Kia Optima review

Optima may not be a great name but it's a damn sight better than what went before: Magentis. This is Kia's replacement for the dreadfully dreary old square-edged saloon it used to peddle onto unsuspecting pensioners and minicab drivers. It was the epitome of old Kia. This is modern Kia though, and so the Optima is a different deal entirely.

For starters, this is a big Kia saloon you'll want to be seen in. Sharp lines and an almost Jaguar XJ-ish execution for the C-pillars mean first impressions are wholly positive, and help offset the surprise of discovering this Kia opens, rather than closes, at £20,000. See it in the metal rather than on a spec sheet and you know Kia's serious.