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:
Overheating
If your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss
of power, or if you hear a loud knocking
or pinging noise, the engine has
probably overheated. Should any of
these sympto ...
Key
Illuminated ignition switch
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will be illuminated for your
convenience, provided the ignition switch
is not in the ON position. The light will ...
Performance
In terms of horsepower, the average sedan packs quite a wallop and will knock
the Rio down a few rungs. However, bear in mind that high horsepower engines
often command higher insurance premiums. ...