First drive: Kia’s Mondeo, the all-new Optima

What’s this I see?

It’s the Kia Optima, a rival for the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Superb and many other large saloon cars. It’s brand new, too, though you’d be hard pushed to tell: the styling is a mere evolution of the old Optima’s.

So why should I care?

Such a move shows Kia is confident, something reflected in the fact (spoiler alert) that this is a good car. Oh, and there’s lots of new stuff underneath.

The body shell, for instance, is 50 per cent stiffer than before, while weighing nearly nine kilos less. We don’t imagine many Optima owners complained about these things, but Kia has put the engineering hours in, nonetheless.

And while it launches with one, sensible diesel engine, there’s a 242bhp petrol turbo and a plug-in hybrid to come. Imagine trying to convince the investors the old Kia Magentis would sell with those kind of drivetrains…

So Kia saloons aren’t rubbish anymore?

Far from it. For starters, we really like the way the Optima looks. The word ‘classy’ can be a synonym for boring, and we’ll admit it’s not going to stop you in your tracks.

But as we said earlier, it’s a confident looking car, free of gimmicks. It’s an old cliché, but cover up the badges and we imagine plenty of people would mistake it for a car with more luxurious lineage.

What about inside?

Like the Sportage we drove last week, the ergonomics are pretty much nailed on, and most of the materials you touch are good, with the odd rogue bit of cheap plastic to betray the car’s roots. But if you owned that old Magentis, then chances are the interior here would be unrecognisable.

Equipment levels are strong, too: every Optima gets a touchscreen satnav, and mid-range models up get an excellent, 590W, ten-speaker Harman Kardon stereo. Range-toppers have a full suite of self-parking, wireless charging, heated and ventilated seat goodness.

And to drive?

Sensible, rather than outright satisfying. But even Ford has chamfered off the sharp edges of the Mondeo, appreciating that big saloon buyers - if they aren’t investing in a Jag or BMW - are probably in it for the comfort.

And so the Optima is quiet, refined and plushly suspended. The steering is almost comically light, but it’s an effortless, relaxing car to drive, particularly if you specify the seven-speed twin-clutch auto. It’s a world away from the transmission it replaces, utterly smooth in its operation, as well as being a second quicker form 0-62mph (at 10.6sec) and a whole 17mpg more economical.

Tell me about the engine.

For now, your only option is a 139bhp 1.7-litre diesel. And it’s decent. It’s an uprated version of the old 1.7, which always felt a little undersized in the quite large Optima. But small rises in power and torque, and the latter’s availability lower in the rev range, means it feels more adequate now.

Offering up to 67mpg and with CO2 as low as 110g/km, it’s ideal for the business buyers Kia is unashamedly chasing early on. Those petrol and hybrid versions will be more up the street of private buyers, while there’s a very neat looking SportsWagon estate coming, too.

So how much does all this cost?

Thought you might ask. Prices start below £22,000, but in top-of-the-range ‘4’ trim, as we’ve tried here, it’s £28,895. And that’s quite a lot of money. It does buy quite a lot of car, but a generously equipped Mondeo or Superb will come in at a couple of grand less. Told you Kia was feeling confident.

But then if you scale the peaks of the Sorento range - Kia’s big SUV - you’ll have sailed past 40 grand. And many buyers have done exactly that. Like the Sorento, this Optima isn’t a standout contender in its class. But it is a contender.