Performance Tested - 2016 Kia Optima Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

Performance Tested - 2016 Kia Optima Long-Term Road Test

We take our long-term 2016 Kia Optima to the track for performance testing and come away unimpressed with its new transmission.

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nagant

Funny how none of the other tests have talked about this kind of problem in the trans. Maybe this one has a problem.

longtimelurker

This illustrates the trade-offs in producing a LRR tire. Even from somebody like Michelin. This is minivan/CUV-level handling and braking.

ebeaudoin

nagant said:

Funny how none of the other tests have talked about this kind of problem in the trans. Maybe this one has a problem.

What I've heard from some other car sites is that this is a dry clutch design. Instead of being immersed in an oil bath (which creates parasitic losses but cools the unit better) like a wet clutch DCT, this transmission is a dry clutch design. Dry clutch transmissions are found in lower-powered applications and in applications where efficiency is key. It will be interesting to see how this transmission holds up and to see what writers' opinions of it are.

vvk

> During part- and full-throttle applications, this transmission exhibits a significant delay during upshifts.
> As the Optima prepares for a shift, you can feel it slowly roll off the power. After making the shift, it slowly re-engages the throttle.

You will have to pry my M Sport gear levers from my cold dead hands.

nagant

ebeaudoin said:

nagant said:

Funny how none of the other tests have talked about this kind of problem in the trans. Maybe this one has a problem.

What I've heard from some other car sites is that this is a dry clutch design. Instead of being immersed in an oil bath (which creates parasitic losses but cools the unit better) like a wet clutch DCT, this transmission is a dry clutch design. Dry clutch transmissions are found in lower-powered applications and in applications where efficiency is key. It will be interesting to see how this transmission holds up and to see what writers' opinions of it are.

I have seen that as well but there was no mention of slow shifting. Interesting.

nagant

longtimelurker said:

This illustrates the trade-offs in producing a LRR tire. Even from somebody like Michelin. This is minivan/CUV-level handling and braking.

And that is just fine for the 99% that buy this car. If one is pushing a family car to its limits on the freeway entrance then one is an idiot. It handles and rides just fine for it's mission; to be an economical family car. I like the fact that the tires will be cheap to replace (even if one wants to go one size up) that it will be cheap to put gas in and cheap to insure, like midsize family cars supposed to be.

dm7279

nagant said:

longtimelurker said:

This illustrates the trade-offs in producing a LRR tire. Even from somebody like Michelin. This is minivan/CUV-level handling and braking.

And that is just fine for the 99% that buy this car. If one is pushing a family car to its limits on the freeway entrance then one is an idiot. It handles and rides just fine for it's mission; to be an economical family car. I like the fact that the tires will be cheap to replace (even if one wants to go one size up) that it will be cheap to put gas in and cheap to insure, like midsize family cars supposed to be.

Very true, really most drivers only need the power or grip in an emergency situation. 99.9% of the time, this car's performance is more than adequate.

agentorange

You consider a turbocharged car properly broken in at 1364 miles? Hmmm.

subytrojan

Is slalom testing no longer performed? What's going on?