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Powertrain Nitpicks - 2016 Kia Optima Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
edited June 2016 in Kia
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Powertrain Nitpicks - 2016 Kia Optima Long-Term Road Test

The Edmunds long-term 2016 Kia Optima has a turbocharged engine, which is cool. But is the refinement up to snuff? And is the automated manual transmission ready for prime time?

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    barich1barich1 Member Posts: 143
    I recently drove an automatic Golf with the 1.8T and the transmission was so lurchy at low speeds that I thought it was the DSG and was unimpressed. Only after looking it up later did I realize that it's a typical torque converter automatic. The engine was definitely nice, though, but the transmission was enough to cross it off the list.
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    misterfusionmisterfusion Member Posts: 471
    I don't think a dual-clutch transmission should have artificial creep at all. It's not endemic to the hardware, it's just something that the automaker feels they have to add because people who drive slushboxes are "used to it". I actually like automatics, but I don't see what purpose the artificial creep serves in this case.
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    tatermctatumstatermctatums Member Posts: 107
    There are people who wear earplugs while vacuuming?
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I wear mine in the garage if I'm vacuuming - that's where the built-in vac lives. If I still had a ShopVac I'd probably wear 'em too. My ears mildly ring just with ambient noise and it helps to avoid "those" kinds of sounds.
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    daryleasondaryleason Member Posts: 501
    Huh...my wife told me that the Government said for people to stop using vacuums because it harmed the environment. I haven't seen her run a vacuum in almost 10 years... Plus, it frees up electricity for people to charge their Teslas. I know...it's a hardship....but anything for the environment.

    Seriously, though, my house has all-wood floors, so it's really been ten years since I've heard a vacuum run.
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Bet if your wife got a 4WD vac with BLIS and BOSE, you'd be cleaning the floors three times a week. :p
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    daryleasondaryleason Member Posts: 501
    @stever : What, exactly, is "BLIS" short for? As for the house work (which I admit the wife does most of), I've told her for years we need to build a house out of concrete with a drain in each room and a water spigot in each room. When it's time to clean, just hose down the inside. I have no problem with patio furniture inside. She, on the other hand, decided I was an idiot. Of course...my rebuttal is that who's really the idiot since she married me...
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Blind Spot Information System.

    Blind spots also help you stay happily married (no comment on how big your wife's blind spot is. B) )
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    schen72schen72 Member Posts: 433
    misterfusion said:

    I don't think a dual-clutch transmission should have artificial creep at all. It's not endemic to the hardware, it's just something that the automaker feels they have to add because people who drive slushboxes are "used to it". I actually like automatics, but I don't see what purpose the artificial creep serves in this case.

    Acura's DCT has a torque convertor attached to it for the purposes of having a natural feeling creep, in addition to low speed smoothness. I'd say it works pretty well in my '16 ILX. Assuming it's actually reliable, this seems the best of both worlds. Ease of low speed movement and super fast shifts.
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    misterfusionmisterfusion Member Posts: 471
    @schen72 - Yes, I admit that is a unique solution that Honda/Acura came up with. Especially if you say that it works well in practice. Maybe the best of both worlds indeed.
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    charltoncharlton Member Posts: 21
    edited June 2016
    For me the engine is OK. I don't have much gripe toward it. The DCT on the other hand... it's only good if you're never going to drive below 15-20mph. And then it's fantastic. If I'm not mistaken, this same DCT has gone into Hyundai Tucson, and there you've quite a few complaints on those online forums. The 'lurch' when coming to a stop, and then lack of acceleration while trying to get going is driving me crazy. My wife who drives our 1.6T Optima last week, for a change, drove my 14-yr old beater Civic. She said Civic has acceleration like that of a sports car!

    I've requested my dealer to see if they can reprogram the clutch without affecting fuel economy. If there's not much improvement, I'm not suggesting this car to anyone. So Josh, yours is a valid concern, and not a nitpick.

    I wonder how this car can be ranked #2 - https://www.cars.com/articles/whats-the-best-midsize-sedan-for-2016-1420684690275/; maybe they also considered other trims.

    -BC
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