Can Kia’s new Optima live up to its name? W
Kia Optima 1.7 CRDI ITH a name like that you’d be forgiven for thinking that Kia is aiming very high. And while no one is claiming that the Optima is the very best, it certainly will provide some stiff competition for the rivals in its class.
Redesigned this year, the Opitma 1.7 CRDI seven-speed auto tested this week is a good-looking saloon car that will appeal most obviously to business customers.
I can certainly see someone doing a lot of motorway miles in one, with the auto gearbox, advanced cruise control and lane-assist making cruising a breeze.
The diesel engine returns respectable figures of just over 64mpg combined, and while CO2 emissions are a touch on the high side, they mark an improvement on those returned by the previous version of this car.
Also attractive is the very high level of kit found on even the most basic version of this, the second generation Optima.
The cabin really is a nice place to be, and features a lovely intuitive touch-screen sat-nav system, with parking cameras on all models. Other entry level perks include USB ports front and back, dual air con, leather steering wheel, electrically folding and heated wing mirrors, a six-speaker DAB radio with bluetooth, 17-inch alloys, hill-start assist and tyre pressure monitoring.
My top-of-the-line test car upped the ante somewhat with a wireless mobile phone charger, smart-park assist, black leather upholstery heated seats, and that smart adaptive cruise control, which made life on the stop-start M60 much more tolerable than it might otherwise have been.
Outside the refresh has resulted in a much more dynamic-looking vehicle with sharper lines, both front and back. Although the aggressive front is a little bit of a cheat on a car that pulls 0-60 in well over 10 seconds.
Kia doesn’t exactly have high hopes for the Optima in the UK, where it’s sold modestly in its previous incarnation.
It says the bulk of sales are expected to go to fleet customers, and with the improved emissions and economy figures, that’s certain to be true.
But, if you do a lot of motorway driving, and have been looking at something like a Skoda Superb or even a Ford Mondeo, the Optima is worthy of your consideration, given its attractive price and relatively high spec.
Our test car costs a shade under £29,000 on the road (with all the extras mentioned), while the base model can be had for £21,499 on the road.
And there’s an added incentive, too, with Kia’s very generous seven-year/100,000 mile warranty more than sweetening the deal.
The Optima has a lot going for it, while its shortcomings are ones that can easily be overlooked at the price. It’s a car with much to like, and only a little to think twice about. Justin Connolly Visit kia.co.uk for more MOTORING enthusiasts from all over Europe – including your Motors man and a group of classic car fans from Bolton – flocked to Birmingham’s NEC last week for the UK’s biggest indoor petrol-head festival.
A record 71,000 people attended this year’s Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show to see 2,500 classic cars and motorcycles displayed over five halls covering one million square feet.
They ranged from an 1869 Tasker B2 ‘Little Giant’ engine to the enormous Bloodhound SSC world record speed bid showcar that welcomed visitors to the premium hall. From penny farthings to a jet-powered boat, the line-up of vehicles was the most diverse ever as the 273 exhibiting clubs celebrated the show’s Heroes and Heroines theme.
The Meguiar’s Club Showcase event gathered 16 stunning cars from club events held across the UK for its grand finale. With an amazing mixture of marques displayed, it was Andy Nash from Dover in the beautifully-restored 1966 Mini Traveller who took the title.
On the Wheeler Dealers Live Stage with Discovery Channel, host Mike Brewer was joined by fellow TV car show stars Edd China, Ant Anstead and Fuzz Townshend. There were also appearances by British racing icon Sir Stirling Moss, Engine Addicts’ Jimmy De Ville, US reality star Jesse McClure and Richard Noble OBE.
The north took two honours in the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership which was won by James Cribb from Winsford in Cheshire with his immaculate 1989 Austin Metro City, while second place went Stuart Turp from Barnsley with his 1969 Ford Capri Mk1.
Silverstone Auctions’ two-day classics sale saw cars worth £5.8m find new homes, including a 1989 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo Flachbau – ‘flatnose’ (above) – which sold for a new world record price of £211,500. The 1958 Lotus Elise (below), restored by Ant Anstead for a ‘For the Love of Cars’ special which aired on Sunday, November 20, sold for £121,500.