- 2012 Optima wins overall Motoring TV 'Car of the Year' - marking the first ever manufacturer back-to-back win for the prestigious title
- 2012 Optima wins Motoring 2012 'Best New Family Car'
- All-new 2012 Rio awarded Motoring 2012 'Best Small Car under $21,000'
- The all-new Optima has now been recognized with seven major Canadian automobile awards
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - Kia's 2012 Optima mid-size sedan has been awarded the 2012 Car of the Year from Motoring TV, finishing ahead of 12 other category winners that qualified for the overall accolade. The 2012 Optima also finished ahead of the Toyota Camry and Volkswagen Passat to win the 'Best New Family Car'. Additionally, Kia's all-new 2012 Rio was awarded the 'Best Small Car under $21,000', trumping the Hyundai Accent and Honda Civic.
"The 2012 Optima is a world-class vehicle encompassing a dynamic modern design, a driver-oriented award-winning interior, technology and top safety elements that have all contributed to make it a Car of the Year winner," said William Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kia Canada Inc. "Having some of the top automotive journalists in Canada from Motoring TV validate the Optima and Rio further supports our flourishing brand value."
Since its launch in March 2011, the Kia Optima has also been awarded the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) "Best New Family Car Under $30,000", AJAC "Best New Family Car Over $30,000", Auto 123's Mid-size Car of the Year, L'Annuel de l'automobile 2012's "Best New Vehicle" of the year and a "Best of the Best" finalist by the Canadian Automotive Jury. Globally, the Optima has won over 26 awards.
Kia is pleased to be honoured with back-to-back wins of the Car of the Year award presented by Motoring TV - last year the Sportage was awarded the coveted title. This is the first time in Motoring TV's 22-year history that a single manufacturer has won the title in two consecutive years.
"The Kia Optima can be all things to all potential customers," said Brad Diamond of Motoring TV. "You have the regular sedan, the go faster model with its 274 turbo charged horsepower, and hybrid for those looking to do their bit for the planet."
2012 Kia Optima
Starting at $21,995, the Optima projects a high-performance yet elegant image with its unique silhouette and sleek stance that builds upon Kia's philosophy of creating high quality and dynamic vehicles that evoke passion. The striking face of Optima features Kia's signature grille that is surrounded by projector headlamps. Longer, wider and lower than before, Optima's coupe-like profile is enhanced by a sweeping chrome arc that flows from the A through C pillars, a distinctive design motif that visually lowers the car further and enhances its proportions. Optima's roofline connects with its high and pronounced shoulder line that leads to its sculpted flanks and extended wheelbase. Boldly flared wheel arches and a raked cabin create a sedan with a graceful muscular stance.
The Optima is the first Korean-built vehicle to achieve the highest safety rating under new, more stringent government guidelines by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard equipment on the Optima includes six airbags (dual advanced front and front-seat mounted side as well as full-length side curtain), anti-whiplash front active headrests, side-impact door beams, height-adjustable front seatbelts with pre-tensioners, three-point seatbelts for all seating positions, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH), four-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a Traction Control System (TCS), a Vehicle Stability Management system (VSM), a Brake Assist System (BAS) and Hill Assist Control (HAC).
Available in 10 trim variations - LX, LX+, EX, EX Turbo, EX+, EX Turbo+, EX Luxury, SX, Hybrid, Hybrid Premium - the Optima is sure to offer a vehicle that suits your needs. The 2012 Optima offers consumers the choice of three different powertrains, with a 2.4-litre Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) on the LX, LX+, EX, EX+ and EX Luxury trims. The 2.4-litre GDI offers consumer the elusive combination of power and impressive fuel efficiency, achieving class-leading1 200 horsepower while also maintaining fuel economy ratings of 8.7 L / 100 km in the city and 5.7 L / 100 km on the highway2. The SX and EX Turbo trims offers Kia's 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbocharged GDI engine, which produces the power of a V6 engine, while providing the fuel economy of a four-cylinder engine. Operating on regular grade fuel, the engine produces 274 horsepower and 269 foot pounds of torque, while still maintaining impressive fuel economy figures at 5.8 L / 100 km on the highway and 9.2 L / 100 km while driving in the city. The Optima also offers an even greener option, with the Hybrid trims. The Hybrid offers a 2.4-litre engine that runs on an Atkinson cycle, 206 combined horsepower and a "Real World" fuel economy that set a new Guinness World Record. The Hybrid variants boast a 4.9 L / 100 km highway rating and a 5.6 L / 100 km city rating.
2012 Kia Rio
The Rio sub-compact exhibits highly sculpted sloping shoulder lines and wedge-shaped exteriors, projecting an athletic profile that conveys power and agility while mimicking the aggressive lines found on other recently launched Kia vehicles such as the Optima and Sportage. The Rio sports its own interpretation of Kia's signature grille, slimmed down to connect to the dynamic headlamp design, providing a new twist on the Kia family look that includes a bigger air intake to exude a youthful persona.
Safety comes naturally to the Kia Rio, with the standard protection of six airbags, dual advance front, dual side seat mounted and dual full length curtain airbags. Sure-footed stopping power of standard four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and a rigid body structure that helps channel crash energy away from the driver and passengers. Other safety features include side-impact door beams, height-adjustable front seatbelts with pre-tensioners, three-point seatbelts for all seating positions and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH). Also standard on all Rio trims for increased driver and passenger safety are Electronic Stability Control (ESC), four-wheel disc brake with Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), which coordinates the car's ESC and ABS to help the driver stay in control of the vehicle.
The Rio provides Canadian's a vehicle that is fun, stylish, and practical with a unique blend of character. The all-new Rio is both exciting and fuel efficient, with its 1.6-litre GDI engine it gives the driver the ability to travel farther between fill-ups. The Rio returns remarkable fuel economy of 4.9 litres per 100 kilometres on the highway and 6.6 litres per 100 kilometres when driving in the city3, promising consumers impressive fuel efficiency without sacrificing power or fun-to-drive performance. With an available heated steering wheel, push-button start ignition, leather interior, UVO infortainment system, power folding sideview mirrors and voice recognition navigation, the Rio offers all the technology one would need to have a safe and comfortable ride.
About TSN Motoring TV
Motoring is a weekly national half hour magazine style television program produced by Bradford Productions and is now in its 22nd season on TSN, The Sports Network. It is TSN and Bradford's longest running program and has been selected North America's top automotive broadcast several times since its premier in 1987.
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Kia Canada Inc. (www.kia.ca) -- a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart -- is a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) in Korea, was founded in 1999 and sells and services high quality class leading vehicles like the Soul, Forte and Sorento through a network of 174 dealers nationwide. Kia Canada Inc. employs 147 people in its Mississauga, Ontario headquarters and four regional offices across Canada. Kia Motors Corporation continues to showcase the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation
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1 When compared to other non-turbo, non-hybrid mid-size vehicles.
2 Fuel economy rating of 5.7 L/100 km on the highway specific to manual transmission LX, Optima trims equipped with the 2.4L automatic transmission achieve 5.8L / 100 km.
3 6.6 litres per 100 kilometre measure is based on the manual transmission 1.6-litre GDI engine, when equipped with automatic transmission city fuel economy is 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres.
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Cathy Laroche
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e-mail: [email protected]
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