You've Come a Long Way, Baby We admit it – we're genetically pre-programmed to be shallow creatures. Despite our moms' best efforts, recognizing inner beauty is all well and good, but it's physical beauty that first puts both people and consumables on our radar. Exhibit A? The 2011 Kia Optima. You see, while exactly nobody was paying attention, the outgoing Optima actually became a reasonably competitive mid-size sedan. But with the lackluster reputation of its predecessor compounded by styling so banal that it might as well have had "John Doe" as a model designation, the ... Read More

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Optima beats Camry, Accord in CR test, Altima still favorite; Explorer lambasted 1305046860

The mid-size sedan battle rages on year after year. Perennial kings are dethroned while new challengers emerge boasting fresh styling and a bountiful list of standard features. Consumer Reports launches its June issue today, and the institute's testers have put a host of family-minded four-doors powered by four-cylinder engines through a workout to ...
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Review: 2011 Kia Optima EX 1302710220

The New Benchmark, For Now Nobody remembers the 2010 Kia Optima, but just like that, the 2011 model may be the mainstream sedan to beat. While some consumers – the uninformed and brand-bigoted – might remain skeptical, the 2011 Kia Optima is the new benchmark. How could the Optima go from warmed-over also-ran to the segment's latest ...