If you enjoy comparing apples and oranges, it could be true.
Yet, here we are. The Kia Optima actually isn’t the vehicle at issue, but that’s only due to a technicality in the name. The Optima now is the and it’s a well-designed sedan in the mid-size segment. The Optima also features turbochargers on all trims, all-wheel drive for select models and 290 horsepower (216kilowatts), in the GT. The sedan should be quite spritely. However, we don’t know if that model is . Kia claims it has superior performance to the BMW 330i, but that isn’t stopping them.
This leads to the curious K5 ad. It claims that its front-wheel-drive sedan not only out-accelerates the BMW 330i but also out-handles it. The K5 is faster on wet and dry surfaces than the 330i while also being faster on dry roads. The fine print clarifies that this is only for the K5 GT and not the rear-wheel-drive Bimmer.
The 330i’s all-wheel drive is a completely different story. also stated that the GT could hit 60 mph in just 5.8 seconds at the K5 launch. BMW, however, lists it as reaching 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. The plot thickens.
The price is a fact that can’t be denied. The entry price for the K5 by Kia is $23,490. This is almost half the price of the 330i. This video shows the Bimmer base model against Kia’s top-of-the-line sedan. A fully-loaded GT will cost you $37,950. It still beats the 330i in performance by almost $4,000.
Is anyone else seeing a K5-versus 330i drag race in the near future.