IRVINE, Calif. -

After setting a best-ever yearly sales record  for 2011, Kia revealed Thursday its Optima has been named the Autobytel 2012 Sedan of the Year.

Recognized by the automotive research website for "setting the bar" in the sedan category, Autobytel editors noted they chose the Optima because of its “head-turning design, roomy interior and outstanding fuel economy” out of a pool of hundreds of vehicles.

Commenting on the news, Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing and communication for Kia Motor America, noted, "Since its introduction, the Optima has been attracting new customers to the brand with the right balance of performance, modern amenities and fuel economy that consumers are looking for.

"The midsize sedan segment is more competitive than ever, and Autobytel’s recognition of the Optima continues to keep Kia’s momentum going into 2012,” he added.

Autobytel editors also noted the Optima stood out from the crowd because of its “game-changing market potential, advances in design and overall performance and efficiency options.”

The 2012 Kia Optima also touts technologies, such as a standard eight-speaker Infinity audio system, HD radio and a voice-activated infotainment and communications system.

The sedan has a starting MSRP of $19,500.

A Year of Growth

After surpassing its all-time best annual sales total in the first nine months of 2011, Kia Motors America recently reported a 42.5-percent increase in past sales this December over the same period in 2010.

December’s 43,390 sales contributed to the brands best-ever full-year sales of 485,293 vehicles, 36.3 percent higher than 2010. 

Moreover, the brand has achieved 16 straight monthly sales records in a row.

The brand’s recent success in the U.S. is due in part to “an aggressive three-year sequence of new vehicle introductions that began with the Soul in 2009,” the company noted.

And this past year, the Soul became Kia Motor America’s second vehicle to exceed sales of 100,000 units.

That said, Kia’s U.S.-built products – Optima and Sorento – continued to be the brand’s best performers for the third consecutive month.

Commenting on a year of growth, Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of Kia Motor America and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, had this to say: "Kia is a much different company than just three years ago, and with one of the youngest and most acclaimed vehicle lineups in the industry, Kia’s customer loyalty rate has dramatically improved, and at the same time, more new car shoppers are looking at Kia than ever before as evidenced by our substantial sales and market share gains in 2011.

"The Kia brand is built on a commitment to offering our customers high-quality, stylish, fun-to-drive and fuel efficient vehicles that are packed with the latest technologies, amenities and safety features, and we will continue to deliver on that promise in 2012 and into the future with the introduction of more new models,” Ahn concluded.