Kia Optima

[Ant]

Kia's new midsize saloon. Is it cool?

[mudhut]

Not cool but then neither is a Mondeo which I thought it resembled superficially. A perfectly competent car in its sector I expect.

[orgigeorgie]

i voted cool just based on the front and rear 3/4 shots. I think it looks nice. And this could b a watershed for kia.

[mudhut]

Originally Posted by orgigeorgie

I think it looks nice. And this could b a watershed for kia.

I agree. It's a good looking car.

[palexr]

Originally Posted by mudhut

Not cool but then neither is a Mondeo which I thought it resembled superficially. A perfectly competent car in its sector I expect.

My feelings exactly. I voted uncool, not because it was a Kia, but because it tries a little too hard and misses the mark - just.

[Squadrone Rosso]

I quite like it and I'd vote cool based on it's anti norm

I think it's a decent enough looking car. I also think the Cee'd is pretty good looking, especially in three door form.

My cousin has a Kia 4x4 (forget which one) and he regards it as brilliant. He loves his cars too (his weekend car is an XJR).

I think if you're in the market for a mainstream car you'd be daft not to look at Kias.

Having said all of that, I don't think they are cool but I don't think they are supposed to be.

[Gaz]

Nothing wrong with it. Just cool

[SENNA1]

Uncool.

[MalcQV]

It's a seriously uncool car. You buy one because it is a cheapish new car. This one actually looks OK but could never be cool.

[Leitrim155]

Bl_ _dy awful thing.... no way can such a thing be cool.... might be competent etc but a seriously boring form of transport, built in a jungle clearing in S. E. Asia... My opinion of course...

[giordano92]

Uncool

Saluti, Giordano.

[73GTVJim]

Originally Posted by MalcQV

It's a seriously uncool car. You buy one because it is a cheapish new car. This one actually looks OK but could never be cool.

In one! It's fine for what it is, not bad looking in an inoffensive, fleet-targeted way but that alone is enough to render a car uncool.

I'm just mildly surprised to see 6 (of 19 at this point) voted cool

[palexr]

There should be a fifth category - neither cool nor uncool.

It is not cool, but to me it is definitely not uncool.

[Gibbo]

Uncool

[kiscix]

Uncool.

Styling wise it's close, but just misses the mark. Kia have improved a lot in recent years as well, but this is basically just white goods much like any boggo Mondeo/Insignia/Mazda 6 etc. The fact that it can now match those is saying something anyway, considering where Kia were even just 5 years ago - but it'll be another 5-10 years yet until they'll come out with something you'd genuinely consider 'cool'.

[ACAPULCO AL]

uncool. which is fine because it's not MEANT to be cool, it's white goods. no white goods are cool.

[bobda]

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

uncool. which is fine because it's not MEANT to be cool, it's white goods. no white goods are cool.

Except Smeg fridges and Dualit toasters.

It looks good, but good looks do not a cool car make. I'm not voting in this because I don't think it's cool and I also don't think it's uncool. A definite 'meh' - although Kia are making some seriously good cars these days.

[Keithy]

I'm with Malc and Jim on this one.

I also would point out that we do indeed lack "Meh" as an option between cool/uncool.

The other issue with cars with "lesser" badges is that people will assume that you bought it because you're tight. You could argue until you're blue in the face that it's as good as a Mondeo/Insignia/407 or that it's better equipped than a Passat but nobody will believe you.

I can almost make a case for it being cool on the basis that it will be bought by people who aren't really concerned about image and other people's perceptions but I think that leads me to the conclusion that the buyers of Kias might be cool rather than the cars.

[Keithy]

Originally Posted by keithyboy

.. I think that leads me to the conclusion that the buyers of Kias might be cool

Put the tops back on the marker pens!

I think that is the sort of 'Fishes swim in water, I am swimming in water, therefore I am a fish' logic that leads you nowhere

[trashbat]

I agree with Keithyboy. It's cool in that the owners have managed to buy a car that for not a lot of money (though that bit is decreasingly true) is both good looking and a solid all round proposition. This is similar to how the first Skoda Octavia was kind of cool just because of its unexpected competence.

On its own though, neither here nor there. It is an attractive car that I wouldn't be embarassed to own. Neither cool nor uncool.

[radosuaf]

It's a KIA. Seriously uncool.

[Shant Ole]

Uncool

[trashbat]

Just to stir: how is the low regard of Kia based on increasingly distant history any different from 'Alfas always break down'?

E2A: if it still existed, you could have believably put SAAB badges on that thing (design language wise) and it would have shot up in most people's estimation.