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:
The new Kia Soul begs one big question: Is this thing cool?
The Soul is a five-door hatch about a half-foot shorter than a Scion xB, one
of the youth-market vehicles that likely inspired Kia to enter this niche (the
Honda Element is another; ditto the Niss ...
Powertrains and Performance
The 2009 Kia Sorento is available with two engine choices. The base model and
LX are powered by a 3.3-liter V6 that produces 242 horsepower and 228 pound-feet
of torque. The EX receives a 3.8-lite ...
Other Cars to Consider
In a class crowed with cars that offer a fair price, numerous standard
features and good performance, the Kia Rio has difficulty competing. Kia offers
another car, the Kia Forte, that makes up for ...


