Wheels: Optima a great family car

If you're ready for a pleasant surprise, take a look at the new 2008 Kia Optima four-door sedan.

If you haven't checked out a Kia in a while and think it's not worth the effort -- or you think Kia means "throwaway car" -- the Optima will prove you wrong.

Here's a car company that years ago struggled to keep up with the rest of the industry in quality and content. Today, based on what I've seen in the Optima, it may well be close to the upper tier of the family car segment. It certainly holds its own against some of the big boys such as the Hyundai Sonata, Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Mitsubishi Galant.

In fact, it's better equipped than many cars in its price range. For $23,435, you get aluminum interior trim, leather seats, electronic stability and traction control systems, anti-lock brakes, power adjustable pedals, sunroof, heated front seats, heated mirrors, cruise control and on and on.

With a base price of $19,495, the Optima is an absolute steal in a time when we are all looking to spend as little as possible to get as much as possible. It gets per-gallon gas mileage of 21 city and 31 highway.

In fact, given its content, its generous 10 year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty and roomy interior, the Optima soon may be a popular choice for a lot of families.

My test model turned in an almost flawless performance: Handling and braking were fine. Acceleration was brisk. The car was quiet and generally well constructed, although the trunk compartment and floor looked unfinished and poorly done to me.

Perhaps the biggest thing holding back the Optima is that the styling is rather nondescript.

Kia is trying to forge an individual style philosophy, but it isn't quite there yet.

As a relatively new company, Kia doesn't have a heritage and market image to turn to. The top-tier family cars -- Chevy Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima -- all rely on unique styling and presentation.

But based on what I've seen of its future products, Kia's making progress in styling and personality. Add that to its quality, and what more can you want?

Thursday, August 07, 2008
Don Hammonds, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette