WAGONS ROLL
Can Kia’s late-comer clean up in the large estate market?
Two thirds of D segment cars sold in Europe are estates, which made the Kia Optima’s saloon-only profile an unusual one. The bods at Kia clearly thought so too so the Korean firm’s European designers were tasked with creating this – the Sportwagon.
It’s the same length and width as the existing saloon but with its raised roofline and wide-opening hatch makes for a more practical proposition.
The Kia family tiger nose grille sits well on the low, wide Optima and the change to an estate shape hasn’t blunted the saloon’s handsome looks.
Good looking as it is, the true measure of an estate is how practical it is. Boot space of 552/1686 litres is good relative to the segment, beating the Mondeo estate’s 525/1630 and the Insignia’s 530/1460. it can’t quite match the Skoda Superb’s whopping 660/1950 but nonetheless is a useful big space with underfloor trays and handy deep cubbbies behind the wheel arches. Higher-spec versions also come as standard with a clever sliding luggage rail/harness system, and a powered tailgate is available.
Inside the car there is masses of passenger space. Rear legroom is particularly generous even with the front seats wound all the way back and headroom is fine as long as you’re not too far north of 6 feet tall. Up front, getting comfortable is quick and easy with all the adjustment you need and loads of space.
As we’ve come to expect from Kia the cabin materials are high-quality and well screwed together. There’s not much in the way of flair but ease of use and durability are far more valuable, especially as most Optimas will be high-mileage business vehicles.
Apart from the PHEV hybrid (see panel, right) the Optima comes with just one engine. The 1.7-litre diesel has been around for a while and can’t match rivals for refinement or power. At 137bhp it feels adequate for the car but left me wondering how it would cope fully laden. It’s also noisier than offerings from European rivals, although it’s not unbearable, especially at a steady cruise.
Despite Kia’s claims of a sporty driving experience it’s not a car you’ll drive purely for the pleasure. Where many rivals often have a taut, firm ride, the Optima is noticeably softer. This means it soaks up poor surfaces well but at the price of a slightly spongy ride. The steering is quick but offers little in the way of feedback, rendering it a car more at home on the motorway than a B road. The good news is that regardless of what sort of road you’re on the Optima is well shielded from the dreaded NVH (noise, vibration, harshness). Road and tyre noise is minimal and that softer suspension makes for a smooth ride.
As with all Kias the Optima is well equipped to begin with
and if you fork out for one of the top-tier models you’ll find equipment missing from many similarly priced rivals.
Entry-level models gets sat nav, 17-inch alloys, DAB radio, auto air con, cruise control reversing camera and USB ports front and back for your £22,295 .
Second-tier models – confusingly badged 3 – get a bigger (eight versus seven inches) nav screen, power-adjustable driver’s seat, 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, an uprated sound system and various internal and external styling additions. At £24,495 for the manual version, this is the best balance of price and kit.
Above it sits the sportier-looking GT Line. This packs in the luxuries, with a sevenspeed auto gearbox, full leather, heating for rear seats and ventilation for the fronts, wireless phone charging, around view monitor, parking assist, a powered tailgate and adaptive cruise control. There’s also a suit of safety features that includes blind spot and rear cross traffic sensors, autonomous emergency braking and high beam assist. All that will cost you £30,595, which seems a lot for a selfprofessed non-premium car until you realise that it’s par for the course in the D segment these days.
As with the recently updated Sportage, Kia have set a cat among the pigeons with the Optima Sportwagon, offering a quality, well-priced and good-looking machine that can comfortably compete with the established market leaders.