Cars.com "Best of 2011" Award Goes to Kia Optima

Hyundai and Kia are both experiencing a product renaissance, with all-new models that offer strong competition in their respective categories.

There is no doubt the star of Hyundai's current lineup is the mid-size 2011 Sonata. It has received a disproportionate amount of the attention compared with its Kia sibling, the Optima.

But the Optima was also redesigned for 2011, with a bold and tech-focused look that differs from the CLS-inspired Sonata. While the Sonata has been the big seller, many critics have actually rated the Optima higher than the Sonata. With a driver-focused cabin it also seems to be the enthusiasts choice.

Cars.com agrees, awarding the Optima its "Best of 2011" award. It had this to say about the award: "With its value, sharp packaging, outstanding fuel efficiency and lofty features, the Optima gives all family-car shoppers a shot at something far more compelling than the segment represents."

The was a lot of strong competition for 2011. A likely candidate for receiving the award was Chevrolet's Volt, which garnered the North American Car of the Year as well as the Motor Trend Car of the Year. It was a contender, and others included the BMW 5-Series, Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Odyssey and and Nissan LEAF electric vehicle.