Kia has a lot to celebrate as they roll through fall in 2011 and into the 2012 production season. Early September marked the addition of the new Kia Optima to the production line at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG). Also in September, they received compliments from the magazine Esquire, as they applauded the sophisticated design of the 2011 Kia Optima.

"The 2011 Esquire Design and Technology Awards" recognizes 9 finalists in the automotive industry that they believe to represent the best-of-the-best in the automotive industry for the given year. Editors picked the 2011 Kia Optima for being sharply designed without breaking the bank, noting, "A decade ago, a shape this clean and inspiring would've cost real money."¹ With a price point below $20 thousand, the Optima's clean design stands head-and-shoulders above the rest.

Alongside this award are others that the Kia Optima has won including:

1. 2011 "Editors' Most Wanted" vehicle in Edmunds Inside Line
   
2. 2011 "Best New Model" by Kiplinger's Personal Finance
   
3. Ward's 10 Best Interiors List (placed top 10)
   

However, award-winning cars must do something other than just looking nice, right? Don't fret, the Kia Optima is safe too. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named it a 2011 "Top Safety Pick," alongside the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) five-star crash safety rating.

Thanks in large part to the 2011 Optima, Kia Motors continues to garner awards in the automotive industry for their recent brand transformation; which is led by innovative design, quality, value and safety. Michael Sprague, Vice President, Marketing and Communication, Kia Motors America says, "The stunning design and value of the Optima has significantly increased awareness, perception and consideration for the Kia brand."²

Want to know more about the simple elegance exemplified by the Kia Optima? Stop by Central Kia of Plano located at 3401 N Central Expressway, Plano, TX to take a test drive in the award-winning 2011 Kia Optima.

 

Sources:

- ¹http://www.esquire.com/features/cars/best-designed-cars-2011-9#fbIndex2
- ²http://www.kiamedia.com/secure/corporate090611.html