http://www.hyundaikiaforums.com/optima/kia-optima.html

So somebody in my condominium complex bought one of these.. I'm 4 floors up and as I was looking down into the parking lot, I saw this car.. At first glance I thought "who bought a Lexus"? Then I realized it wasn't an LS430 and thought maybe it was an Infinity... I eventually drove past the car and realized it was the new Kia Optima... Even the rims are copied from the LS430.. At first glance, from the front, this looks like the first version of the LS430.. The back and interior look nothing like it - but the interior isn't bad..

I just thought this was all very interesting..

Jesus!! That front-end is like an exact replica! That has to be the most blatant disgusting rip-off I've ever seen! For shame, Kia, for shame. :tisk:

KIA is coming on forward and trying to put out some competing models on the market now. Look at the difference Hyundai is now compared to the days of the one Rodney King used to flee from L.A. police. :D I'm betting KIA gets there in less time. I had a friend who drove an Amanti for a week as a rental, it wasn't too bad of a ride.

:cookoo: :vomit:

Its like kitchen appliances. Soon they will all look the same, like refrigerators.

I think the Kia copy looks better.

There's one at the office building where I work. When I first saw it from the front, I thought it was an Infiniti.

I'd rather drive my 15-year-old Caddy.

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You're right, GD. I just added a picture of an Infiniti Q45 for a comparison...

Shame on you Kia

Why copy the LS430? It's so bland!
It's probably built really nice though!

I'd rather take the '84 Sedan deVille I looked at though

Decent looking front end, but at the end of the day....it's still a kia. Not a bad one-off copy though.

Exactly. I'm tellin' ya - it kinda gets the job done.. When I look into my parking lot, that car really stands out.. And it starts at $16,995.00...

What every happened to the days when the styling was what sold a car? The Asians are absolute masters of copying and perfecting, but dammit, not one creative bone in their body. New 7-series = LS430 = Kia Optima. Are they afraid to try something different, that they'll offend someone?

What about that Kia minivan that looked exactly like a Ford Windstar with a Crown Victoria grille? Ford should have sued over that. A lot of their cars are blatant copies, the minivan is the only one I can think of right now. Unoriginal bastids.

the rear reminds me of the lucerne , or the new jetta

What about that Kia minivan that looked exactly like a Ford Windstar with a Crown Victoria grille? Ford should have sued over that. A lot of their cars are blatant copies, the minivan is the only one I can think of right now. Unoriginal bastids.

I don't know man, Ford is kinda doing it with some of their cars. I've had more than one friend say the new 500 looks like they stole lines from the Caddy CTS and they are about to release a new little crossover SUV that sure looks like the popular Nissan Murano.

Are they afraid to try something different, that they'll offend someone?

Thats how we ended up with visual blights like the:

Scion xB
Honda Element
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Echo
Toyota Prius
Toyota Avalon
2007 Toyota Camry
Toyota Yaris
2007 Nissan Sentra
(http://nissannews.com/nissan/2007vehicles/sentra/index.shtml)Nissan Quest (http://nissannews.com/nissan/2007vehicles/quest/index.shtml)


Japanese creativity rarely pays off.

Japanese creativity rarely pays off.

True, the cars that are distinctively Japanese are usually winged and scooped monstrosities (and that's even before the rice-boys get their hands on them).

Japan can design though. Look at Sony. It produces some of the most visually appealing electronics items on the market. It's too bad that we can't buy Lexii with Sony design. :D

and they are about to release a new little crossover SUV that sure looks like the popular Nissan Murano.

Oh good god. If you're gonna copy something at least copy something that looks good not an egg on wheels (although that is disrespectful to eggs.)

I like it.I also like the Sonata.

http://www.ottawahyundai.com/oh04/news/images/2006sonata/a_Sonata1.jpg

that looks kinda like a mazda to me

Mazdaudisaab