Latest first drives Kia Optima Feb 2012
Following on from the sales success of its European-designed and built Cee’d medium car, Kia now has its sights on the big saloon sector. Can the Optima tempt business drivers out of their Ford Mondeos and Vauxhall Insignias?
Exterior styling really cuts a dash
What's new
Pretty much everything - this is Kia's first big saloon car, and its most sophisticated offering to-date. Standard kit on the cheapest £19,595 Optima 1 includes air-con, alloys, LED daytime running lights, Bluetooth with voice recognition and cruise control.
Both '2' and '3' versions add cornering lights, reversing camera, a parallel parking system, a cooled and ventilated driver's seat and a 12-speaker Infinity sound system.
Unlike other Kia models that are only sold in 1, 2 and 3 trim, the Optima is also offered in Luxe and Tech at 2 trim levels. Luxe does without a standard sat nav but offers bigger wheels and a panoramic sunroof, while Tech is more fleet-focussed with a centrally-mounted sat nav system, half-leather upholstery and dual-zone climate control.
Owner’s wallets will benefit from the standard-fit stop-start system and other efficiency-boosting measures that feature on all versions.
Another surprise is Kia's decision not to bother creating right-hand-drive petrol or hybrid versions, instead concentrating on the likely biggest seller: the diesel. The sole 1.7-litre diesel engine can be ordered with a six-speed manual or auto transmission.
Read our Top 10 large car buying tips
Rear end is Audi-esque
What's it up against?
Main rivals are all big fleet players, such as the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia, VW Passat and Peugeot 508. But the toughest competition in the value-for-money stakes comes from the Hyundai i40, which is virtually identical under its swanky body styling. Although the two Korean brands are part of the same company, the Kia trumps its twin on warranty, offering an industry-leading seven years of cover. This far outweighs European rivals too, which generally only come with three-year warranties.
Why buy one?
If you value reliability above all else, the Optima is a safe bet – as a brand Kia ranked ninth out of 34 in the 2011 Which? Car Survey – that’s ahead of the main players, German premium brands and its sister carmaker, Hyundai. And, if anything does go wrong, it ought to be covered by the lengthy warranty.
The other influential factor is all the upmarket kit that’s included in the price. Although the Optima isn’t significantly cheaper to buy than rivals, it does come with plenty of appealing toys, especially from 2 trim upwards.
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Cabin trim lets the side down
Running costs
Expect the Optima to be pain-free to live with. CO2 emissions of 128g/km for the manual version equate to £95 a year in car tax, and Kia claims it'll achieve fuel economy of 57.6mpg combined. Figures for the auto are less inspiring: 158g/km, £165 car tax and 47.1mpg.
Depreciation is steep in this sector, with many models worth just 30-33% of their original value after three years/36,000 miles. However, we don’t expect the Optima to be worse than mainstream rivals. Consider buying nearly new, or older, to offset initial depreciation.
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