I'm about to take ownership of an '08, one of several I test drove. Since I haven't seen anything written about this generation - save a quick blurb about an '07 needing fuel system service, I figure I'd start a sub-forum for people to discuss everything Optima - good, bad, or ugly.
First let me say the 2006 1/2 generation Optimas I drove had more of a premium feel than any Hyundai I've been in or around. They felt solidly built and the seats and other hardware didn't rattle over every bump. Their suspensions, unlike that in my 2005 Malibu, didn't feel like they were depositing parts of themselves down the full length of the highway. The road-rush heard through the floor was noticeable, but not annoying. Actually, it was a good source of feedback as to what the sedans were traversing. Through the greenhouse, highway sounds were barely audible beyond what you'd expect in a midsized sedan from any continent.
And the common-sense features(seat HEIGHT and TELESCOPIC as well as tilt steering wheel) are most welcome. Certainly at this price point having either ABS or ESC would have been expected, but I think the first line of defense against excessive braking distances and spinning out of control is the DRIVER themself. Elsewhere on the dash the main stack - emergency lights & clock, stereo, climate control, and storage bins, were TIGHT. TIGHT as in JUST RIGHT. Controls for all that made sense. And the aux jack under the armrest isn't just for a mp3 player, but for that 1/10 drivers who might bring cassettes and a walkman for the ride! And, "Honda-like or VWesque" or not, I really dig Optima's neon-blue instrument cluster after dark. If you can't see how fast you're going or how much fuel is left in this car - please turn in your license or take the passenger seat!!
Steering - not BMW tight but certainly tight enough so that you felt you were tracking straight. Tighter than that in the Malibu, with more feedback. It's still hydraulic, and that's good enough for me. And since I'm not rally racing, the understeer reported by some magazines probably won't be too much of a problem for me. And the fact that the Optimas I picked one from had either Hankook or Kuhmo
16" tires on them. Who'd ever imagine anything beyond a Bridgestone or Uniroyal as an OEM tire?! Kia batted out of the ballpark with their choice of OEM tires, IMO! :)Some magazine reviewers complained about Optima's trunk OPENING being slightly smallish, but failed to mention the CAVERNOUS trunk itself!
Others? You have the floor . . .