Topic: AJAC Canadian Car of the Year: By the Numbers - Kia Sorento

[MR2Pritch]

me neither. but we are two people.

market reserach, trends and consumer habits studies indicate that this value-minded shopper, who could spend 60 but will stop at 35 for the right vehicle, does exist. Especially when the 15k cheaper vehicle is 'nearly as good' in so many dimensions.

That's the most credible data we can use in setting the price breaks.

Wonder where those "consumer habit study" shoppers exist. Someone with a $60k budget clearly has money and is clearly after more than just "value". Someone willing to part with $60k for a car will never say about the Sorento - "wow, that's a 60k car". So what you're saying doesn't make sense, and if it doens't make sense it's not true.

Another story would be - if someone who can afford a $60k car but opts for a car that is $35k because they don't care about cars in general or, more likely, buying the car for someone other than themselves (wife, daughter, son), I get it.
But if I'm out on a hunt for a new ride for myself with $60k burning my pocket, I am obviously after something "above average".

The Sorento finished first on "value". Not to say the rest of the car is crap. I wonder how much weight was given to price in overall scoring.

All of these statements are generalizations. Some shoppers, possibly with even more than 60k to spend, may ONLY want value.  Others, as you mentioned with 60 available to spend but who spend less, may NOT in fact 'not care about cars' or be buying the car for their daughter. My father just spent 10 grand less than he could have spent on a CR-V, knows plenty about cars and bought it for himself. Because he values value.

Respect that if you have 60 burning a hole in your pocket, you want something above average I probably would too. But, again, we're two people, not the average of a massive market segment.

[whaddaiknow]

And this is exactly what I mean. It used to be that if you wanted features or "luxury" you had to get Merc, BMW, Caddy, etc. but these days companies like Hyundai/Kia and to a lesser extent the Japanese are offering these options on less expensive vehicles. The reliability is just as good if not better than the luxury manfs. so I think at the end of the day a lot of the time you're spending your money on the badge. Now don't get me wrong it depends on the vehicle/category. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that a Kia Optima is as good a performer as say a 3 or 5 series - but I will tell you that it will definitely cost you less money and get you more luxury. Its up to the buyer now to figure out if they really want to spend the extra thousands of dollars on the better handler and badge.

You guys are a funny bunch. Gizmos that you refer to as "features" are not luxury attributes.
Luxury is in craftsmanship, quality of materials, engineering, and whatever else makes the product special.
I would be much happier in a "stripper" Berlin taxi than a Rio5 "loaded with luxury features". The Berlin taxi would still be a luxury car while Rio5  is just that, a budget car with an iPhone built into it.

[Spec5]

And this is exactly what I mean. It used to be that if you wanted features or "luxury" you had to get Merc, BMW, Caddy, etc. but these days companies like Hyundai/Kia and to a lesser extent the Japanese are offering these options on less expensive vehicles. The reliability is just as good if not better than the luxury manfs. so I think at the end of the day a lot of the time you're spending your money on the badge. Now don't get me wrong it depends on the vehicle/category. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that a Kia Optima is as good a performer as say a 3 or 5 series - but I will tell you that it will definitely cost you less money and get you more luxury. Its up to the buyer now to figure out if they really want to spend the extra thousands of dollars on the better handler and badge.

These Kias will NOT get you more luxury. They will get you more value but luxury is more than features. Drive X5 or a 3 series and drive the Optima or Sorento. Luxury is more than skin deep.

My bad - thus the "luxury" in quotes. You are correct I was referring to features - just couldn't think of the word at the time.

[safristi]

Graham Felcher   can do no wrong.................. ..Sedona is where auto didactics go to centre themselves....

[Snowman]

And this is exactly what I mean. It used to be that if you wanted features or "luxury" you had to get Merc, BMW, Caddy, etc. but these days companies like Hyundai/Kia and to a lesser extent the Japanese are offering these options on less expensive vehicles. The reliability is just as good if not better than the luxury manfs. so I think at the end of the day a lot of the time you're spending your money on the badge. Now don't get me wrong it depends on the vehicle/category. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that a Kia Optima is as good a performer as say a 3 or 5 series - but I will tell you that it will definitely cost you less money and get you more luxury. Its up to the buyer now to figure out if they really want to spend the extra thousands of dollars on the better handler and badge.

These Kias will NOT get you more luxury. They will get you more value but luxury is more than features. Drive X5 or a 3 series and drive the Optima or Sorento. Luxury is more than skin deep.

+1! why is this difficult to understand?

[Ex-airbalancer]

And this is exactly what I mean. It used to be that if you wanted features or "luxury" you had to get Merc, BMW, Caddy, etc. but these days companies like Hyundai/Kia and to a lesser extent the Japanese are offering these options on less expensive vehicles. The reliability is just as good if not better than the luxury manfs. so I think at the end of the day a lot of the time you're spending your money on the badge. Now don't get me wrong it depends on the vehicle/category. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that a Kia Optima is as good a performer as say a 3 or 5 series - but I will tell you that it will definitely cost you less money and get you more luxury. Its up to the buyer now to figure out if they really want to spend the extra thousands of dollars on the better handler and badge.

These Kias will NOT get you more luxury. They will get you more value but luxury is more than features. Drive X5 or a 3 series and drive the Optima or Sorento. Luxury is more than skin deep.

+1! why is this difficult to understand?

that is what I tell my wife all the time , when she gives me that look 

[aquadorhj]

And this is exactly what I mean. It used to be that if you wanted features or "luxury" you had to get Merc, BMW, Caddy, etc. but these days companies like Hyundai/Kia and to a lesser extent the Japanese are offering these options on less expensive vehicles. The reliability is just as good if not better than the luxury manfs. so I think at the end of the day a lot of the time you're spending your money on the badge. Now don't get me wrong it depends on the vehicle/category. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that a Kia Optima is as good a performer as say a 3 or 5 series - but I will tell you that it will definitely cost you less money and get you more luxury. Its up to the buyer now to figure out if they really want to spend the extra thousands of dollars on the better handler and badge.

These Kias will NOT get you more luxury. They will get you more value but luxury is more than features. Drive X5 or a 3 series and drive the Optima or Sorento. Luxury is more than skin deep.

+1! why is this difficult to understand?

but real luxury is very difficult to quantify.   and in our age of instant gratification, things that are hard to quantify has either no value or not worth the trouble because it doesn't show on a spreadsheet.

and there's the "diminishing return" for incremental $ spent for luxury quotient. 

Honda Accord is plenty luxurious on the surface and that is good enough for a lot of people. anything more just doesn't meet their value proposition expectation.  which is where the Kia is shining.   


it's "Good Enough" for "Good Price".   

I'm ok with that, but I understand that there are more "Luxuries" that i won't get with Kia. 

[dirtyjeffer]

You guys are a funny bunch. Gizmos that you refer to as "features" are not luxury attributes.
Luxury is in craftsmanship, quality of materials, engineering, and whatever else makes the product special.
I would be much happier in a "stripper" Berlin taxi than a Rio5 "loaded with luxury features". The Berlin taxi would still be a luxury car while Rio5  is just that, a budget car with an iPhone built into it.

you are comparing an E-Class Merc with a Rio5...that isn't a fair comparison, and no one here was making that comparison.