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:
Handling: Capable but Not Quite There
As noted in our prior drives of the SX sedan, the Forte’s chassis isn’t tuned
for serenity. The hatchback’s MacPherson-strut front and torsion-beam rear
suspension, combined with 17-inch whe ...
Introduction
It seems like just yesterday that Kia was fielding quirky offerings like,
well, the previous-generation Sorento, a traditional body-on-frame SUV that
never really caught on in America. But this co ...
2010 Kia Soul deserves to be breakout hit for brand
Greeting the Kia Soul with low expectations didn't make sense. Perhaps the
details of the funkwagon's story seemed overly familiar at first blush – Kia
wants, nay, needs to be more than just the ...