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:

    Interior car
    Interior general precautions Prevent caustic solutions such as perfume and cosmetic oil from contacting the dashboard because they may cause damage or discoloration. If they do contact the dashbo ...

    Exterior feature
    Roof rack (if equipped) If the vehicle has a roof rack, you can load cargo on top of your vehicle. NOTICE If the vehicle is equipped with a sunroof, be sure not to position cargo onto the roof ...

    And the moves?
    Ride quality over the rough roads in downtown and rural roads was extremely well modulated, resulting in a relatively quiet ride. If anything, the low-profile 17-inch tires were guilty of allowing ...