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:
LUXURIOUS CLASS-EXCLUSIVE FEATURES
Upgrading to the Premium Package (as with our test car) adds items like wood
interior trim, heated rear seats, a driver’s memory seat with 4-way
adjustability, and class-exclusive features like ...
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 ...
Steering wheel
Power steering
Power steering uses energy from the
engine to assist you in steering the vehicle.
If the engine is off or if the power
steering system becomes inoperative,
the vehicle may still be ...


