Kia figured out that midsize buyers don't necessarily have a case of multi-cylinder envy; they just want the extra power
Rick Charles -
INSIDELINE - Dec 17. 2010
We've finally arrived at the day that smaller, better engines will prevail --Ed.
This year's launch of the 2011 Kia Optima is the biggest in the company's history. The all-new sedan has the most ambitious package of styling, quality and features the company has ever offered and it's expecting big things. The Optima's packaging is the result of lessons learned over Kia's 15-plus years in the U.S. market. But Kia's research also came up with one more necessary ingredient to a successful midsize sedan in the U.S. market — a V6 engine option.
After doing some cost/benefit analysis, however, Kia figured out that midsize buyers don't necessarily have a case of multi-cylinder envy; they just want the extra power. In other words, a turbocharged four-cylinder with enough guts would work just fine. That's where the 2011 Kia Optima EX Turbo comes in. It's powered by a 2.0-liter inline-4 that uses gas direct injection (GDI) and a twin-scroll turbocharger system to pump out 274 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. That's nearly 50 percent more power than the normally aspirated 2.4-liter base inline-4 unit, while delivering an identical 34 mpg highway rating and only 2 mpg less (22 mpg) in the city. That ought to do the trick...
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