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2012 Kia Optima Si Arrives In Australia, GPS For Platinum By First Quarter

2012 KIA OPTIMA SI Kia Australia has added a new base-model Si variant to its Optima line-up, entering beneath the top-shelf Platinum and cutting $6500 from the midsizer's sticker price. The Platinum variant has been the only Optima availab


2012 KIA OPTIMA SI

Kia Australia has added a new base-model Si variant to its Optima line-up, entering beneath the top-shelf Platinum and cutting $6500 from the midsizer's sticker price.

The Platinum variant has been the only Optima available since the sharp new sedan's local launch earlier this year, arriving with an optioned-out features list and a $36,990 price tag. 

With the arrival of the Si variant, the price of entry into the Optima range is now $30,490. It will hit showrooms on January 20.

The Si's price makes it a match for the entry-level Altise variant in the brand-new 2012 Camry line-up, while undercutting the equivalent 2.4 litre Hyundai i45 (the Optima's platform mate) by an even $600.

Power for the Optima Si is provided by the same 148kW 2.4 litre four cylinder engine that drives the Optima, rather than the 2.0 litre unit that was reported as a possibility earlier this year.

Speaking with TMR today, Kia Australia's Kevin Hepworth said that the brand's bean counters have managed to bring the Si price down through features rather than an engine downgrade, allowing the more powerful engine to stay on board.

"The features that have been removed to make the Si are the sort that, while appealing and enjoyed by Platinum buyers, aren't necessarily items that owners see as must-have features," Mr Hepworth said.

"Removing those features and keeping the powerful but efficient 2.4 litre engine represents a better value proposition for buyers."

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