Since Kia was acquired by rival maker Hyundai, it was no surprise that the 2001 Optima was little more than a near clone of the updated Hyundai Sonata. That was certainly not a bad thing. The Optima was a five passenger sedan that competed feature to feature with such stalwarts as Camry, Accord and Taurus. For power, the 2001 Optima offered two engines, a 2.4-liter 149-hp four and an optional 170-hp 2.5-liter V6. Base transmission was a five speed manual, with a four speed automatic optional. And, of special note, the automatic had Porsche-designed Tiptronic to shift manually if you desired. Inside, ride quality and noise levels were just about on par with the best of the midsize group. Ride was decently controlled by an all independent coil spring suspension, while a powered rack and pinion steering system promoted excelent over the road control.
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