Model Year | 2008 | 2016 | |
Model | Kia Optima | Chevrolet Malibu | |
Engine | |||
Transmission | |||
Drivetrain | |||
Body | 4dr Sedan | 4dr Sedan | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 107.1 in | 111.4 in | -4.3 in |
Length | 186.4 in | 193.8 in | -7.4 in |
Width | 71.1 in | 73.0 in | -1.9 in |
Height | 58.3 in | 57.7 in | 0.6 in |
Curb Weight | 3142 lb. | 3086 lb. | 56 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 17.0 gal. | 13.0 gal. | 4 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 39.8 in | 39.1 in | 0.7 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 57.1 in | 58.5 in | -1.4 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 54.5 in | 54.1 in | 0.4 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 43.7 in | 42.0 in | 1.7 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 38.0 in | 37.5 in | 0.5 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 56.3 in | 57.1 in | -0.8 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 54.7 in | 53.4 in | 1.3 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 37.8 in | 38.1 in | -0.3 in |
Total Legroom | 81.5 in (over 2 rows) | 80.1 in (over 2 rows) | 1.4 in |
Cargo Volume | 14.8 ft3 | 15.8 ft3 | -1 ft3 |
2008 Kia Optima Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2007 | 4dr Sedan 161-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
Spacious enough to allow my 84 year old mother to get in and out without injuring herself! see full Kia Optima review |
2007 | 4dr Sedan 161-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD |
After driving the Optima for five days straight for 10+ hours per day, other than the occasional stop, on a road trip, not one time did I get a sore back or thighs. see full Kia Optima review |
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2016 | Chevrolet's designers styled the new Malibu's instrument panel to appear low and out of the way, such that the front seat feels especially roomy and the view forward seems more open than in most competitors, including the Kia (the instrument panel in which seems significantly higher and more imposing). In the tested car, which had every option except the panoramic sunroof, headroom was so abundant I could have worn a fedora. The Kia Optima might have as much front headroom when similarly without a sunroof. The official specs, which often don't reflect real world differences, suggest it should have even more than the Malibu. But you cannot get a highly equipped Optima without the sunroof, as it's part of a large package on the SX and standard on the SX Limited. Though the Malibu's windshield is relatively large, you won't find outward visibility among the reasons to buy one. The Chevrolet's front pillars remain on the thick side, its instrument panel is considerably deeper than the Kia's, and the view to the sides and rear also could be more open. In the Optima, the view to the sides is more open but that to the rear is not. I did find the Cherolet's front seats more form-fitting and comfortable than the Optima's. The Kia's quilted seats aren't as cushy as they appear. see full Chevrolet Malibu review |
None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.