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:

    Washer fluid
    Checking the washer fluid level Check the fluid level in the washer fluid reservoir and add fluid if necessary. Plain water may be used if washer fluid is not available. However, use washer solv ...

    Manual Transaxle
    Manual transaxle operation The manual transaxle has 5 forward gears. This shift pattern is imprinted on the shift knob. The transaxle is fully synchronized in all forward gears so shifting to e ...

    Parking brake
    Checking the parking brake Check the stroke of the parking brake by counting the number of “clicks’’ heard while fully applying it from the released position. Also, the parking brake alone ...