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:

    Hood
    Opening the hood 1. Pull the release lever to unlatch the hood. The hood should pop open slightly. 2. Go to the front of the vehicle, raise the hood slightly, pull the secondary latch inside ...

    Fuel requirements
    Your new vehicle is designed to use only unleaded fuel having a pump octane number ((R+M)/2) of 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or higher. Your new vehicle is designed to obtain maximum performanc ...

    Introduction
    The name Sportage doesn't really conjure up warm memories. Many folks remember the Sportage of yesterday, a crude cute-ute that was plagued with quality issues, a weak engine and a cheap interior. ...