February 1st saw the arrival of the brand new Kia Optima – an executive saloon aimed squarely at the business market and priced from £19,595.
This capacious saloon forms a fitting flagship to the Kia range, having been eagerly anticipated since it was first revealed at the New York motorshow back in 2010. When it went on sale in Korea, it immediately became the country’s top-selling car.
Available with a 134bhp diesel engine, the Optima offers four trim levels and some features hitherto unseen on any Kia, including a 550-watt 12-speaker audio system. Self-parking, air-conditioned seats and an automatic cabin defogging system are among key features in a car whose design has been compared to a fine Italian suit.
That elongated design has resulted in considerable cabin space and numerous storage areas, making this a fine family car and executive express.
