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:
Seat belts
Seat belt restraint system
WARNING
• For maximum restraint system
protection, the seat belts must
always be used whenever the
vehicle is moving.
• Seat belts are most effective
when seatbac ...
Wiper blades
Blade inspection
NOTICE:
Commercial hot waxes applied by automatic
car washes have been known to
make the windshield difficult to clean.
Contamination of either the windshield or
the wiper bla ...
THE VERDICT
Just a few years ago, the Kia Optima would have been a genuine competitor to
the American sedans in the family car category. Unfortunately for Kia, companies
like Ford and General Motors have made ...