Last month, Esquire rounded up a list of candidates for their Car of the Year award. In the process, they found cars that stood out in certain categories, and they released their list of winners in the "2011 Esquire Design and Technology Awards." The list of nine finalists included cars like the 2012 Nissan GT-R for it's incredible performance and the Chevy Volt for its innovative drivetrain. And, Palm Kia is proud to announce that the popular men's lifestyle magazine also recognized the 2011 Kia Optima as the "Most Gorgeous Car Under $20K."

The Kia Optima made the list due in large part to it's incredible value. The 2011 Optima is a sharply designed package, topped off with an incredibly low MSRP just under $20K. Magazine editors noted that "A decade ago, a shape this clean and inspiring would've cost real money."¹

This is just the latest award of many given to the Kia Optima. Others include the 2011 "Editor's Most Wanted" vehicle in Edmunds Inside Line, the 2011 "Best New Model" in Kiplinger's Personal Finance, and it even earned a place on "Ward's 10 Best Interiors List."

Kia knows that designing a great car takes more than just a pretty package. Which is why the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated it a 2011 "Top Safety Pick," and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) gave it an overall five-star crash test safety rating.

All of these awards don't come as a surprise to auto critics or enthusiasts, as Kia Motors America has entered its 16^th straight year of growth. Part of this growth included moving more production stateside, and the very first American-made 2012 Kia Optima rolled off the production line at the Kia Motors America plant in West Point Georgia early in September.

The well-designed and wallet-friendly Kia Optima is now available at Palm Kia, 2305 SW College Road Ocala, FL. Stop by and see it for yourself, contact us via our website or give us a call at (877) 298-9494 to schedule a test drive.

Sources:

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