By David Bonnici
During the school run one morning my daughter commented how I was quite calm and not expressing my usual frustration at fellow motorists who do remarkably foolish things at that time of day.
I thought it was because no one had done anything to displease me – but that just isn’t possible – so it was probably due to the calming influence projected by the Kia Optima.
The Optima isn’t the first car that comes to mind when you think of the medium car market, but it certainly deserves a second look.
Like most of the Kia stable, it’s a lovely car to look at and has plenty of extras for the price.
The range includes the base model
Si (starting at $34,769), the Sli and the top of the range Platinum.
The Platinum model I drove had a long list of features that you’d find in cars well beyond its mid-40s price tag.
These included the opening panoramic roof, leather trim seats (the front are heated and have two position memory settings), blind spot detection, plenty of storage and a host of safety features.
The entertainment system is controlled through a 7-inch touch screen with the usual bluetooth and USB connectivity and satellite navigation and rear view camera.
The sound you get through the six-speaker Premium sound system, with external amp and sub woofer, is exceptional.
Along with all the bells and whistles, it has an attractive interior and comfortable, sports car-like driving position that just makes you feel good to be at the wheel.
The 148kw 2.4-litre engine (more power than its Mazda 6 and Toyota Camry rivals) pushes the Optima along quite well.
Like most larger 4-cylinder cars, it’s a bit sluggish at the low end, but it has quite a bit of grunt when you put the foot down, with pretty modest fuel consumption.
It’s nifty around bends, too, and feels sporty when using the paddle shifters.
It’s nice and roomy and will easily accommodate three adults in the back, though headroom can be an issue for anyone on the tall side. The boot space is cavernous and there’s heaps of storage in the cabin, including cup and bottle holders, sunglass holder and a cooling glovebox.
The Optima stacks up well against its medium car rivals and others considered to be a class above.
It is available at Western Kia, 9 Eucumbene Drive, Ravenhall (Caroline Springs). www.westernkia.com.au.
