Kia Optima History
By
LATEST ARTICLE
Chevy Volt Vs. Nissan Leaf: Compare Cars
For now, they're the only two mass-market electric vehicles on the road. So, which one should you... Read More
Chevy Volt Vs. Nissan Leaf: Compare Cars
For now, they're the only two mass-market electric vehicles on the road. So, which one should you... Read More
- #11LEADERBOARD RANK
- 4885ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
- 96COMMENTS POSTED
331 views
The Kia Optima is a mid-size family sedan built in South Korea. With some running gear shared with the Hyundai Sonata, the Optima has been sold for X generations in the U.S. It's priced and sized to compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Jetta, Suzuki Kizashi, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Mazda6 and of course, the Hyundai Sonata.
In the first generation, from 2000-2005, Kia was still in its infancy in the U.S. The car substantially the same as the Hyundai Sonata save for some cosmetic differences. It was offered with a four-cylinder engine, and a small grille that differentiated it from the Sonata.
For the second generation, the 2005-2010 Kia Optima was styled more distinctly from the cousin Hyundai. In 2008 updated look influenced by new design director Peter Schreyer, and updates to equipment including Bluetooth and satellite radio. It remained a compact to mid-size sedan, but in the second generation it added a V-6 option.
For its final model year, the 2010 Kia Optima is offered with a 175-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine or a 194-hp, 2.7-liter V-6. The four-cylinder gets better fuel economy and the V-6 doesn't offer much more power. While it's not a style leader, the Optima does have a spacious interior and an airy feel, with good outward visibility. Tests from the federal government yield top five-star results in both frontal and side-impact tests, while the insurance-funded IIHS gives the Optima its top "good" rating in frontal offset protection and an
"acceptable" rating in side impact protection. Front side airbags are standard, along with side-curtain airbags that cover both rows, and front-seat occupants get active headrests.
In the fall of 2010, Kia will put the 2011 Optima on sale. The new sedan is longer, wider and lower than before--and much more attractive. Only six months behind the newly released Hyundai Sonata in hitting the market, the Optima will share the Sonata's powertrains, as well as some other underpinnings: Kia says its 2.4-liter direct-injection four-cylinder will be joined by a turbocharged four and a hybrid edition soon, matching the 2011 Sonata Hybrid and 2.0T coming yet in the 2011 model year. The Optima's safety ratings are expected to be tops: the sister Sonata's just earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) "Top Safety Pick." Kia will offer its Optima in three trim levels and features including UVO, the
multimedia controller that Microsoft sells to Ford as SYNC; satellite radio; USB connectivity; and a navigation system.
The new Optima will be sourced from South Korea--while the Hyundai Sonata is built in the U.S. While Kia has a new manufacturing plant in Georgia, where it builds the Sorento crossover, it has not confirmed if the Optima will eventually be built in the U.S.
While the Optima has been sold under the name since it made its debut in the U.S., it's known by other names around the world. In Europe and Canada, it's dubbed the Magentis. It's also been sold as the Lotze, in its second generation, in South Korea only.
