Impressive Warranty

Hyundai is Kia's corporate parent, so the Optima gets Hyundai's impressive warranty; it includes 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain protection and 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance.

Kia is putting more marketing muscle behind the new Optima. Its predecessor received little marketing support, and most folks wanting a Kia sedan brushed past it in showrooms and headed for the automaker's Spectra model.

The front-wheel-drive Optima has quick steering and a decent ride, but the softness of an older Buick and thus just average handling. The brake pedal has a linear action to help provide smooth stops.

    See also:

    Safety
    The 2010 Kia Sportage comes equipped with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, side curtain airbags and side-impact airbags for front seat passengers. Active front head restraints ...

    Vehicle break-in process
    No special break-in period is needed. By following a few simple precautions for the first 1,000 km (600 miles) you may add to the performance, economy and life of your vehicle. • Do not race th ...

    Luggage net
    To keep items from shifting in the trunk, you can use the four rings located in the trunk to attach the cargo net. NOTICE Do not put fragile, bulky or an excessive quantity of items into lugg ...