The Optima is the latest iteration from Kia that was penned under the direction of chief design officer Peter Schreyer. It combines sharp exterior styling with modern (driver focused) interior design and, like the Cerato hatch and Sportage and Sorento SUVs before it, has a unique steering and suspension tune developed in Australia specifically for our roads.
The equipment list is extremely generous and too long to detail here, but there is only one option - metallic paint for $450. The new Optima is 45mm longer, 25mm wider, 25mm lower and sits on a 75mm longer wheelbase than the current Magentis.
A 148kW/250Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine sees the Optima sprint to 100km/h in nine seconds. While Kia has increased power and torque compared with the Magentis, the Optima has an average fuel consumption figure of 7.9L/100km, down from 8.1L/100km.