THE VERDICT
Just a few years ago, the Kia Optima would have been a genuine competitor to the American sedans in the family car category. Unfortunately for Kia, companies like Ford and General Motors have made tremendous strides in recent years with cars like the Fusion and Malibu. As a result, the Optima suffers from being too little, too late.
POSITVE
Solid new design
Quiet and comfy ride
Fully-loaded for the price of a base-model competitor
NEGATIVE
Sloppy ride quality
Poor interior design and materials
Less than the sum of its parts
We would, however still consider it an option if your list of potential cars includes the Mitsubishi Gallant, Chrysler Sebring or Pontiac G6. After all, it’s not all bad, remember, power and fuel economy (with the four-cylinder) are on par with the competition.
What may make the Optima attractive to certain buyers is that you can purchase the well-equipped automatic four-cylinder LX model for $18,950 – thousands less than an Accord, Camry or Malibu that has fewer options. In short, it’s a car for someone who wants all the bells and whistles but can’t (or doesn’t want to) afford the same package on another vehicle.
See also:
Label information
There are several important labels
and identification numbers located
on your vehicle. The label locations
are identified in the illustrations
shown.
Vehicle identification number
(VIN)
To chec ...
Automatic climate control system
1. Temperature control knob
2. AUTO (automatic control) button
3. Fan speed control knob
4. Mode selection button
5. OFF button
6. Front windshield defrost button
7. Rear windshield defrost bu ...
If the engine overheats
If your temperature gauge indicates overheating,
you experience a loss of power,
or hear loud pinging or knocking, the
engine will probably be too hot. If this
happens, you should:
1. Pull off th ...