Kia Optima saloon (2016-present)

Kia Optima saloon prices from £9,745  Finance from £164 per month

The Kia Optima is a family saloon whose rivals include the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia and, closer to home, the Hyundai i40 (Kia and Hyundai are sister companies). It’s good value new but because it first came out in 2016, there are also lots of used ones around at much lower prices.

Family saloons like the Optima have been overtaken in buyers’ affections by SUVs due to their higher driving positions and greater sense of space. Because they’re big and high-riding, some drivers also feel safer, though being an SUV is no guarantee of safety.

This being so, you should ask yourself what a car like the Optima can offer you. How about lower running costs, greater comfort and better value for money? On top of all this, like all Kias, a new one comes with a seven-year warranty. This means that, at the time of writing, Optimas launched in 2016 still have four years of warranty cover left. Even then, you may not need to call on it since Kias of all types are very reliable and owners appear to be very happy with them.

Until last year, the Optima was offered with a choice of engines: a 1.7 CRDi diesel, 2.0 GDI-T petrol and 2.0 GDI PHEV plug-in hybrid. This last engine offered a combination of petrol and pure electric power. Its battery can be charged on the go or from a remote socket. A full charge provides up to 30 miles of electric-only running.
Even so, the diesel was the most popular, mostly with company car drivers, and there are many on the used car market.

In 2018, the line-up was reduced to just one engine: a new 1.6 CRDi diesel. On paper it looks less economical than the old 1.7 CRDi but that’s because it’s been tested under the new, more accurate economy test, so the 1.6-litre version should be capable of getting much closer to its official fuel consumption figure than the 1.7.

Both diesel engines are a little slow and not especially refined. However, the Optima’s suspension does a good job of smoothing out rough surfaces and the handling is tidy and grippy, which is some compensation. The steering lacks feedback and is a little vague but overall, the Optima is a comfortable, secure and predictable car to drive that cruises happily and potters around town and country roads without fuss.

It may lack the headroom of a large SUV but the Optima’s interior is nevertheless quite roomy. Even rear-seat occupants enjoy plenty of legroom. Meanwhile, there are handy storage places ranging from a chilled glovebox to a convenient centre storage box.

Saloons aren't the most practical cars but the Optima is better than most in having rear seats that split and fold as standard. Unfortunately, while the boot measures a reasonable 505 litres (the Ford Mondeo’s is 540 litres) it is spoiled by a large lip to lug things over, and the space created by the folded seats is awkwardly shaped. It gets worse: if you go for a used plug-in hybrid model - the PHEV - the presence of the batteries means the boot is only 307 litres.

Despite being a little bland looking, the Optima’s interior is well finished and solid-feeling, and features lots of high-grade materials. It’s well equipped, too, even in level 2 trim.

Until 2018 there were three trim levels called, unimaginatively, 2, 3 and 4. However, as of 2019, new Optimas are offered only in levels 2 and 3 trim. Unless you really want fake leather, larger wheels and a powered driver’s seat, we’d save the £2000 required to have it and stick with well-equipped level 2 trim.