Kia Optima gets Basketball-Theme Costume for SEMA Show

It's all about fun and activities when it comes to Kia's 2011 SEMA Show features as the Japanese company has came in Las Nevada with a list of six sports-themed autos.

These include the Surfboard Rio and Basketball Strength hatchbacks that we confirmed you previously now, plus the golf-themed Heart, Rio 5-Door B-Spec Speed, USTCC Optima Cross Speed Car and the “Slam Dunk” Blake Griffin Optima Cross included here.

"Our effort in the world of athletics has drastically enhanced attention and understanding of the Kia company, and together with some high-profile associates we have designed a array of fun and eye-catching autos with exclusive backstories and a lot of individuality," said Erina Sprague, v. p., marketing & marketing communications of Kia Engines United states.

Created by Western Shore Methods, the basketball-themed Optima Cross takes the Japanese business relationship with Los Angeles Trimmers send Blake Griffin to the next level.

On the outside, the hybrid automobile gets a basketball-like personalized red colour structure with different level dark-colored 20-inmch aluminum tires and Griffin's personal emblem on the hood.

We're still awaiting images of the internal, but Kia shows us that its job car features a basketball-court floor covering, personalized buckskin chairs with Griffin's autograph padded in the entry headrests, buckskin and suede home section places and headliner.

In addition, there are two flat-screen TVs attached in the back of the entry headrests that are joined to a Ms X-Box video gaming system while a "Pop-A-Shot" golf ball ring has been installed in the footwear.

 

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Optima beats Camry, Accord in CR test, Altima still favorite; Explorer lambasted

The mid-size sedan battle rages on year after year. Perennial kings are dethroned while new challengers emerge boasting fresh styling and a bountiful list of standard features. Consumer Reportslaunches its June issue today, and the institute’s testers have put a host of family-minded four-doors powered by four-cylinder engines through a workout to determine which is the top dog. Ten vehicles were tested but, as Christopher Lambert will tell you, there can be only one.

As it has here at Autoblog Towers, Kia’s 2011 Optima draws big praise from the Consumer Reportscrew. In fact, the Korean squeezes out a higher rating than the Honda Accord. It may have only beat the Honda by one point, but this represents a significant win for Kia. The opinions of Consumer Reports are highly valued by a large number of car shoppers, and this victory ought to push the Optima further onto radar of the American car buying public. Interestingly, while the Optima earned a “Very Good” rating, it wasn’t the comparison’s overall winner, however, as the Nissan Altima (a perennial CR favorite) claimed the test’s top spot, neatly trumping the Honda and the best-selling Toyota Camry in the process.

One vehicle not fairing so well in the June issue of Consumer Reports? The 2011 Ford Explorer. Nineteen mid-size sport utility vehicles were rounded up for testing, and the Explorer wound up in 17th place – well behind the Toyota Highlander Hybrid – a dismal showing for the Blue Oval brand. If you don’t have an issue of CR in your mailbox, check out the official press release after the jump for more details.

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2011 Kia Optima Hybrid priced from $26,500*

We’re capturing our first driving impressions of the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid this week, but we’ve already learned that the midsize fuel-sipper will be priced at $26,500 when it goes on sale in the coming months, excluding $750 for destination and handling.

Curiously, the $26,500 price tag represents an increase of $705 versus the Optima’s platform mate, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Kia tells us that the price increase is because the Optima comes with more standard equipment than the Sonata, including things like a rear backup camera, rear spoiler, auto-down front windows for the driver and passenger, a cooling glovebox, compass, and Uvo, Kia’s brand new infotainment system.

Like its Sonata kin, the Optima Hybrid uses the automaker’s 2.4-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine, mated to an electric motor and paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. This combination expected to return fuel economy ratings of 35/40 miles per gallon city/highway, same as the Sonata Hybrid.

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