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:
First Drive: 2010 Kia Forte
The Forte is technically the successor to the Spectra, but it is really so
much more than that. This time, Kia decided to leave the help of the rocked-out
Soul hamsters behind and instead concentr ...
Automatic climate control system
Front climate control
3rd row air conditioning control (if equipped)
1. A/C display
2. Driver's temperature control knob
3. AUTO (automatic control) button
4. Front blower OFF button
5. Fron ...
Handling: Capable but Not Quite There
As noted in our prior drives of the SX sedan, the Forte’s chassis isn’t tuned
for serenity. The hatchback’s MacPherson-strut front and torsion-beam rear
suspension, combined with 17-inch whe ...