The longer, sleeker, lighter five-metre long four-door Kia Opirus sedan has a more balanced appearance, an enhanced interior with new high-tech features, and a larger, more powerful and more fuel-efficient V6 gasoline engine. Significant improvements have been made to the ride, handling, safety and refinement, while Opirus now weighs less and delivers higher performance.
Kia designers have given the 2007 Opirus a modern, more balanced look by lowering the leading edge of the bonnet, fitting a wider and smoother radiator grille plus revised dual headlamps, raising the trunk lid and extending the rear overhang by 20 mm, together with new vertical tail lamps (which do not encroach on the trunk lid or rear wing panels), and dual chrome exhaust pipes. Larger diameter, 17-inch, multi-spoke alloy wheels plus much wider front and rear tracks fill the wheel arches more completely.
Inside, the 2007 Opirus has an all-new dashboard, instrument panel, dial cluster, centre stack, floor console, integrated audio system and heating and ventilation controls. New features include heated seats, four-way lumbar support for the driver's seat and a clearer trip computer display. For the 2007 model, Opirus buyers will be offered a choice of three interior colours -- two-tone beige or grey and one-tone black, with contrasting accents in wood grain or aluminium.
To strengthen the refined appearance of the 2007 Opirus, five new, more sophisticated colours are added to the original range of three exterior paint finishes. Bright Silver, Light Metal, Pewter Beige, Midnight Gray and Dark Red Wine join White Pearl, Ebony Black and Cobalt Blue will offer buyers a choice of eight colours.
To make the 2007 Opirus even more competitive in its market sector, Kia has fitted a new 3.8-litre V6 Lamda engine, in place of the previous 3.5-litre engine. This all-aluminium engine generates 266 hp at 6,000 rpm and 350 Nm at 4,500 rpm. The new engine powers the 122-kg lighter Opirus to 100 kph in 7.5 seconds (down from 9.2 sec) and propels the car to a top speed of 230 kph.
The five-speed automatic transmission is carried over, offering fully automatic operation or sequential manual gear selection. The new engine is more fuel-efficient and gasoline consumption on the combined cycle is reduced by 4.4% to 10.9 liters per 100 km. The fuel tank holds 70 litres, while the trunk has an increased capacity of 450 litres (SAE mode).
Kia's top-of-the-range model has benefited from an extensive re-engineering programme under the skin, so the new car's upgrade is much more than a simple 'make-over' -- with significant improvements to the body shell structure and suspension systems.
In true Kia fashion, the Opirus is also a tremendous value, offering consumers premium sedan appointments at a very affordable price. With the Opirus, there's more of everything, including class-leading headroom and front legroom and an unprecedented level of safety for a vehicle in its class.
Occupant safety is enhanced by a revised body shell which features reinforcements to the lower front bulkhead, cross-members in the cabin floor, the door sills and B-pillars. Added protection against side-impacts is provided by new, larger side air-bags in the front seats which also shield the pelvis area as well as the torso and thorax.
But the generous list of standard equipment is not limited to safety features. One-touch up-and-down power windows, power door locks, an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar, and a four-way power front passenger seat are standard, as is the dual zone fully automatic climate control system.
The front-wheel drive 2007 Opirus' improved ride and handling is the result of new front and rear suspension, together with a wider track (up 15 mm in front and 30 mm at rear) and wider 235/55 R17 tires. The sub-frame mounted double wishbone front suspension layout is carried over, but the L-shaped lower arm is reversed, the steering rack is lowered (reducing vibrations) and the castor angle is increased. At the rear, the transverse sub-frame now supports separately mounted shock absorbers and coil springs, while the upper links are now designed to be 'in-wheel' -- Kia's compact system that positions part of the suspension inside the road wheel, for minimum intrusion into trunk space. The new suspension systems weigh 34 kg less than the previous set-up.
Indeed, the Opirus looks like it's growing up into a smart buy for shoppers who want something a bit more than what a mainstream sedan offers. Target buyers for the Opirus hold professional or managerial jobs and are in their mid-forties to late-fifties and want a stylish large sedan. Most buyers in the target demographic group have never considered a Kia vehicle before, but as the leading edge of the baby boomers, many have owned international brands and they appreciate great value.
By following the Kia formula that has made it one of the fastest-growing brands ever, the Opirus will offer more than the buyer expects, including a level of sophistication and a range of safety features usually found at the higher end of the market - but at a lower-than-expected price.
