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What is Auto Pacific?
My thoughts exactly....
As for the MKT....it has been a bust....Lincoln dealers are stuck with them. All it offers is a snazzy engine (3.5L Ecoboost). Lincoln as a company is still struggling...
Guess again. Right here on Edmunds if you look at new cars, and click on Station Wagons, list is 2011 Lincoln MKT.
Wagons
The Flex/MKT is indeed a wagon, a little taller, and not as long, but definitely a wagon. It reminds me a LOT of the 1979 LTD Wagon I had. It is not a crossover, the Edge is a crossover, the Freestyle was a crossover, but this is a wagon. The only difference is the tailgate goes up instead of down.
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Acdii also did not look closely enough, missing the fact that "crossover" is just a subcategory of "wagon" here on edmunds, go here:
http://www.edmunds.com/finder/type.wagon.html;f=%2Busein:new?cat=Wagon&reFacet=c- artype:Wagon&p=cvehicledata%23%23-1%23%23-1~~f66||436172~~f78||5761676f6e~~q
now look on the right side for "VEHICLE TYPE", and see this list:
Diesel
Crossover
Factory Tuner
Flex Fuel
High-Performance
Luxury
Performance
Purely subjective of course but the new Sonata never appealed to my wife or I even at first glance. We liked the more conservative look (and $5,000 discount) of the 2010 model and, in fact, purchased one a month ago. Great, great car and can only imagine how nice the added features and MPG on the newer model must be.
Yep, that car will be on my short list when I'm ready to buy. Until then, I'll be watching customer satisfaction and repair records. I owned a German made Buick back in the day, and the car was nice, if a little rattly and unreliable.
Check Edmunds new cars prices.
2011 Kia Optima Commercial
Minus those rims, and plus a turbo engine.
Sporty, stylish, but you can fit a child seat in the back and there is room for adults back there too. On top of which you're not spending BMW money. Now the question is, where will this car (in turbo) top out? 30k? 32k? If I'm hitting 32 or up I have to cross shop with an A4 or G37 to see if that extra few thousand buys me enough car to be a value advantage.
I've only seen it in that color by the way, why is that? Do they feel this color is the best representation of the car?
I see that Sonatas are being advertised in Chicago for a little more than Accord and Camry right now. That may change but I think it's a thing of the past where Hyundais are 2k-3k cheaper than the others. It's a good thing all around for us as it makes things a lot more competitive.
Not sure how the pricing and options structure will be on the Optima but guessing when all is said and done it will be close to the Sonata plus or minus. At the end of the day looks like I should see the Optima Turbo without Navigation for well under 30k. We'll see.
Not as good looking as the Sonata but still a very good value, I know there are a ton of features
Definitely a nice looking car though from what I've seen. Similar to the Sonata but distinctly it's own car.
I'll reserve my opinion until the Optima hits the street and I can see it in person. I actually liked the pictures of the Sonata but once I began seeing it on the street, not as much. Still a good looking car and different than what we've seen though. Some people prefer a little more understated look and I guess I'm one of them. Besides, "good looking" is in the eye of the beholder and is strictly a personal opinion, not fact.
I just wish they would show the new Optima with some better looking wheels. Those look ok when they are spinning but I don't like them sitting still.
The Optima (in images) looks a bit more masculine to me. Not quite hard edges but less swoopy. More aggressive. More like an old mustang as opposed to a corvette. (maybe that's a bad analogy)
Specifically from a profile view:
http://www.automobilesreview.com/gallery/2011-kia-optima/slides/kia-optima-2011-- 02.jpg
http://www.autos4fast.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/2011-Hyundai-Sonata-2.jpg
That's exactly how I felt. I'm just not liking the Sonata now that I've seen several in action. I did see a Kizashi on the road the other day and was more impressed with it in person than I initially was in pictures. I would take one of those over the Sonata if looks alone were my criteria. The new Optima looks pretty good to me too but it could be a train wreck in person like the Sonata is IMO.
My current ride is an '09 Flex, and I love the way it looks, so it's not like I'm into the conservative look either.
On another note, just read that Ford is holding a press conference at 3pm EST today and that they will probably officially announce the demise, and maybe a timetable, of the Mercury brand. Sad, but a sign of the times. Always liked the way Mercurys looked compared to the same Ford product.
It'll (Optima) make the Kentucky run in 12 parsecs.
http://2011kiaoptima.com/images/2011-kia-optima-white.jpg
cause? That defined "cool" for my generation.
On the positive side, it does seem to me that US brand cars are starting to come along. At least in my eyes. Fusion, CTS, Regal, new Camaro and Mustang... all cars I would consider competitive at least and cars I would test drive if they fall into the class I'm shopping.
1963 Tempest (one of the first modern American 4 cyl cars I think)
1971 LeManns
1987 Bonneville
1992 Grand Am
It's from this site:
http://2011kiaoptima.com/index.php
I dunno on that Optima. I haven't warmed up the panoramic sunroof. Where I live, the object is to block out as much sun as possible. Doesn't seem like it would be safe in an accident either. And those wheels are hideous. Call me old fashioned, but I like cars without a sunroof and more traditional alloys.
I haven't owned a car with hub caps in 25 years. I can barely remember them. You can't confuse me, I'm already confused.
No, really, those Optima wheels are not my cup of tea,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqzctqK5Arg
Here's another vid showing the interior, I like how everything comes to life when you start it up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OQ-0YYjLr8
2004 Infiniti G35: 2dr Coupe w/Leather, Automatic
Curb Weight: 3422 lbs. - Horsepower: 280 hp - Torque: 270 ft-lbs. Max Torque: 4800 rpm 16 mpg / 23 mpg
A Sonata Limited has a curb weight of 3199 lbs. The Turbo engine is supposed to deliver: "274 hp at 6000 rpm. Torque stands at an equally impressive 269 lb-ft, delivered between 1800 and 4500 rpm." as per this article:
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/10q1/2011_hyundai_sonata_2.0t_turbo-auto_sh- ows
Is it fair to say these two cars would feel similar in terms of power and acceleration?
I'd guess they'll both run a 0-60 in the mid-to-high 5 second range, or the short answer... yes.
I think we've found a replacement for the Aura listed on the right!
You're asking to be talked down so I'm going to criticize based on what I see in the photos plus the photos at http://www.thecarconnection.com/photos/kia_optima_2011#100309752 I'm sure there's plenty to praise but that's not what you asked for.
The outside of the car is quite attractive, but as noted rear visibility is a question with that design. As would be rear seat headroom & easy of entry.
What purpose is served by the black roof? If it's just tinted glass I'd pass; even around Chicago car interiors heat up plenty in summer. I couldn't imagine the oven effect further south. (I know tinted windows reduce the heat but that's just it .. they reduce it; they don't stop it)
The trunk opening looks tall but not deep. Fine for groceries but may be awkward for other items.
Those are my only real negatives on the exterior. My main gripes would be with the interior.
To me, the lower spokes on the steering wheel look out of place. A single 3rd spoke or just using panels mounted around the center of the steering wheel would look better. And while I don't think I could stand the glossy top of the steering wheel in the first interior photo, the apparently leather-wrapped wheel in the remaining pics is fine.
The dash vents are awfully large as is the trip computer between the gauges. I like that place for the TC but see no reason for it to take up so much space in the panel. I find it lacking aesthetically and from a usability standpoint I wonder how easy it will be to direct cold air from the vents in a way that won't freeze my hands (the guy driving in the bottom pic does not have his hands where you're supposed to).
The nav screen isn't sufficiently shielded from sunlight. The second pic from the bottom shows the screen washed out & unreadable. It could use another inch or two in size as well. The buttons below it are very uniform in size so operating by touch while driving will be challenging.
There looks to be virtually no storage in the center console forward of the shifter.
Oh, and yuck, no floor mats. :P
I think that is just from where the picture is being taken from. From the driver's seat I don't think you would have a big problem with glare. The size also doesn't appear to be out of line with other cars I've seen. There are some bigger but there are also some a lot smaller....Mazda NAV anyone? :confuse:
I like the exterior (now THOSE are sharp wheels), but there's something about the interior that triggered the word "cheap!" in my mind. Maybe it's the unending swaths of black plastic. Maybe it looks richer in person. But for now I prefer the looks of the Sonata's interior (and Mazda6 and Legacy, for that matter).
Optima Interior 1
Optima Interior 2
Optima exterior
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