CHICAGO -

Cars.com editors decided this week that their selection among six nominations for the Best of 2011 Award is the 2011 Kia Optima.

The site tapped the Kia model over the 2011 BMW 5 Series, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, the 2011 Honda Odyssey and the 2011 Nissan LEAF.

However, two of those units still received honors from Cars.com.

The site’s Lifestyle Award winners included the Odyssey as Family Car of the Year and the LEAF as Eco Car of the Year. Two other selections in this category were Ford models as Cars.com went with the F-150 as the Work Car of the Year and the Mustang as Play Car of the Year.

Although the vehicle that captured most of Cars.com’s attention was the Kia Optima.

“The new Kia Optima enters the most competitive segment in the industry and tops it with a lot of value, good looks and a solid ride,” said Cars.com editor-in-chief Patrick Olsen.

“While there is a lot to be said for the electric vehicles that were contenders for this award, we think it’s even more significant that Kia’s best vehicle to date is one that millions of buyers consider every year,” Olsen added.

Cars.com gave out the accolades during a gala awards show at the Fillmore Detroit Tuesday night before an audience of more than 1,000 industry insiders and executives. The event also featured a special performance by Barenaked Ladies.

“Our awards are a true celebration of the auto industry,” insisted Mitch Golub, president of Cars.com.

“Our editorial team reviews hundreds of new cars every year, and we’re proud to showcase the best vehicles on the road, which is just one more way we give car buyers the confidence to know they’ve found the right car,” Golub added.