- sedan 211,549
- 10,800 overpriced
- Joplin, MO
-
- autoshopper.com
2004 kia optima review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. It also comes with aluminum wheels, but they are 15-inch units wearing the base-level p205/60 tires. Anti-lock brakes 795) are available only with the v6. Leather seating 1095) is offered only on the ex. Port-installed accessories include a cd changer 375), carpeted floor mats 85), and a rear spoiler 220). all optimas come with kia's 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty and 5-year/60,000 mile basic warranty, plus a 5-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance plan. walkaroundthe 2004 kia optima breaks no new styling ground. Not a head turner by any means, it is handsomely done and presents itself well, with distinctively sculpted panels and balanced forms. last year's bright gridwork grille has been replaced for 2004 by a simple, trapezoidal opening split by a single horizontal bar. Now flanking the grille are dual headlamps, round inboard and rectangular outboard. The description sounds busy, but the actual look is satisfying, sophisticated and vaguely european. the alloy wheels that come on the v6 models are redesigned for 2004, and ex models are accented by chrome door handles and bodyside moldings. The brightwork is well done and makes the car look richer. The overall quality of materials is okay. Some of the panels don't fit flush and the rear ashtray in one car squeaked. The available leather interior complements the rest of the interior nicely. The 60/40 folding rear seatback increases the versatility of the optima. trunk size is adequate, with 13. 6 cubic feet of cargo space, compared with 14. 0 for the new honda accord. The manual gearbox works well. It's that polished, and the impression doesn't fade once the optima is underway. The engine quietly goes about its business, at least until given full throttle. Then it's still smooth but it can be heard sonorously churning out power. The v6 and automatic are a responsive team. The v6 surrenders 2-3 miles per gallon, but seems worth it for the smoothness and improved response. the optima's automatic transmission is a good match for the v6 engine. It shifts imperceptibly in normal driving. Slam the gas pedal down and it quickly downshifts. The transmission also has a manual-shift feature: sliding the console-mounted shift lever over to the right allows the driver to shift up and down with a flick of the lever. It's sometimes helpful or enjoyable to slap the lever over and downshift manually to pass, but it's not necessary. This system is built by kia, but was designed by porsche and is similar to the tiptronic. kia tuned the optima's suspension for comfort, not handling. That doesn't mean a floaty, imprecise ride. It's smooth and stable at high speeds. It doesn't feel as connected to wet roads as a honda accord or mazda6, though. While hustling down some back roads, the optima displayed remarkable poise over bumps and lumps in mid-corner, its line not diverted by bumps in the road. The optima operates best in its comfort zone. The nose dives under hard braking and the rear squats under hard acceleration. There's considerable understeer (the tendency of the front tires to lose grip before the rear tires, causing the car to describe a wider arc in a corner). Overall, it isn't quite as quiet as the hyundai sonata. At highway speeds, conversations between front and back seat were easy at normal speaking volume. summarythe kia optima excels at providing good transportation at a reasonable cost. It's smooth, reasonably refined and comfortable. Its price makes it attractive, especially considering the long warranty, the roadside assistance plan, and all the standard features. model lineupkia optima lx 15,500); lx v6 17,895); ex 18,095); ex v6 19,495). assembled inhwasung, south korea. options as testedantilock brakes 795); leather seats 1095); carpeted floormats 85). model testedkia optima ex v6 19,495).
10,800 Joplin, MOJoplin, MO at autoshopper.com