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.

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    Engine cooling system
    The high-pressure cooling system has a reservoir filled with year-round antifreeze coolant. The reservoir is filled at the factory. Check the antifreeze protection and coolant level at least once ...

    Remote keyless entry
    ➀ Lock ( ) All doors are locked if the lock button is pressed. ➁ Unlock ( ) Two turn unlock mode The driver's door is unlocked if the unlock button is pressed once. All doors ...

    Automatic transaxle
    Automatic transaxle operation All normal forward driving is done with the shift lever in the D (Drive) position. To move the shift lever from the P (Park) position, the brake pedal must be d ...