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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    Suggestions for economical operation
    Your vehicle's fuel economy depends mainly on your style of driving, where you drive and when you drive. Each of these factors affects how many kilometers (miles) you can get from liter (a gallon ...

    Warnings and indicators
    Warning lights / audible indicators Checking operation All warning lights are checked by turning the ignition switch ON (do not start the engine). Any light that does not illuminate should be che ...

    Manual climate control system
    1. Fan speed control knob 2. Air intake control button 3. Mode selection knob 4. Temperature control knob 5. Air conditioning button (if equipped) Heating and air conditioning 1. Start the ...