The Kia Optima is dead

Kinja'd!!! "MrSnrub" (sv100)
05/20/2020 at 18:10 • Filed to: None

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Long live the K5, apparently?

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DISCUSSION (29)


Kinja'd!!! interstate366, now In The Industry > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 18:14

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When I took my dog to the vet last month someone there had an Optima that was rebadged as a K5. Given that almost everyone that worked there was over 40, and the one guy who was into cars drove something else, I have no idea whose it was.


Kinja'd!!! phenotyp > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 18:17

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Boy, that’s a dumb move.


Kinja'd!!! VincentMalamute-Kim > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 18:26

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No one learned anything from Acura’s TLX, RDX, MDX scheme and Lincoln’s even worse naming scheme that I can’t ever keep straight?


Kinja'd!!! This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 18:28

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I prefer the K12

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Kinja'd!!! CRider > VincentMalamute-Kim
05/20/2020 at 18:30

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At least Lincoln learned from their mistake and are fixing the problem. Everyone else is just doubling down. 


Kinja'd!!! Chariotoflove > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 18:32

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Guess they are trying to associate the new-look car with an all-new (for the US) name? Maybe it will distance the car a little from its overly-humble beginnings.


Kinja'd!!! VincentMalamute-Kim > CRider
05/20/2020 at 18:45

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Lincoln must be pretty dead - I missed that news. But good for them. Acura-idiots.

Just remembered Infiniti - I can’t keep their names straight either.


Kinja'd!!! dogisbadob > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 18:46

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Yay the K5 is back!

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Kinja'd!!! MrSnrub > interstate366, now In The Industry
05/20/2020 at 18:51

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I guess it’s been called K5 in the Korean market for a while. I’d prefer if they kept calling it the Optima and gave us the KDM Kia logo instead.

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Kinja'd!!! SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 19:00

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K5 is far from optimal.

Oddly enough, the Optima is an uncompetitive proposition down here in Oz in the face of either the Camry Hybrid or the Skoda Superb. And yet Kia Oz don’t care because they are (comparatively) doing very nicely regardless...


Kinja'd!!! BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 19:01

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Close, but they missed the mark. In order to increase sales in the US, they need to drop the name “Kia” and start new. 


Kinja'd!!! Aremmes > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 19:02

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Kinja Motor Corporation.


Kinja'd!!! RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 19:03

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Well, K5 is the Korean market name isn’t it?


Kinja'd!!! Textured Soy Protein > interstate366, now In The Industry
05/20/2020 at 19:07

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With the number of people randomly throwing KDM badges on otherwise not exactly hopped up regular-ass Kias, maybe Kia USA is on to something here.  


Kinja'd!!! Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 19:08

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Marketing really messes with us. I can understand if a certain name sounds offensive or misleading in another language (such as Japan’s cute but honestly terrible and self-deprecating Kei car names) , but neither “Optima” nor “K5” fall within that domain.


Kinja'd!!! CRider > VincentMalamute-Kim
05/20/2020 at 19:12

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Lincoln isn’t nearly as dead as it was five years ago. The Nautilus, Aviator, Corsair,  Navigator and Continental make up the majority of their lineup now. Only the old MKZ has the old alphabet soup name. 


Kinja'd!!! VincentMalamute-Kim > CRider
05/20/2020 at 19:31

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They can’t be doing too well. Your post is the first time I’ve heard of Nautilus and Corsair!


Kinja'd!!! interstate366, now In The Industry > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 19:35

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Yeah, it had that badge too. I see that from time to time on other random Kias. I also see the occasional Tiburon with Tuscani badges. Sometimes they even have the 2.7 Elisa badge on an obvious 4-cylinder model though.


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 19:55

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I suppose they changed the name to the K5 because the old name was not Optima l.

Or maybe the issue was confusion with the ICONIC Passport Optima...

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Kinja'd!!! ranwhenparked > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 19:59

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Kind of dumb - normally, automakers only rebrand cars when they tarnish a name by totally shitting the bed and needing a do-over, but the Optima has steadily gotten better and better with each passing generation, the name is arguably at its strongest ever point in both recognition and good will. Plus, alphanumerics are so 2000s/2010s, if Kia thinks this will give it a modern edge, they are way too late on that.

As far as harmonizing names across different markets, I don’t see much  advantage there. International travel is shut down, and most existing K5 advertising is in different languages anyway. US consumers are not going to be exposed to the car on trips abroad, because trips abroad are no longer possible, and no materials produced for overseas can really be used here. 


Kinja'd!!! fhrblig > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
05/20/2020 at 20:03

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Yeah. Quality. Notice they didn't say good quality.


Kinja'd!!! CRider > VincentMalamute-Kim
05/20/2020 at 20:19

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They’re doing great. This lineup is the result of 15 years of investment. All their SUVs are lauded as being great in their segment, they finally have a good, cohesive design language and their naming scheme is exactly what people have been asking for. 


Kinja'd!!! VincentMalamute-Kim > CRider
05/20/2020 at 20:47

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So you’re a Lincoln salesman? /jk I guess the other reason they haven’t registered on me is that the sites I frequent don’t mention or review them much.


Kinja'd!!! Michael > MrSnrub
05/20/2020 at 21:05

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Sonata to be renamed K50 to fit between K5 and K500?


Kinja'd!!! interstate366, now In The Industry > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
05/20/2020 at 21:13

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I mean, that’s definitely not the worst name that that car had...


Kinja'd!!! MrSnrub > Aremmes
05/21/2020 at 00:13

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What an unpleasant idea


Kinja'd!!! MrSnrub > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
05/21/2020 at 00:15

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Wow, that standard features list reminds me of when I have to fill out my resume


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > fhrblig
05/21/2020 at 10:12

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Actually they said quality in the last ad... but they were lying 


Kinja'd!!! Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > MrSnrub
05/21/2020 at 16:43

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Oh dear... relatively new to the job market, eh?

What’s interesting about the Optima ‘value leader’ is what ISN’T listed on the standard features list... like power steering, A/C, a radio, a tacho meter, passenger side exterior mirror and the omission of ‘automatic’ when mentioning the 4 speed transmission (yup... it was a 4 speed * manual* still being sold in the late 1980s to early 1990s... years after just about everyone else had moved on to 5 speeds ).