2011 Kia Optima Headed for the 2010 New York Auto Show

I'm fine with derivative styling as long as it looks good. This looks really good to me. The TL is very original and unique-looking. It is also excruciatingly ugly. Kia did a good job here.

I can imagine the meetings in Kia's design studio...

"Ford's doing well right now, so let's add the side vent thingy that they have. Oh yeah. We're copying Audi now. So slap some LEDs on the bumper, and presto... done!"

I never thought I would say this, but I am increasingly impressed with each new Kia that they release. If I recall, a few years ago they hired some sharp designers from VW and other studios and decided to upgrade the brand with its own design direction. They certainly do not look anything like the Kias of five or more years ago, in design or in assembly and materials quality. Other manufacturers should be concerned.

Looks kind of Ford Mondeo inspired, but this is hella good competition for its own sister-brand ...... which means its going to be hard pushing Sonatas out the same dealerships.

Kia/Hyundai is definately heading in the right direction...quickly! The new Genesis, Tucson, Optima, and Forte look really good. I'll have to see how they hold up over time to make a better judgement. But compared to some of the planned releases from Honda and Toyota (e.g. the Honda CR-Z and next gen Camry [patent images]), Kia/Hyundai is on the right road.

Very Taurus meets TSX. Those side vents though a overkill. I don't mind the LEDs though.

absolutely beautiful.

Looks like the spawn of a Taurus and an XF, which is not a bad thing. This car is very attractive.

It makes the current Optima look about a third of the price as this new one. Good job Kia!

You do know that this is a product of Peter Schreyer's, their new Design Chief they hired from Audi Motors? All automakers steal little bits and bytes from each other during body design. It's not a big deal at all. This thing looks great and remember, Kia offers a lot for the money, and, offers a great Warranty to go with it, too.

Like it!

As this will compete with Next Gen Camry/Mazda 6, it will get a 2.4 GDI and a V6. The more upscale Sonata competes with Buick Regal, and like Regal the Sonata only has 4 Cylinder powertrains.

This will be nearly $2K cheaper than Sonata, it will also have a more sport tuned suspension and handling. This will be Sonata's Nutty Younger Brother that's less cushy and refined, but its a lower cost to get in and its supposed to be even more fun (For a Family Car) than Sonata-which is a somewhat fun (For a Family car) car to drive. I hear some testers able to toss the Sonata around just fine. Well, this Optima will really be a car to toss around, and considering how KIA is trying to earn Performance credentials like Hyundai is trying to earn Premium Credentials. I think Edumnds, when you get one should find the nearest safe place and try to go bonkers with it.

Edmunds, please track test this the day you get your hands on one?

Very clean execution; makes me curious as to how a Genesis coupe variant would look like under the Kia design.

its not bad looking but my God pick a direction this car is all over the place ad i don't get the bottle opener grill Kinda bizarre not as bad as the new Acura Beak but its still a nice looking car it looks better than the Sonata with its recycled Solara styling!

This and the Sonata should be great used car buys, as they depreciate rapidly while holding on to their quality and warranty. See next Spring for an even better buy with rebates and incentives.

I am surprised no one took note that they are integrating LED lighting! That's pretty darn unique given the car's expected price. I don't recall any manufacturer offering such at the price range Kia's targeting, nor there be any that are non-premium brands offering such.

I like it a lot.

I always found Kia and Hyundai had quirky features only luxury makes offered, if they even did at anything below the flagship models:
Kia's Amanti had turn signal LEDs instead of regular bulbs and rear heated seats even in its first generation
Hyundai was among the first to have offered manumatic with the 2002 Sonata to my recollection
Sonata 02 redesign had illuminated vanity mirrors as standard. That was not even a feature on most cars its range.

Small things, but they were unique regardless.

@fkdspm

Don't expect the new Sonata or Optima to depreciate as rapidly as previous generations due to the average purchase price being closer to MSRP and reduction in fleet sales.

@zoomzoom22:

More the Fusion than the Taurus (shape and downward slant of the headlights) - but considering that the Kia Kue concept had the same type of headlights and debuted in 2007, one could say that Ford copied Kia.

Also, the Optima looks nothing like the XF.

@ne1butu2:

I can imagine the meetings in Kia's design studio...

"Ford's doing well right now, so let's add the side vent thingy that they have. Oh yeah. We're copying Audi now. So slap some LEDs on the bumper, and presto... done!"

********

Uhh, Kia's head of design, Peter Schreyer used to be head of designing at both Audi and VW (highly doubt that one of the most acclaimed auto designers needs to "copy").

As for the side vent thing - hope you blasted Ford from copying the side vents from the Pontiac G8 which, in turn, copied it from various BMWs (Z8, M3, etc.) - which, in turn, copied it from...

@stephen987

"An Acura TSX ate my Saab 9-5!"

****

The TSX was hardly original, but anyway - the Lexus RX, Saab 9-3 and a few others have similarly shaped rectangular headlights (the distinct downward slope was first done on the Kia Kue concept in 2007 - so one could say that the Lexus and Saab copied Kia on there).

As for the new 9-5, it's headlights have an eery resemblance to those on the Hyundai Santa Fe.

That rear 3/4 profile is very pretty, I'm impressed. However I gasped in horror at the front view. That grille is.... something. Everything else looks fine.

Wow, this is solid styling. I bet VW/Audi wish they had doubled his salary to keep him, if only so that he wouldn't design cars for other companies.

I see a lot of Dodge Avenger in that "brave" C pillar. The tail lights look like a 2nd gen IS (before the refresh) and I know vents aren't new or original, but the placement and design of those are almost identical to Taurus. Those wells look like Accords hubcaps too. Anyway, the car looks alright, but I don't see anything really special.

"Oh yeah. We're copying Audi now. So slap some LEDs on the bumper, and presto... done!"

Or mercedes, and porsche.... or they are copying as well..... HA, welcome to the world of automotive design.

The car looks good definitely, but I won`t be impressed by the cover book, I need substance to back it up (thats something you learn from korean cars), and that is until the first road tests start appearing.

It's a better looking TSX/Saab design. I love what Hyundai/Kia is doing with the design of their new cars. And their quality/safety is ranking at the top with the IIHS. I'm sure in the future, Hyundai/Kia will be taking over in the now defunct Toyota/Lexus quality. I wonder what the depreciation is like now for a Toyota/Lexus.

The design commentary above is pretty hilarious - of course there are similarities - IT'S A CAR! (My favorite comparison though is of the grille to a bottle opener - why do you think he came up with that?). Except for the side vents, which would be acceptable if they functioned, it's a straightforward design without the over-sculpted look coming out of the German assembly lines today. The C-pillar is way more SAAB than SAAB has ever been so there's no issue there. If they could give it the vault-like feel of a VW it would be scary good. Kurt Kahl is the guy at Kia to watch.

The C-pillar is not really Saab or Dodge Avenger; if anything, it's most reminscent of the Porsche 924/944.

*****

"it looks better than the Sonata with its recycled Solara styling"

@ pmtguy

Aside from a vague resemblance from having elongated headlights, what exactly about the Sonata looks like the Solara?

Maybe we should chastise the Solara for having similar wavy, side character lines that were previously on the Tiburon.

And if one actually looks at the headlights, the Sonata's are not only a diff. shape, but they are much more RADICALLY placed - entirely placed on the SIDE so that the headlights don't intrude into the natural flow of the hoodline.

If anything, the headlamps on the Renault Fluence ZE Concept look more like the Solara's than those on the Sonata (and the headlights on the Mercedes F800, due to their also being placed entirely on the side resemble the Sonata's; oh no, Mercedes "copying" Hyundai?).

I would argue that Kia has to be derivative at this stage, because they do not yet have the reputation to push the envelope. Once they have credibility, they can branch out with unique designs. This looks very attractive, which lets consumers weight the quality and features compared with more established brands. Good work!

That actually looks rather brilliant. Although it IS VERY VERY derivative of many other cars. Who cares? That's like telling a girl ugly for trying to look like Angelina Jolie. Are you mad?!? I mean, there are other derived cars that look ugly after being derived, like pontiacs after trying to copy BMW's twin grill. That's ugly. But this... very well done.

Pretty slick. Two thumbs up.

Of course this new Optima(K5 in Korea) has a derivative styling.

All you haters get the facts straight !

Kia's current chieft designer is Peter Schreyer, former chief designer for Audi and VW !!!

Also Im glad that Kia is finally finding their trademark design especially on the grill.

Look at all their new cars; K7, Sorrento, Sportage, and now Optima.

Finally got a family look atleast on the grill.