feet of torque,

00:14 and it's made into a 5 speed automatic transmission.

00:18 This Optima EX is the up level trim, there's also a base LX.

00:22 This EX at just over $20,000 base price comes very well equipped with such items as automatic

00:27 climate control, an AM/FM CD stereo, and six airbags.

00:31 Now our Optima came with about four option packages, and with those we got 17 inch alloy

00:36 wheels, leather interior, and an up level infinity sound system.

00:40 So with all that it still only came to just over $23,000, very compelling value with this

00:45 vehicle.

00:46 The styling of the Optima is very conservative, as you can see there's not a lot of flashy

00:52 shapes or lines.

00:53 So overall I wouldn't really call it handsome, it's more that it's not unattractive, it's

00:58 rather bland and conservative, and in a word kind of ho-hum.

01:01 Now inside this Optima it's a different story, the cabin is very rich, very attractive, again

01:06 we have leather interior, fit and finish materials are first rate, overall it's a very, very

01:12 appealing place to be.

01:13 Out on the test drive loop this Optima really impressed us.

01:16 It's 2.4 liter engine, felt plenty peppy with 162 horsepower, again the 5 speed automatic

01:21 really helps there.

01:22 The chassis overall feels pretty sporty, a little sportier than say the Sonata, it's

01:26 Korean competitor.

01:27 Kia's approach tends to be sportier than Hyundai's when it comes to chassis tuning,

01:31 it's sort of like comparing a BMW to a Mercedes.

01:33 So this Kia is more like the BMW, a little sportier, a little crisper, Hyundai like Benz,

01:38 a little more luxurious, a little softer ride, yet still this ride in this Optima is quite

01:43 good even with it's sporty behavior.

01:46 Now compared to the Accord and the Passat, this Optima isn't quite as quick, and in the

01:51 handling department it's not quite as composed and crisp.

01:55 At the test track the 2008 Kia Optima EX accelerated from 0 to 60 in 8.8 seconds, and through the

02:02 quarter mile at 16.7 at 84.3 miles per hour.

02:08 In braking from 60 miles per hour the Optima needed 130 feet.

02:12 In the figure 8 test the Optima needed 28.6 seconds at 0.56 G average, and put up maximum

02:21 lateral acceleration of 0.79 G.

02:25 So overall we were impressed with the Optima's value.

02:28 It offers a lot of standard equipment, and even at $23,000 with 4 option packages, still

02:34 a very good competitive price.

02:35 And you get a lot for that money.

02:37 You get leather interior, 5 speed automatic, 6 airbags, a moonroof, 17 inch alloy wheels.

02:43 On the downside it is a little low on power compared to some of the others here, so it's

02:48 not quite as quick, and it's not quite as crisp in the handling department as some of

02:52 the others.

02:53 We found the styling to be rather bland, even though the inside is very nice, the exterior

02:57 doesn't quite match the interior.

02:59 So despite being a little down on power, and rather bland in the styling department, this

03:02 Optima, with loads of standard equipment and even 4 option packages, still delivers strong

03:07 value at just over $23,000.

03:09 [Music]

03:13 (whooshing)

2008 Kia Optima EX - 4 Cylinder Family Sedan Comparison

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