One
of the most affordable cars, yet one of the safest mid-sized sedan is the Kia
Optima. The base price is around
$19,000.
The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the Optima a 5
star crash safety rating after rigorous tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the
Kia Optima top picked in safety.
The new Optima is now about the same size as all the
best-selling mid-size sedans, including the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and
Chevrolet Malibu. However, visually it's way more exciting. Inside, the Optima has more of a
sport-sedan look, with the instrument panel angled toward the driver. An
aggressive stance, chrome tipped dual exhausts and, on top trims, and flashy
chrome wheels complete the look.
Performance-wise, the new Optima is pretty good, with
a sweet, powerful-yet-economical engine, great steering, and a quick, nimble
feel overall. The 2.4-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine makes 200 hp
and comes with amazing EPA ratings of up to 24 mpg city, 35 highway. Ride quality is firm but comfortable,
and the Optima's cabin is a quiet, refined place to be.
However, seating in the Optima is one weak spot. Front
seats in particular feel quite short and very flat, lacking padding and
contouring compared to other vehicles in this class. There's decent space
though—just enough headroom in front, but reasonably good accommodations in
back for adults. The highlight is the heated-and-cooled front seats as well as
heated back seats.
 |
| 2011 Kia Optima |
I hate Kia lol...they are the rental cars that cant break 60 MPH and are special if they come with conditioning. I do like the new look of the Optima, but I'm not sure where I stand on the rims.
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DeleteI kinda like the rims and the look, but i hate kia's brand. But they're supposedly one of the safest cars
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