First Drive: 2011 Kia Optima

Rivalries are a fact of life. When they are in the family, they can be troublesome. On the other hand, they can help to raise the level of game for both family members.

That’s the case Kia finds itself in with the 2011 Kia Optima.

First seen at the New York International Auto Show back in April, the Optima looked a stunning, almost Teutonic counterpart to the stylized and swoopy Hyundai Sonata. This wouldn’t much matter if the two cars came from separate automakers, but the Optima and Sonata are direct rivals offered by the same parent company.

At that point, the gauntlet was thrown, and all bets were off. It looks like Kia is not content to just play second fiddle anymore.

See also:

A COMFORTABLE AND SOFT RIDE (TOO SOFT)
Behind the wheel of the new Optima it’s easy to point out several more faults – although there are certainly some positive aspects to the driving experience as well. On the down-size, the ca ...

Rearview camera
The rearview camera will activate when the back-up light is ON with the ignition switch ON and the shift lever in the R (Reverse) position. This system is a supplemental system that shows beh ...

Indicator symbols on the instrument cluster
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