Only Available in the United States, You Say? Pity...

Are these the coolest road wheels you've ever seen?

They look like something you'd see on a show car.

But this is a production car, the Kia Optima.

Much as Kia likes to think of itself as a totally different company from its parent Hyundai, you can't speak of the Optima without speaking of the Hyundai Sonata.

Same platform, same engine, same market segment, similar features.

I can't tell you pricing yet, because - and here's where the Subject Heading of this post comes in - it is not available in Canada. Yet. It replaces the Magentis some time in early 2011.

But you can bet the price will be similar too.

So why was I driving the Optima? Because it is eligible for the North American Car of the Year award for which I am a juror, and Kia Canada brought one in for me and the other Canadian NACotY jurors to test.

Thought you might like a quick sneak peak.

What separates Optima from Sonata is largely styling, inside and out.

Kia's stated mission is to be sportier, more youthful, while Hyundai is supposed to be conservative, more luxurious.

So Optima has a cockpit-style interior with lovely stitched-leather upholstery, sleek European-influenced exterior lines - and those cool wheels.

We'll have more details on Optima when the Canadian-spec car is officially launched next spring.

Comments

[Bill Gotro]

Nice car, a little big, though. The wheels, however, are very ugly, Jim. Just my opinion!