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 .  .  .