2006 Kia Optima LX from North America - Comments

Nothing.

Excellent value. I had previously owned a used 2004 Optima EX (4-cyl) for only 6 months and was so impressed with the build quality that I turned around and bought a new 2006 (old body style) just for the warranty. I opted for the 4-cyl LX manual trans because of the torque. I swapped the wheels for similarly-sized 15" alloys and increased the tire size to 215/60-15 Kumho's that would accommodate 44psi. The car handles so much better than before. In light of putting 30,000 miles on it in under a year, it is still tight as day one. Mileage is better than advertised and I average 30-33 mpg.

Did I mention that I got this car for only $12,500 out the door? It was still new on the lot, as the dealer stated that it had 6000 miles because it was a "demo" (sure, 5 speed, no options, and hubcaps) - but I just couldn't pass up this bargain. It fits my job perfectly (I repair copiers and haul a lot of gear, need a large back seat, and travel so much).

Overall, a very comfortable car with a touch of sporty pretenses with a rock-solid powerplant that can stand up to countless miles of punishment.

Sad to say this, but in 5 years this car will have about 200,000 miles on it, and I wonder if I'll ever get this kind of deal again, considering that Kia and Hyundai (just picked up a 2007 Sonata) are improving substantially each year. One final note: buy them now while the prices are still cheap...

No thanks, I'll keep with Chevrolet.

The Chevy Malibu is direct competitor to the Optima. It's more expensive, very ugly, and quality isn't even as good. Try the Optima.

At $12,500 you've done a steal, but that's got nothing to do with the actual price on this vehicle, since on the road price on their base model is closer to $19,000 as quoted to me by a local dealer. And they don't do discounts and no trade in allowed. At those terms you can pick'n choose from about any manufacturer.

That's so typical Kia, since upfront it's impossible to get a good deal on their vehicles. And then the year after they dump thousands of vehicles that they were unable to sell at bargain prices. Happens every year.

I'd agree with you that $12,500 on the road price for this car is a steal, but if you pay sticker prices at close to $19,000 for this vehicle you are pretty dumb. The Optima may be good, but besides that Kia has resale values that suck. Remember the first Sedonas? Where are they now; right on the junkyard? Or you can pick them up secondhand for about $1000.

Let's not try to bash the old body style Optima here. The reason why I purchased it for such a steep discount was because they had the new 2006.5 models out. For a work vehicle, it just can't be beaten for the price. I now have accumulated 40K miles on it in just over a year, and it is still tight as a drum. True, depreciation is very steep, but guess what - this car won't break. Fit and finish are exceptional, the 5-speed is torquey, returns 30mpg, and the low center of gravity really make this an entertaining piece on the road.

ANY GM product is a disappointment-how could anyone be enviable to cheap plastic interiors and substandard fit and finish. The South Koreans are on to something here, and it's called pride in your work. So if your palate justifies one of these vehicles, then rock on and enjoy your Top-Raman soups for dinner.

If I had a choice between Kia and Chevy Sedans, I'd choose the Kia in a heartbeat. The GM's people put in cheap plastic in the sedans, there's a lot of rattles, etc after a while on the GM vehicles. The quality in the Kia is much better, and plus the crash rating in the Kia's are excellent. Don't think of the brand, put SAFETY in your mind first when deciding on a vehicle. You can't beat the price, and plus all the airbags that are included in this vehicle.

It's nice to see a midsize sedan come with a 5-speed manual. Kia is doing a lot of things right.