No More Minivan? A Review of the Kia Optima

 

I'm your typical minivan driving mom.  

I said I would never be that mom.   {It's not the first time I've eaten my words.}

My trusty van is nearly 12 years old and we are starting to think about a new vehicle for me.  

I must admit - I'm giving the Kia Optima a serious look.

It was so much fun to drive the 2013 Kia Optima for the week - around town to all of our lessons, practices, church events, errands, and just out for fun!  

I felt like a real adult, know what I mean?   

(I'll give you my review, and then you'll hear a review from a homeschooler, too -- a friend of ours who LOVES cars.   This is a treat today!) 

Kias are made right here in Georgia.

They have an AWESOME warranty.  

After driving one for a week I learned so much more about why I like them.  

The Kia Optima SXL is a Good Looking Mid-Sized Sedan

Our car was such fun to drive because it just LOOKED good.   As I was snapping pictures of the car, several people stopped and told me what a gorgeous car it was.    

It has daytime running lights that make it very stylish.

The long, sleek design (with a DOUBLE sunroof) make it extremely sporty.

It has plenty of room in the front and back seats

We all appreciated the leg room in the front and back seats.   Both fronts seats are fully adjustable, heated, cooled, and offer lumbar support. 

The back seat is HUGE!   My children each had their own space, with a large arm rest/cup holder in between them.  

For all the room, you would have expected the car to not be so sleek - nothing could be further from the truth.

There is plenty of room for cargo 

The trunk is huge, and with fold down seats in the back, you can haul an awful lot of stuff.   

Sometimes I find JUNK accumulating in my van just because it can, know what I mean?

I really liked the size of the Optima - big enough for what we needed, but not too much.

So Many Conveniences Make Life Easier 

Things like Sirius Radio were a real treat for us.    I just loved that we could listen to so much wonderful music while we were running errands.   I could listen to news and talk radio while the kids were in music lessons.    

Features like the navigation system and backup camera were an extra luxury!

I could go on and on about other features:   great gas mileage, smooth ride, Bluetooth capabilites, etc...   

What I really want to tell you, though, is how much we ENJOYED driving this car! 

 I think there might still be tears on the driveaway from when they came to pick it up at the end of the week.    We are missing the heated seats, sunroof, and just all around COMFORT of the Optima.

Now that you've heard my review, I thought you might want to hear from a special guest reviewer.  His name is Ryan and he is a 12 year old homeschooled young man I know.  He LOVES cars.   His mom owns a Kia Sedona and I asked Ryan to go over this car for me one day.

I looked at his notes and he offered to type up a review and email it to me.   (What a homeschooler!!)

Here are Ryan's thoughts on the car.   I think you'll be impressed with his review, too! Thank you, Ryan, for helping me today. 

 

The Kia Optima is a sleek, and stylish sedan made by Kia Motors. This particular model is made in the United States, actually in Georgia. The Kia Optima has so much to offer . The are numerous features, some involve safety and space. Some features are dual sunroofs, powered seats, a navigation system, a push engine start, I pod and USB hook up, heated and cooled seats, Sirius satellite radio, air conditioning in the rear, climate control, Bluetooth, and back up camera to name a few. The space in this car alone is amazing even though it is a sedan. This car seats two in the front and three in the back with plenty of leg room and head room. The trunk in this sedan can fit three full sized suitcases. The passenger seat can recline if you need too take a nap during a vacation or car ride. The Optima has a classy exterior with a mounted antenna, sporty headlights, and silver handles.

Really, this is a wonderful car! The Optima may look like a $50,000 to $60,000  car but actually it is $35,000 with every available feature. I love this car because of its technology and safety features.   The interior of this car is sporty but elegant, and still is a practical family sedan. I would choose this sedan over any other because of its space and technology.

There you have it, my friends.    We so enjoyed reviewing the Kia Optima.   Now I have much to consider as I'm putting my old minivan to rest!

*Thank you, Kia for letting us drive the Optima for one week. No compensation was received for this review.