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 ...
Efficient, Powerful Engine
Available in two powerplants - a 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a 2.7-liter V6
engine - and two five-speed transmissions (manual with LX four-cylinder model
only), the 2009 Kia Optima introduces a new ...
Acceleration and Power
All Rio and Rio5 models have a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 110
horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the Rio sedan, and a
four-speed automatic is available for ...