Right now, Kia products have different names in different markets. The new Kia Optima will likely be called the Optima here in Malaysia but in South Korea it is called the Kia K5, where it is joined by a larger vehicle, the Kia K7 (also known as the Cadenza).
According to an Automotive News interview with Hyundai Motor Co. Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun, Kia is considering extending this alphanumeric naming scheme to the US. According to Chung, alphanumerics can increase the strength of an auto brand, however Kia also understands that American buyers may prefer a car with a name.
Following this naming scheme, the Forte would likely be renamed the K3 in a country that used an alphanumeric scheme. Hyundai has also switched to alphanumerics in some markets – the Tucson is also called the ix35 for example, and the Sonata is referred to as the i45 in markets like Australia.
Would you prefer to buy a car called an Optima or a K5?
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Isn’t that a straight rip off BMW?
Hmmm how about Optima K5, so then we know that is the current Optima, then soon Optima K5i for example :)
How about KCT 1 like Siti n Datuk K. :-)
Kia optimus ? lol.. would prefer optima, it has been well known name and having K5 would be likes of following the Germans. Dont be a copy cat, be original.
Car with names got prestige and uniquely identified. For Malaysian markets, If the car manufacturers use name that are not suitable, some buyer might not want to buy the car. For example, some people don’t like to buy Hilux (due to vulgar name) or Sorento (due to stupidity name in Cantonese).
I still prefer names and still waiting for the new 2011 sorento. Paul, any idea when Naza will lauch in malaysia. thanks
ps: i don’t mind as long as the car is high quality and reliable.
Hilux is vulgar? In what way? Anyway, a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet…
Exora=ixora eh?
if u understand cantonese, then u know. Not nice to mention here,
No wonder there’re so few Citroen C4s here. :-)
K5 it is.
Any idea on the launch date?
wait until it reaches K9…..
And all the Canine(K9) Unit of the uniform forces will join in and buy them in loads…
keh keh keh
i was about to jot something about k9
its a dog.
is it?
You guys talking about me? Yeah, I’m still waiting for it. The Sorento was in Sunday Star, by Naza, so it will be very soon.
Americans are still buying loads of Beemers, Mercs & Audis even if there’s just numbers! So it doesn’t really matters as long as it serves it’s intended purpose. all those Ah Beng, Ah Kow or Ah Meow still can be successful!
alphanumeric is the name to use now by most manufacturers, like Mazda 5…BMW X1, X3, X5, X6 etc
Using numbering will sooner or later causes confusion – not only among the buyers, even the manufacturers themselves. Peugeot 308 is C segment hatchback and 407 is a D segment sedan. Yet in China, the 308 sedan is using 407 body style. That’s is sure to confuse a lot of people. Adding further to the confusion, now we have 3008 with totally different body-style.
The same thing happen in computer industry. Intel numbering systems has gone haywire. 20826 upgrades 20836 then to Pentium instead of 20846. Pentium 2, Pentium 3, Pentium 4 and now instead of Pentium V, it upgrades to “I do not know what!” And I haven’t talk about Microsoft Windows numbering…
Paul, try to hint that K5 is coming right?
Inn bolehland, it will be call Naza Optima K5
So, we shall hold our fire to wait for this K5 from Naza instead the overpriced Sonata by SDM..
ESP = RM 118,888…
hehehehhe
New Optima, at that price…will sells like “goreng pisang”…but Naza sure been pricing their cars quite competitive lately
Then they will need to do a lot of survey around for proper naming especially Asian region where ‘Alphanumeric’ can mean something in different dialect or languages… For example K4 – Kia Keh Si?
Today you have Citroen (no offense) – if you read it in this way (cantonese – Sit-Tou-Loong / means ‘price drop until become charcoal)… Naming your product right surely have a certain level ‘influence’ behind it.
K5 much cooler
K5 sounds cool…..optima has been around in malaysia but not famous due to its dull designs previously.
im waiting for this car as well, after surveying the sonata, i think this looks much better
I think its better using proper naming compared to alphanumeric system. Confusion will indeed gonna be an issue.
I am a medical student & most of enzymes/ chemical substances are better memorized if they have proper name instead of code. Especially if they have awkward name.
How about Kia Rondo? I think its quite weird.
For such a lansi looking car, calling it optima does not seems well, K5 is cool, match the status.
K3=Forte, K5 Optima, K7=Optima
KX3=Sportage, KX5=Sorento, KX7=Borrego??
haha… to me name is not that important, price is the key.
Alphanumeric implying luxury or prestige; moniker sometimes created uneasiness of meaning BUT some important market 4 is BAD. Pity 4 hehehehe
same as suzuki GSX-R 1000 K5.. hehehe…
It doesn’t matter, as long as the package loaded with goodies and with reasonable price. also good after sales service.
For me, the name of a model is very important. In different region, different name to be use will confuse all of us. The name of the model should be globalize so that everyone will know what name of the model of the car manufacture brand.
K5 !!!
K5 =)
yup..
First thing you have to ask youself is: Let’s say your baby is new born. Would you prefer to call him Kelvin Tan (or K5 Tan) or Katrina Tan (or K7 Tan)?
The only brand that makes alphanumeric name successful is Mercedes. We do know the popular S320 that sent Princess Diana to death. We do know A170 or B170 might be the most suitable model in Mercedes for her to drive around London if she is still alive. We do also know that her ex-husband might drive E Class Sedan to bring her most hated Camelxx to tour around London City.
For rest of the brands please don’t do so because this makes the model of that particular brand less unique and highly unidentifiable after a long time. We will know Optima 10 or 20 years down the road, but we might know know what is K5. It sounds like a drug undergoes testing for a particular disease. It also sounds like a prohibited drug only made available for certain people. Worst still, it could also be the name of a fatal uncurable pendemic in future?
The name of Optima reflects the actual and genuine identity of the vehicle. It might be the combination between ‘Optimum’ and ‘Advancedment’, i.e. Optimum in peformance and comfortability, yet very Advance in technology.
So, as conclusion, I woould prefer to buy a car with Optima.
its good if the car got different series or class, like 5-series and S-class
Audi A4 – try read A4 in Hokkien.
All depends if the manufacturer wants to put priority to name recognition for the Brand or the Product.
Honda screwed up big renaming the Legend to the RL (I actually had to stop and think what they renamed it to). Abandoning an established nameplate means also the risk of relagating your products into obscurity. You wont see Honda or Toyota every changing the Accord, Civic and Corolla to numbers.
Manufacturers only typically change a name when the old name somehow led to negative impressions due to quality issues.
Long established marques can afford alpha numeric model names because they have already established a nameplate. A BMW owner wil likely call his car a BMW instead of 330is or 540i etc, likewise a Mercedes owner. A Honda owner may refer to his “Accord”.
I find this all a little funny though. When KIA first launched in USA, they had a little problem and had to use “Kia” instead of the capitalized KIA (too close to the acronym K.I.A. I suspose)
just recall that K5 sounds like Brabus code name series… K4, K8 …
Alphanumerics is safe but confusing, especially if a competitor is using a similar system. I prefer names but they can be tricky across different cultures and languages. An example is the drink ‘Fresca’. It means fresh, cool but is also Spanish slang for ‘lesbian’. :-)
I kinda dislike Merc & BMWs current naming system as they’re not representative of the engine capacity anymore. Defeats the purpose.
alphanumeric like:
K9 sounds like a canine breed
C4 soulds like engine stalled or spoilt in chinese
I still prefer a name though.
In South Korea, the sedan based on what is called the Optima in the United States is named the K5.
Give it name for normal passenger car.
But i do prefer alphanumeric for those modify/ special edition one.
I like the Alpha followed by the Numeric. I think Kia is on to something with that and I feel a WORLD car approach is best for them.
The monicker K5 accords the Optima with a touch of exclusivity. It’s also good to give it that monicker to distinguish it from the previous generation’s bread and butter Optima. If you look at Hondas for example, even though the general public refer to them by their common names, enthusiasts will lovingly refer to them by their alphanumeric monickers, like CP1, CP2 and CP3 for the latest Accords (2.0, 2.4 and 3.5 respectively), FD1, FD2 and FD2R for the Civic (1.8, 2.0 and Type R respectively). Even Toyotas have alphanumeric names (I can only remember AE-101, AE-111 etc). IMO the new Optima is targeted at the young and young at heart, so Naza should also adopt the alphanumeric naming convention. If the new car was aimed squarely at “uncles” and “aunties”, then just call it Optima for all I care :) Nonetheless, at the end of the day it won’t really matter, cos enthusiasts like me will refer to it as the K5, while uncles and aunties will call it an Optima. Whatever floats your boat I say.
Oh ya, forgot to add. Even the new Sonata (that’s supposedly aimed at the more conservative crowd) is quite commonly referred to in forums and car circles as the YF, while the outgoing model is called the NF. If even the Sonata can be associated with a monicker, I don’t see why the same can’t be done for the K5.
Stay with the Names. Now I do see a way for Kia to create a PERFORMANCE division using the alpha numeric.
Rio GTF2 basically Grand Touring Formual the 2 would be for Car Category (Fiesta)
Forte GTF3 basically Grand Touring Formula the 3 would be for Car Category (Civic)
Optima GTF4 basically Grand Touring Formula the 4 would be for Car Category (FUSION)
Amanti GTF5 basically Grand Touring Formula the 5 would be for Car Category (Taurus)
I think that would work a lot better cause if the car does not have the GTF you know right off the back it is a NON PERFORMANCE vehicle.