2002 Kia Optima: Relabeled Hyundai Sonata
The Kia Optima was one the early creations of Kia that offered good value for money.
It was one of the midsize sedans that was almost comparable to Hyundai Sonata and shared lots of things in common, such as the chassis, engine and suspension layout.
However, it differed a great deal in terms of styling, so you can call it a relabeled Sonata!
Trims and Variants
2002 Kia Optima was offered in two different trim levels, - SE and LX. The optional V6 engine got an upgrade to 2.7 liters, while the prices were lowered in comparison to the 2001 Optima.
The improvement in engine and chassis increased its popularity, while the pricing advantage attracted greater customer-base, especially those who could not afford a costly Honda, Hyundai or Toyota sedan with similar specs.
Specs and Performance
The 2002 Optima LX variant was the base trim level that produced 149-horsepower with its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It was marketed at a great price of $14,899, which was considerably lower than its predecessor.
Kia Optima 2002 edition had an amazing fuel economy of 23MPG on highways and 18MPG on city streets. The additional upgrade also provided automatic transmission for those who hate manual gear-shifts.