Saying that it “has achieved a metamorphosis from ‘unremarkable’ to a first-class, five-passenger, mid-sized sedan,” writers for the Boston Globe recently chose the 2012 Kia Optima as one of their Top Drives for 2012. It’s further evidence of the success of Kia’s design-based transformation, which also has provided the Optima with a “surprisingly spacious” cabin that “got a gold star for having a heated steering wheel as an unexpected accoutrement.”
Also gaining the Globe’s attention was the fact that the Optima family offers a range of choices to satisfy different owners’ driving requirements:
- The “standard” Optima, packing a 200-hp I4 engine that delivers 186 lb.-ft. of torque and EPA ratings of 24 mpg city/35 mpg highway/28 mpg combined
- A performance-oriented Optima Turbo, leveraging a 2.0-liter I4 that pours out 274 hp and 269 lb.-ft. of torque, yet still rings up an EPA line of 22 mpg city/34 mpg highway/26 mpg combined
- Optima Hybrid, relying on a unique Kia powertrain that delivers the best highway mileage—40 mpg—in its class, along with 35 mpg city/37 mpg combined
The Optima also was named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and has earned a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
“With its powerful combination of world-class design, advanced technology, turbocharged performance and outstanding value, the Optima has been turning heads since arriving in showrooms in January and demand has outpaced supply all year,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing and communications, Kia Motors America (KMA). “Kia is the fastest growing car company in the U.S. and earning a spot on The Boston Globe’s Top Ten Drives List adds to our unprecedented momentum heading into 2012.”
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