The 2011 Optima from Kia Motors America has been receiving immense recognition for its incredible style and performance. The latest feather added to the cap was it achieving the “Best of 2011″ award from Cars.com. Thanks to its creative styling and exclusive luxury features, the brand-new Kia Optima was chosen for this honor.
Michael Sprague, Vice President Marketing & Communications KMA states that the amazing style and a broad list of luxury features have helped the Optima rake in the recognition. With an aggressive design led transformation, Cars.com believes that the Optima mid-size sedan will drive the brand ahead really well. The brand new Optima has added greatly to an interesting vehicle line up for Kia Motors. The audiences are taking note of Kia’s design led transformation, the fabulous design, tremendous performance and the incredible value and that is reflected well in the award it has received from Cars.com.
The editors of Cars.com screened through more than 70 brand new or redesigned cars that had been released in 2011 before settling on their choice for the “Best of 2011″ award winner. Before making the decision on the winner, the editors had narrowed it down to a list of six.
To earn the award of the “Best of 2011″, the Optima had to defeat automobile industry heavyweights like the BMW 5 Series, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Volt, Honda Odyssey and the Nissan Leaf. Immense power, fuel economy and strong turbo and hybrid engines are offered in the all new Optima. Some of the latest technological advancements have been installed in this sporty mid-size sedan.
A while ago, Edmunds.com revealed that the 2011 Optima has enjoyed the highest increase in car shopper consideration after its showing at the Los Angeles Auto Show. With six airbags, front active headrests, side impact door beams, height adjustable front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and three point seatbelts for all seating positions, the 2011 Optima is stocked up with some of the finest safety features. It also includes lower anchors, tethers for children, tire pressure monitoring system, four wheel antilock brakes, electronic stability control, traction control system and a hill assist control option too.
Additionally, extraordinary consumer protection is provided with the KMA’s warranty program that covers the 2011 Optima well. Kia Motors is also coming up with a host of fantastic cars that will occupy center stage in the automobile industry. Kia will be coming up with the Sorento CUV, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5 door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two door coupe, the Rio sub compact sedan, Rio sub compact hatchback and finally the Sedona minivan.
With great imagination, superiority, value, safety features and advanced technological improvements, Kia plans to keep expanding in the automobile market and establish itself as a world class automobile giant.
January 14th, 2011 at 2:00 am
Man I love this car, I can’t wait till canada gets it.
January 14th, 2011 at 2:34 am
It is one beautiful car, can’t wait for the turbo to hit the US. I want a white one, with a panoramic roof, black leather seats and a six speed manual…Aahh dreamin!!
January 14th, 2011 at 3:50 am
Just drove one of these today. EX, Pearl white, premium and tech packages. I love the heated steering wheel, cooled seats, and power sunshade for the panoramic sunroof. Everything about the car is stunning. Wish I could have taken it home.
January 14th, 2011 at 10:45 am
kia car deserved crowned as the best bike in 2011
January 14th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Can’t wait to see these in Australia! Supposed to be this month apparently. Might have to wait until the Australian Open starts.
January 14th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
It is a great car but to anakputa2011 the Turbo does not come with Manual option much to my disapointment as well. I currently drve a ’09 Hyundai Sonata with Manual Shift but would go for the Kia if making a decision today.
January 14th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
By the way I just wanted to let you guys know as a bit of insider info, Kia just announced that the sportage is getting the turbo Canada should have it within the next 2 months!!!!!
January 14th, 2011 at 5:36 pm
The Kia Sportage Turbo was shown at the Montreal Auto show to journalist yesterday (13th)
January 14th, 2011 at 5:57 pm
There are 75 Optima SX Turbo at the port in Tacoma, WA. I’m waiting to be allocated them any day now! I can’t wait to drive it.
January 20th, 2011 at 7:32 am
Guys I drove an Sx Optima that was at my store the other day… and wow was I impressed. The ride, handling Mr horsepower really made me want one bad. Front the time i stepped on the gas pedal i was in love with this car. KUDOS to Kia they got this one right…. Best Kia so far ever.
February 1st, 2011 at 8:25 pm
BooYeah. I’m finally receiving my Optimas today! I’m getting 8 SX Turbos, 2 EX Turbos, and I’m also expecting my 5 Soul Special Edition White Tigers today!
February 4th, 2011 at 10:09 am
Got them! The SX Optima is a blast to drive. The White Tiger Soul is the first Soul to come standard with illuminated scuff plates, climate control, push button start, and a smart key. Both great vehicles
February 4th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
The ! and sport can be ordered in a package with push button start.
February 6th, 2011 at 7:52 am
Kia is the New World Order automobile maker. Period.
February 7th, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Did y’all see the new Optima commercial for the super bowl? What y’all think about it? To me it was too much focused on the commercial more than the car itself. Nothing about horspower, technology or even turbo. Besides, you didn’t get a good view of the car until the very end coming from the Mayham peeple. What a waste of 30 million dollars. That could have been saved up to make a RWD coupe.
February 7th, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Out of 5 stars, I give that Optima commercial a 2.5. It was alright but nothing to brag about. The best super bowl commercial was the VW Jetta. The worst was Kia’s. Kia’s best commercial was the introduction of the Kia K7, 2011 Sorento for S. Korea and the Soul for N. and of course the introduction of the 2004 Kia Amanti for N. America too. I also liked the Spectra muscial chairs commercial. That was funny!!! Kia’s worst commercial was the introduction of the K5 with that annoying beeping.
February 7th, 2011 at 11:28 pm
The 2011 Kia Sorento is STILL top ten best selling CUVs even outselling that Toyota Highlander. The only reason why the Equinox has outsold the Sorento is because the dumb Daewoo has a Chevy badge on it. Tell cowardly Daewoo to put a Daewoo badge on that Chevy and lets see how it sells. That’s why I don’t consider the Daewoo the first best selling KOREAN CUV . The Sorento is. And tell cowardly Chevy to stop advertising that Daewoo Equinox on a Kia blog. If Chevy really wants to be bold, they would compare that to any Korean car on television instead of just Toyotas. GM doesn’t beleive in Daewoo that’s why they trying to take over Daewoo. Only Daewoo is too dumb to see that. And the Sonic? Please, the next Rio will be ready to tackled tha Sonic Sedan and hatch with Kia’s 3 door Rio, sedan and 5 door. So come on Chevy…. I mean Daewoo bring on!!!And if the next Rio sells less than the Sonic it’s only because the Daewoe has the wrong badge.
February 8th, 2011 at 1:38 am
You missed what I said Greg….The White Tiger Soul is the first Soul to come STANDARD with illuminated scuff plates, climate control, push button start, and a smart key
February 8th, 2011 at 1:41 am
Too bad it doesn’t have Navigation and that slick silver dash fascia. Maybe on the next SE.
February 8th, 2011 at 6:34 am
What stage do you guys think the KV7 is in? Do you guys think it’s in the ice stage or the wind tunnel? Do you guys think it’s getting crushed with dummies inside? I wonder if it is doing the shower test. Maybe its in the secret race track behind the S. Korean plant? Maybe it’s already been outside tested in the world’s coldest countries and hasn’t been caught by the photos. Mabye its been in a desert to check the air conditionar as well as the mpg with the AC on full blast? Mabye it’s got to get it’s last make over befor it is tested outside. I wonder if Squarehole would know anything about the KV7 besides just the Rio. Speaking of Squarehole, why is it tht he/she only replies when it comes to the Rio and nothing else? Think about it. when the Picanto was on spy shots he didn’t say nothing. Also, if this blog ever puts the next Cee’d on spy shots on here, i have a question for Squarehole about that next cee’d. A really BIG question. There’s something weired about that cee’d. The design screams Kia but somthing that just doens’t rest my mind until I find out. Kia is up to something, something big, something mean, something scary soemthing I don’t even know what is is yet but I’m going to find out or my name ain’t jtz.
February 8th, 2011 at 6:40 am
A new thought just came to mind about Kia’s spy shots. You guys remember that old spy shot of the HM (the Mohave now). This HM was parked in a really dark parking lot covered up in a black dress along other Kia’s (those Kia’s weren’t covered up). The ground was green I remember. Anyway, if we had someone sneak down in that area to look for the KV7, I BET they would also see the Kee or even the Optima coupe in that area now. Maybe they would even see the RWD Sedan? Think about it. When we saw the TD (now the Forte) in that SAME area, we also saw the facelifted Optima too. Also when we saw the TD we also saw the 2011 Sorento covered up too. Which makes me think that if we were to ever see spy shots in that AREA again, we would see soemthing, big, somthing surprising, something mean, somthing scary something I don’t even know what it is yet………. but i’m going to find out or my name ain’t jtz.
February 8th, 2011 at 6:44 am
Another new thought just came to mind. What stage do you guys think the possible Optima coupe could be in? could it be in the wind tunnel or getting a shower test? What if it’s in the same stage as the KV7? What if the Ray is getting tested? What if…… oh never mind. Kia has something big coming, something surpising, somthing amazing. When it takes a while for us to see spy shots that means something big, something surpising, somthing scary something I don’t know what it is yet but I’m going to find out or my name at what?
February 8th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
The KV7 was JUST a concept a couple of weeks ago! They aren’t going to have it in any kind of testing at this point. I wouldn’t imagine them testing the KV7 until summer – indoors or out.
February 8th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Hmmmm, summer time huh? That’s pretty late on account that the KV7 is supposed to arrive in Late Fall. I hope they do enough testing. I hope the seats will be right….. unlike the Optima’s, Sorent’s and Forte’s uncomfortable seating. I hope it gets ground breaking mpg better than that Flex Ford keeps bragging about. I hope it has more interior room than that Odessey and the over rated Town N country. I hope it is fast and fun to drive and has available AWD too. I wonder, if it will have sky lights? What do you guys think. The concept didn’t? But neaither did the KND-4 and the Sorento did. I wonder what the price range will be? I wonder if it’ll be produced in the states? I wonder, what they will name it. Calling it the Sedona isn’t a good idea. Not that the Sedona had a bad reputations because it didn’t. The 2001 Sedona is what made the 2nd generation Sedona win “best minivan money can buy” and “the best minivan ever tested”. That is why I think Kia should also consider making another traditional sliding door minivan. That way people who likes the sliding doors can pick that and people who thinks minivans that look like croossovers is better can pick the better looking KV7 (Sorry Greg but you got to admit your Sedona is boring).
February 8th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Also speaking of the KV7 did you guys notice Kia wasn’t ready to unveil something else about that van. You know what that is? I’ll tell you it’s the seating layout. Think about it. Does anyone know what the production version’s seating layout will look like? Will it be 2+2+3 or 2+3+2or 2+3+4? Or even 2+3+3? Think about it. Kia didn’t want to show us too much about the actual seats. And we all know a faint chair in a van just isn’t production ready. So when it comes to the seating layout, Kia is up to something, something big, something mean, soemthing surprising, something, scary, something unexpected….. but I’m going to find out or my name ain’t jtz. I wonder if Kia can contiue on with “the safest minivan ever tested?” When I look at the face of the KV7, I don’t see another Kia except the H grille. This is an entirly different face. A face of the future, A face of something coming, something mean, something scary. Just look at the interior of those headlights. I have never seen anything like that in a Kia. It seems as if Kia is planning on evolving their headlights from LEDs to something else in the future. Kia is up to something, something big, something mean, something fancy, something scary, somthing I don’t even know what it is yet but I’m going to find out or my name ain’t jtz. Do you guys think the KV7′s headlights are production ready? I think so. I say bright those headlights into production and put them in the K9 as well.
February 8th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
I highly doubt it will come out in the fall. Maybe fall 2012 at the EARLIEST. The Sedona just got a fecelift for this year. They will continue the current Sedona for at least MY2012. I would look for the KV7 production car at an autoshow in early 2012.
February 9th, 2011 at 7:13 pm
Anyone know if Kia is bringing anything to the Chicago Auto Show? I’m more intrested in what they will bring for New York though.
February 9th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
Optima race car @ Chicago. I will be @ the show on Saturday!
May 26th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Bought a base model LX with the 6 speed manual. Love it…No extras but packed with safty features, Ipod and USB jacks, Bluetooth Ect. All for 19,000. Cant beat this car for the price. Looks best in Silver. 200 HP 4 banger…not bad. Love the styling too.
March 18th, 2012 at 4:09 am
JUST BOUGHT MY 2012 KIA FORTE EX . WHAT A REAL WINNER. WITH SUNROOF AND SPOILER AND NOT
TO MENTION HANDS FREE BLUE-TOOTH. AND AWESOME GAS MPG. WITH GAS PUSHING $4.00
THAT SEALED THE DEAL FOR ME. THANKS KIA!!!!!!!!!!!