It’s been awhile since my last article but the end of each year brings a slight lull in the car review action. Breaking my pause is a second take for RFD on the Kia Optima SX. While I really don’t have much to add to the original article, I did come to a shockingly quick conclusion. You get an unbelievable amount of technology for not a whole lot of money these days.
The option list on this Kia seemed endless. For a mere $32,820 and some change you get the following:
- Leather Seats
- Turbo Engine
- 18” Wheels
- Radar Cruise Control
- Push Button Start and Smart Key/Trunk
- Lane Departure Warning
- Lane Keeping Assist
- Blind Spot Monitoring
- Forward Collision Warning and Avoidance Assist
- Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning
- Heated Steering Wheel
- Heated and Ventilated Seats
- Harmon Kardon Premium Audio
- Android Auto and Apple Carplay
- Bluetooth
- LED Headlights with Auto High Beam Assist
- LED Fog Lights, Taillights, and Daytime Running Lights
- Panoramic Sunroof w/Power Sunshade
That is an impressive option list, especially for the money. All of this does come with its downsides though. Premium gas is required for the turbo engine making the weekly trips to the pump more expensive. On top of that, due to the size of the wheels, tires may more expensive than someone who would buy a car like this would normally want to spend. With a long list of options you get a long list of things that could go wrong. Over the long term, quality issues with electronics and other features could eventually become very costly.
Aside from my ever-so-slight-slight worries, it is nice to see these features (especially on the safety side) really being made affordable to the masses. Quite a few of these would be surprising to find in a S-Class Mercedes even just a decade ago, but now you get them in a Kia. Here’s to hoping this trend continues in the future. I can’t wait to have night vision on a Tata Nano. Enjoy a few more pictures of the 2019 Kia Optima Turbo SX.
