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:

Vehicle handling instructions
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control, an accident or vehicle rollover. Specific design characteristics (higher ground clear ...

Air cleaner
Element replacement Have the air cleaner element checked and replaced in accordance with the maintenance schedule. NOTICE Do not drive with the air cleaner removed; this will result in excessi ...

Additional Horsepower
The 2.4-liter 161-horsepower 4-cylinder engine has gained 23 horsepower from the early-2006 model and provides good acceleration below 60 mph—but average performance above that speed. The 2.7-li ...