I would suggest you get the Kia Optima K5. That is really value for money at RM143,888. The specs on the car is really top class and believe me the handling is equally good. Very good sound insulation and good long distance comfort. The only sound is probably coming from the noisy stock Nexen tyres. Its rear gas shock absorbers go a long way towards making long distance drives really comfortable despite its larger 18 inch tyres. But if ure evaluating solely comfort then the Teana and Sylphy will score higher but for an overall package i think the Optima is a good bet.

Safety wise, the Optima scores high with its wide range of safety specs. Its also the first Korean car with a 5 Star American National Highway Transport Safety Association (NHTSA) rating. It scored 5 stars in all frontal, side and rollover impact ratings. Even the new BMW 5 series & upcoming Toyota Camry only got 4 stars for frontal impact.

Yes resale value will not be as good compared to Jap cars but then again there isnt a 100% perfect car is there? Imho, i think specs, ride comfort, handling and safety should be your main priorities. Go have a few test drives and see for yerself. Ull be impressed for sure. Take this coming from a die hard Toyota fan for the past 9 years.

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Added on May 2, 2012, 11:29 amIts accurate. When your driving style changes or your optimum speed is passed, obviously the distance to empty reading will change. Drive at a constant 110kmph and ull see that the meter is quite accurate. Not sure about Hyundai but thats the case with the Optima. For my first full tank (70-75L), ive covered 650km with 420km on highway at 140-150kmph while the rest in typical KL traffic. Still got 2 bars to go before empty. So i figure it should easily last till 700km. Not bad for a car thats heavier than a Camry.

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Added on May 2, 2012, 11:30 amWhy would anybody go for a Sonata 2.0L when u have the Optima K5? Design?

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: May 2 2012, 11:30 AM

Current one yes. Upcoming one no. But for that price i would rather go for the Optima. More value for money and better ride comfort.

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Added on May 2, 2012, 3:24 pmGot deal for Optima K5 also?

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: May 2 2012, 03:24 PM

[quote=mwkiller,May 2 2012, 04:54 PM]

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Added on May 2, 2012, 3:24 pm

Got deal for Optima K5 also?

[/quote]
yup kia also got deal
hyundai also got sonata also not bad but i see the front kia
recently very nice sporty looks "yeng"

[/quote]

So whats the deal for Optima?

Hyundai offers 5 years warranty or 300,000km while Kia offers 5 years unlimited mileage warranty.

So in what way is Hyundai warranty better than Kia? I would say that both are virtually the same as nobody would drive more than 300,000km in 5 years unless he drives more than 165km a day.

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: May 3 2012, 09:32 AM

Mind explaining to me why the new Camry would be a good choice?

Poor exterior design, 10 year old technology (for 2.0L), poor specs, not value for money and marginal safety ratings. Quality is debatable as Toyota's standards have dropped in recent years. But good after sales service and resale value.

KL

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Added on May 3, 2012, 9:35 amhttp://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/kia_optima_2011


This post has been edited by cybermaster98: May 3 2012, 09:35 AM

But dont forget the safety features, strong body, good road handling, good sound insulation and ample rear legroom. I was particularly impressed with the fuel economy. Ive managed to get 720km so far on my first full tank with 50-50 mixed highway and city driving. Still can go another 20km or so. Fuel economy will improve in time i guess once the engine is sufficiently run in.