First Drive: 2011 Kia Optima

Rivalries are a fact of life. When they are in the family, they can be troublesome. On the other hand, they can help to raise the level of game for both family members.

That’s the case Kia finds itself in with the 2011 Kia Optima.

First seen at the New York International Auto Show back in April, the Optima looked a stunning, almost Teutonic counterpart to the stylized and swoopy Hyundai Sonata. This wouldn’t much matter if the two cars came from separate automakers, but the Optima and Sonata are direct rivals offered by the same parent company.

At that point, the gauntlet was thrown, and all bets were off. It looks like Kia is not content to just play second fiddle anymore.

See also:

Special driving conditions
Hazardous driving conditions When hazardous driving conditions are encountered such as water, snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar hazards, follow these suggestions: • Drive cautiously and allow ex ...

Safety
Full-length side curtain airbags, antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system and a driver knee airbag come standard across all trim levels. The Sorento ...

Keys
Record your key number The key code number is stamped on the bar code tag attached to the key set. Should you lose your keys, this number will enable an authorized KIA dealer to duplicate the k ...