OREANDA-NEWS. Kia Motors America’s (KMA) all-new 2016 Optima midsize sedan and 2016 Sedona minivan were both named to Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com 16 Best Family Cars for 2016 list.  The recent winner of KBB.com’s 2016 Best Buy Award, the Optima was touted by editors for being stylish, feature-packed and family friendly.  Meanwhile, the Sedona minivan was praised for style and function, a modern interior, impressive available safety features and overall value.

“The all-new 2016 Optima has matured in all the right ways, from the European sport-sedan design to the premium interior materials to its vastly improved ride and handling and advanced safety features,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning KMA.  “Similarly, Sedona was designed for today’s active lifestyles and families on the go with more power, a longer wheelbase for improved leg room and unique seating configurations combined with intuitive technology and safety.  We’re honored that Kelley Blue Book has named Optima and Sedona to the 16 Best Family Cars for 2016 list.”

With a specific focus on safety, comfort, convenience, spaciousness for passengers and utility, and fit of various child safety car seats, the KBB.com editors created a list of the top 16 vehicles that best meet the needs of today’s modern families.

“During our extensive testing in real-world use, we found both the Kia Sedona minivan and Kia Optima sedan offered many of the virtues that family car purchasers love – a full list of features, a high level of build quality and low acquisition costs,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst of Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com.  “When looking at the car market through the family friendly lens, Kia vehicles deserve serious consideration.”

About the 2016 Optima

Conceived under the watchful eye of Kia’s president and chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, with modern and instantly recognizable design cues, the Optima maintains its athletic identity but rides on a chassis that is longer, wider and stiffer for improved ride and handling and a more spacious cabin.  Available with three engine choices, including a new 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s mated to a seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), the Optima is more confident than ever on the road.  The all-new Optima’s roomier, more luxurious cabin features an impressive level of craftsmanship that comes standard across five trim levels – LX, LX 1.6T, EX, SX and SXL.  The all-new Optima is built at Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia*.

About the 2016 Sedona

Available in L, LX, EX, SX and SX Limited (SXL) trims and a choice of seven-passenger or eight-passenger seating configurations, the 2016 Sedona has something for everyone.  The Sedona comes standard with Kia’s proven 3.3-liter V6 engine, which puts out 276 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission routed to the front wheels.  The Sedona sets itself apart in the segment as its wide stance exudes a modern, CUV-like appearance and cab-forward design.  Sedona offers a wide array of available driver-aid technology including Surround View Monitor1, Smart Cruise Control[i], Blind Spot Detection1 and Lane Departure Warning1.  Inside the spacious cabin, Sedona combines generous use of soft-touch materials, premium amenities such as “First Class” lounge seating, and Kia’s UVO2 infotainment and telematics system.

About Kelley Blue Book

Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry.  Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new and used cars this week.  The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies.  Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com ranked highest in its category for brand equity by the 2015 Harris Poll EquiTrend® study and has been named Online Auto Shopping Brand of the Year for four consecutive years.  Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. is a Cox Automotive company.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea.  KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2015, surpassing the 600,000 unit mark for the first time in company history. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900** flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle***, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona midsize multi-purpose vehicle, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States.  Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 15,000 plant and supplier jobs.