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I think these may be the same design shocks they are using in the Optima SX.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Since I recognize where that balance point is for most americans, I certainly understand why Kia would would aim for that with the Optima.
If the Optima SX continues to aim for the Altima/6 end of the spectrum, does that mean the rest of the Optima line will have ride/handling more in line with the existing Sonata GLS, or even softer?
However, I kind of agree that this year could be where the drivetrains and handling merge and the big difference is strictly looks and content price points.
We are very different types of driver / buyer. The average person who buys a 22K midsize sedan probably leans more towards her side of the spectrum than my.
Well that's the problem - they're broken!
http://www.nitrobahn.com/news/2011-kia-optima-ex-to-go-on-sale-from-october/
After unveiling the 2011 Kia Optima EX at the New York Auto Show in April last year, Kia Motors America has finally decided to start selling the car from October this year at a base price of $22,100.
Picked it up last night. Out the door I paid $14,400. Purchase price was $13,892+$508 tax. V6 GLS, PEP with moonroof, 48k miles. Certified pre-owned.
I love it! Never owned a V6 before; I love riding the torque curve up hills. Thus-far I'm averaging 28.3 mpg in a heavy-highway mix (75% probably) of driving.
Congrats on the new ride, Grad. Keep us posted, especially on the mpg.
For what it's worth, I sold my '06 Accord I4 EX with 64,400 miles and got my asking price immediately (same-day I listed it on facebook), $13,750.
I know I got good money for the Honda, and I feel like I did well with the Sonata considering it is immaculate inside and has only a couple of scratches outside.
What year is it? Also, the pics are too big, as the posts are cut off on the right-hand side.
Either way, nice ride! Yes, a V6 is addictive, and I could never drive a 4-cylinder as a DD anymore (I'm on my second V6 after an anemic 4-cylinder Grand Am...)
Console fabric came apart
CD Changer had to be replaced
Rear view mirror glass fell out
Gas flap wouldn't open
Horn quit working
Auto-Off lights were becoming uncooperative as I sold it
It was a very un-Honda experience even though at heart it was a fantastic car to drive over the years. I was sad to see it go, but I didn't have an ounce of regret. With my new job I do much more long-distance commuting and less around-town point and shoot driving. The Sonata is more Camry-like (yeah, let the jokes begin), but while the steering is noticeably number than the Accord, it is still very accurate and not overly light. The brakes and throttle are also much easier to modulate than the jumpy-in-comparison Accord. Much easier to drive in traffic. Couple that with finally having enough front legroom (I'm 6'5", the Sonata is probably an inch and a half roomier in seat-travel), and I was sold.
I still have my '96 Accord, by the way. :shades: 215k miles and nary a rattle to be heard.
Forgot to answer your question; the Sonata is a 2009. They dropped the V6 option on GLS models for 2010.
Congrats, we have the same car now! Except yours is a V6, mine is 4 banger. Oh, and yours is 2 years newer. And you have a moonroof. Just minor differences. (wink)
Hope you enjoy it. Our 2007 GLS PEP, steel grey (also a nice color I think) is holding up well. I hate to mention this, but we've owned it for nearly a year and no door dings yet. (Yep, will probably get one today.)
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
Thank you for the compliments! I'm loving the car so far; so much-so that I've put 280 miles on it since Thursday night! I've not been a stranger to the middle (3-4k RPM) part of the tach since I'm so new to all the power, but it is still returning 25.6 MPG according to the computer. Loving it, and the USB audio. I simply used a thumb-drive so I don't have to fish my iPod out of the console everytime I get out.
I'll keep the experiences coming. A couple of things I miss about the Accord:
1.) Delay-Off headlamps; they were nice when trying to get to the front door in the dark
2.) Remote roll-down windows; it's still hot in Alabama, and this was one of the best "detail features" the Accord had.
Most likely not. The TSX wagon is the real Accord wagon. For us here State side, we get the wonderfully awkward Crosstour.
My father had a 1991 Accord wagon, which has more cargo room then the Crosstour, got better fuel economy and was actually fun to drive. What ever happened to Honda??
For cargo needs, I'd get a 6 wagon (or 5-door) over the CX-7/CX-9 anytime, anywhere.
That is, if Mazda still offered them...
CUVs really aren't that bad as they are built on car frames. People like the higher seating and the load floor is at a lot nicer height for loading and unloading. My dad has a big Mercury in TX and while the trunk is huge, it is very hard for him to bend down into to get his groceries out. While I was down there with my SUV recently and we went to the store he commented on how nice it was and would be perfect for him as it was very easy to put stuff in the rear and retrieve. Not that they can only be appreciated by older people with groceries but I find it nice when going to the big box hardware stores and gettting large bags of fertilizer etc. They are also high enough to haul furniture without wedging it in.
All in all, CUVs and SUVs have a purpose but don't get quite the mpg or handle as well as a midsize car(topic) but for many people that can't afford a car and truck, they are nice compromise.
You make them sound like death traps and gas hogs which is a huge exaggeration.
If you prefer wagons then good for you. Styling and seat height is a personal preference. Just don't exaggerate trying to rationalize your choice. Do wagons handle better? Of course - they have a lower center of gravity. Does that make SUVs/CUVs inherently dangerous? Of course not.
Enter the dreaded minivan, gone are the days of large station wagons.
So now our choices are, ick, dreaded minivan, SUV, or a CUV. I have 3 kids, and hate minivans and SUV's, but found that the Flex is a good alternative to those, its not quite a car, and NOT a minivan or SUV. Its just a few inches taller than the old station wagon I had, just not as long, but handles quite well, and has lots of power to do whatever I need it to do. This is the one vehicle I don't see as a Crossover either, it just looks like a larger Scion XB, and that is a car. To me its a station wagon. :shades:
I saw the Honda wagon at the Chicago auto show, and thought it looked bloated, and couldn't imagine people wanting one. To me it was just a sedan with an easy to get to trunk. Subaru always had a wagon of some sort, practical if you have 2 or fewer kids, styling, not too bad, and dependable. Aside from that I haven't seen any other car company make a wagon that is useful.
The Honda wagaon at the Chicago auto show? Do you mean the Crosstour? That's hardly a proper wagon, it's basically a hatchback. The new TSX sportwagon is an actual wagon which is based on the Euro Accord.
I have 3 kids, and hate minivans and SUV's, but found that the Flex is a good alternative to those, its not quite a car, and NOT a minivan or SUV. Its just a few inches taller than the old station wagon I had,
The Flex is nothing more than a squared off minivan with regular doors instead of sliders. At best most people would think it's a CUV(SUV shaped body on a car frame, at least that my definition). You can continue to believe it is somehow different because it has a little different style and decent power but it's basically the same thing.
Now that the new Explorer has went to unibody and seats 7, I don't think Flex is long for this world. The Flex and Explorer are just to close in size and function to justify both. The Explorer can go offroad still if need be but looks to be a good road car as well.
I've already apologized, and am sorry my pictures are still causing a problem for you; I couldn't edit once I realized it was posing a problem for some. For what its worth, you can go to an individual post by using the search tools towards the bottom of the page.
Back on topic, I'm quite pleased with my Sonata V6 thus-far. In a 50/50 mix of city and highway driving, my MPG has settled right in at 25.5, +/- .2 on my first tank. I'll not be able to tell what the true reading is until my next tank when I fill up and reset the trip meter myself, so for now I'm reliant on the computer.
He didn't say it was different - just that he disliked the styling of minivans and SUVs but liked the styling of the Flex. And that's all it comes down to - personal preferences.
Now that the new Explorer has went to unibody and seats 7, I don't think Flex is long for this world.
A significantly refreshed Flex is already in the works. Explorer is high volume, lower priced, off-road capable, etc. Flex is lower volume, higher price, more exclusive features and highly stylized with NO off road aspirations. Other than the fact that they're based on the same platform and share ONE engine - they're totally different.
I am glad you finally found the car you were looking for as I know you have been looking for quite some time and your new car does look quite nice in that color. Curious that you got a V6 though as I thought you were a confirmed 4 cyl person.
I've been very happy with my fours, but after spending a decent amount of time in a V6 lately, and finding that the MPGs were just 1-2 mpg off from what I was getting in a substantially less-powerful engine, I figured I'd take the plunge into a V6, especially one with a timing chain. I'm getting the same mileage in my Sonata as my '96 Accord with 130 tired but faithful horses. Hard to complain about that.
If I had a complaint with the Sonata powertrain it'd be that the transmission is rather sluggish, but accelerating uphill in 4th is a breeze at 40 MPH, so a need to downshift really isn't even there.
To be fair, I drove a 4-cyl Sonata Limited ('09 or '10, can't remember), and it felt much... MUCH slower than my '06 Accord. I ended the test drive after 4 miles. The test of my Sonata lasted nearly an hour and 35 miles.
Another way to lose it is to click on post #15563 (the one after the picture), then that'll be at the top of the page and no wide picture.
He didn't say it was different - just that he disliked the styling of minivans and SUVs but liked the styling of the Flex.
Excuse me but I think if you read his statement again he quite clearly said it was different by saying it is "NOT a minivan or SUV". What would you classify it as? It's certainly not a midsized sedan or a station wagon. If you go to Ford's official site the Flex is pictured with the Edge under the tab "Crossovers". Another quote from acdii is below.
So now our choices are, ick, dreaded minivan, SUV, or a CUV.
So what is it cause I guess Ford doesn't have a clue?
He was referring to styling. It's certainly not a minivan without sliding doors or the short hood. It's not a SUV because it's not built for towing or going offroad. It's an urban crossover - as close to a wagon as you can get without being a wagon.
And that's the whole point of the Flex - it gives people who just want a comfortable urban cruiser that can seat 7 an alternative to minivans and SUVs. Who cares if it's just a tall purpose built station wagon?
I just find the Flex so close in "style" to both of those type of vehicles that to say you hate one but love the other doesn'nt make sense to me.
But that's what makes the world go around, I'm not putting anybody down for it....just disagreeing. I don't hate any vehicle, they all have their good points and bad.
I just find the Flex so close in "style" to both of those type of vehicles that to say you hate one but love the other doesn'nt make sense to me.
Have you actually seen a Flex? It's a totally unique vehicle. It doesn't look like anything else and that's part of the appeal - a big part. There are people who would kill for a Flex who would never consider an Explorer or a minivan. I don't know why that's so hard to understand unless you're only considering the number of passengers and not how the vehicles actually look inside and outside.
I just rode in a Flex the other day. The body shop gave me a ride home and picked me up in one. It was nice, rode well, seemed peppy enough, etc. Nothing wrong with it. As far as people that would kill for it? You must run with a rough crowd.
To me it just looks like an XB on steroids and that's not a pretty thought. Like I said, we just see this vehicle differently and you're not going to convince me that it's really a thing of beauty and I'm not going to convince you that it's ugly. We just disagree on something that there is no final answer because looks are just a matter of personal taste.
Take care.
What I was trying to point out is that the Flex is totally different than a minivan and it's different than the Explorer.
There are people who hate minivans but love the Flex like acdii. There are people like my wife who love the new Explorer but absolutely hates the Flex AND minivans. And there are people who love minivans but hate the Flex. Because they LOOK like totally different vehicles even if they perform the same function. People are paying almost $50K for a loaded Flex because it's unique and it offers a 365 hp engine. Nobody buys a minivan because it's unique or because it offers 365 hp. People who buy a Flex don't take them camping or buy them to tow a small boat - but they do buy Explorers for that.
If you think they're the same then good for you but that opinion doesn't apply to everyone else.
Gee, you're finally getting it. I don't need to have everyone agree with me. I'm just offering my personal opinion.. I didn't say they were the same but I still think that the Flex is a CUV and acdii said he hated CUVs along with SUVs and Minivans. If you want to make the Flex out to be some one-of-a-kind wondercar that is different than anything else on the planet that's up to you.
Absolutely wrong. What he said was.......
So now our choices are, ick, dreaded minivan, SUV, or a CUV. I have 3 kids, and hate minivans and SUV's, but found that the Flex is a good alternative to those
You started the argument saying you couldn't understand how he could possibly like one but hate the other two because they were basically the same thing. To most people they're not the same at all.
I didn't say they were the same
Really?
The Flex is nothing more than a squared off minivan with regular doors instead of sliders. At best most people would think it's a CUV(SUV shaped body on a car frame, at least that my definition). You can continue to believe it is somehow different because it has a little different style and decent power but it's basically the same thing.
I give up. No point arguing with someone who can't keep a conversation or facts straight.
getting very anal here or what? I'm not saying they are all physically exactly the same. I said they are basically the same. Big square body type vehicle that sits a lot of people and can haul a lot of stuff to put it simply. Let's use some common sense here. IMO the Flex is a SUV body on a car frame which is a CUV which is what Ford says it is. If someone says they dread a CUV but then goes on about how much he loves one what is one to think. acdii said dreaded minivans, suvs and cuvs. If someone dreads something I assume they don't like it. So let's keep the facts straight on both sides.
To most people they're not the same at all.
Have you taken a scientific survey on this or is this just your opinion? If you have some facts please spit them out. Unless you have some facts it ends up being just your WAG. Personally, I think the average person looking at the Flex, at least those not worshiping cars like we do, would probably say it's some kind of SUV for lack of better description. That's what my wife thought when I got dropped off by the bodyshop. But that is simply an opinion so I'm not going to say that most people think that. I'll leave that to you.