Update: See how the Kia Optima did in our 2013 Mid-Size Family Sedan Comparison.
Kia has seen quite the resurgence in the last few years, having been infused by parent company Hyundai with a dose of style, quality, and engineering. No longer is Kia a brand full of terrible cars, that people bought because they were just cheap transportation. Instead, people are now buying Kia's because they are actually legitimately good cars, that are still relatively inexpensive. Of course, the specter of Kias of yesteryear continues to haunt Kia, with many people still concerned about reliability despite having one of the best warranties in the business. But as Kia has established its beachhead with cars like the Soul, pitched to us with the help of hip hop hamsters, one area that will ultimately decide whether or not Kia will be accepted as a serious brand by the masses is in the mid-size family sedan class.
The 2013 Kia Optima, which shares its platform, motor, and many parts with the well reviewed latest iteration of the Hyundai Sonata, is Kia's entry into the class. The swoopy sedan, designed by someone who previously worked at Audi (ok, actually he used to head up design at Audi) is the best looking Kia Optima ever and has already given itself a leg up against the competition by being one of the most daring designs in this class of rather pedestrian looking boxes. Can this handsome new-comer really take on and take down some of the highly decorated veterans such as the best selling, and recently redesigned, Honda Accord?
2013 Ford Fusion SE
