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"&amp;quot;Longer, lower, wider,&amp;quot; was the new-car clich\u00E9 when cars wore fins and women had gloves that went past the elbow. But just might be reviving the saying with their all-new third-generation 2011 Optima. Indeed it is longer, lower and wider than its predecessor, not to mention immeasurably sleeker.   The Optima, revealed at the New York Auto Show and scheduled for showrooms in late October, felt quite competent in my brief drive of the new mid-size sedan at Road Atlanta raceway. There, the car showed all the attributes of a first-rate mass-market midsize sedan, but perhaps not as much handling athleticism when pushed as the styling would suggest.   Nothing wrong here, mind you; just more understeer than is useful in snappy maneuvers, and a need to wind just a few more rpm on the tach before full throttle seems, well, full. Of course, we were in the base powertrain\u2014an advanced direct-injected 200-bhp 2.4-liter inline-4 with 186 lb.-ft. of torque that peaks at an elevated 4250 rpm. Fitted with a 6-speed automatic, the 3223-lb. sedan has good poke and has earned respectable EPA ratings of 24 mpg city and 35 mpg highway, but the car isn&amp;#039;t exactly neck-snapping off idle. In short, it&amp;#039;s perfect for the majority of people searching for an above average midsize sedan with good manners at a reasonable price.   Should more oomph at the stoplight be your requirement, opt for the 6-speed manual transmission available only with the 2.4-liter, or absolutely table all concerns with the optional 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder. Another direct-injection engine, the turbo whooshes up 274 bhp and a generous 269 lb.-ft. of torque starting at a diesel-like 1750 rpm. Coupled strictly with the 6-speed auto\u2014which also offers manual shifting\u2014the turbo four is rated at a still-thrifty 22 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. All Optimas are front-wheel drive; no awd is offered.   Later in 2011 a hybrid powertrain will make its debut in the Optima, but Kia prefers not to give details yet, saying only it would not be natural-gas powered, as is their Japanese-market hybrid.   Such environmentally conscious models are a must for Kia, who finds itself selling more up-market models into the mainstream U.S. mid-size sedan market. Now competing grille-to-grille with the big Japanese and U.S. manufacturers, Kia can&amp;#039;t skimp on presentation or features, a fact immediately apparent after our first look in the well-coordinated Optima interior. The new cabin is spacious and equipped with every expected near-luxury feature, including very Sync-like navigation and concierge electronics Kia calls UVO. The seating is firmly supportive and the cockpit styling lends a sporting feel; all told, we see no reason the new Optima shouldn&amp;#039;t be on any midsize sedan buyer&amp;#039;s shopping list. Look for Hyundai Sonata-like pricing to be announced soon. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a16506/2011-kia-optima-1/>