We try to be optimistic with this Optima Estate

When it comes to estates, the Ford Mondeo and Mazda6 seem to be top picks. However, we reckon that the Kia Optima Estate is a worthy contender if you are willing to overlook the shortcomings.

It’s a bit of a strange move on Kia’s part to offer only a single diesel engine in the Optima Estate. The 1.7 turbo-diesel offers decent flexibility but it loses steam quickly once you roam outside of the sweet spot in the rpm band. The torque is high, but you constantly have to change gears to keep that momentum going. We’ve driven diesel engines with similar outputs from Volkswagen and Mazda and they all seem to feel more flexible, but are also quieter and easier to live with. You can option for the seven-speed auto gearbox but low speed refinement is nothing to brag about either, but once you get it going it evens itself out well.

On the road the diesel engine feels a tad unrefined, especially from a cold start up. It’s slightly too clattery for our tastes, and never feels relaxed even at cruising speeds. The engine tends to vibrate a fair bit too which translates into the controls. Steering feedback isn’t all that great like we thought it would be and the handling is good but the ride comfort is slightly too firm and uncomfortable on anything but the smoothest of surfaces. We strongly suggest staying away from the large alloy wheels if ride comfort is top priority on your list. Wind noise isn’t pronounced but there can be some road noise with the larger alloy wheel option and the engine gets loud when revved.

The interior layout is pretty straight forward. The infotainment screen can get a little distracting while on the go, but it’s interface isn’t as confusing as some of its keen rivals. What we love the most about the Optima is the luxury features that you get standard. The driver’s seat moves back slightly to allow easy exiting and the wing mirrors fold in when you lock the vehicle; also there’s LED headlights and ventilated leather seats that really do come handy on those hot summer days. The rear seat offers ample space for two, three will be pushing it slightly due to the large transmission tunnel and the boot space is much more generous on the estate than the sedan counterpart that we get here in the US.

Our rental car came fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, hands-free boot opening, LED headlights and a panoramic sunroof. The trim level that we had was the top of the range GT-Line S which has a very steep price tag  but many standard features to back up the price. We certainly wouldn’t choose it, but instead the more reasonable 2 or 3 trim seem more feasible for those that do need a large estate such as the Optima but care more about value for money factors.

The Kia Optima has a few shortcomings but they can be ignored if you care about value for money, however the diesel engine is the torn that prevents the Optima from being the exceptional offering it can be.

Likes: The boot space is as generous as the standard kit list, running costs are reasonable and the styling is sleeker than the sedan counterpart.

Dislikes: The diesel engine runs out of puff quickly and is not very refined.

Short-drive with the Kia Optima

You’ll be surprised that not everyone wants a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, and for those buyers there’s a sea of options out there. Where the Kia Optima stands, it all depends upon the depths of your wallet because if you’re willing to put your money where your mouth is. The Optima is a fine choice in a sea of bland. 

The standard 2.4 seems flexible enough and will be the mainstream engine choice for most buyers. We reckon that it’s worth spending the extra for the 1.6 turbo as it has more low-end torque for better highway acceleration and slightly lower running costs. You won’t see too many of them out there but the 2-liter turbo in the top of the range is best avoided if you looking at it from a sporting aspect. The engine itself isn’t bad, but it just feels disappointing when compared to the likes the Honda Accord V6 and Ford Fusion.

You won’t be too disappointed with the way the Kia Optima feels on the road. The steering feedback isn’t as sharp as a Mazda 6 and it certainly won’t win any bragging points like the Mazda either when it comes to driving dynamics. What it does offer is a smooth and competent ride that most people will be quite happy with and if you are feeling spirited, the handling is more on the secure side which won’t encourage you to push through corners and bends but at least it will keep you planted on all four-wheels and for majority of buyers in this segment that’s enough. Despite not being as engaging to drive as a Mazda, the Kia Optima is quite easy to drive around town. Steering feedback is enough for driving through narrow city streets and parking in tight parking spaces. Driving on the highway like a non-hooligan really does showcase how refined the Optima really is, there’s far less wind and road noise than we expected and the engine does spool well. We certainly wished our tester car came with the 1.6 turbo, but the 2.4 did the job well and despite having the most horsepower it still didn’t quite feel as peppy as the 1.6 turbo though.

The interior layout is pretty straight forward. The infotainment screen can get a little distracting while on the go, but it’s interface isn’t as confusing as some of its keen rivals. What we love the most about the Optima is the luxury features that you get standard. The driver’s seat moves back slightly to allow easy exiting and the wing mirrors fold in when you lock the vehicle; also there’s LED headlights and ventilated leather seats that really do come handy on those hot summer days. The rear seat offers ample space for two, three will be pushing it slightly due to the large transmission tunnel and the boot space while it isn’t as practical as a wagon or hatchback, it is decently shaped and sized for most people’s needs.

Our tester car (EX) came fitted with panoramic sunroof with power sunshade; 10-way power adjustable front seats with ventilated leather seats, auto-dimming rearview mirror and LED interior lighting. Autonomous emergency braking, smart cruise control, lane departure warning and premium sound system were also fitted with our Optima. We understand some options being optional for a reason but emergency braking is standard on all Toyota vehicles and should be standard here as well.

You won’t find too much excitement with the Kia Optima but it certainly does have a winning case for itself. It offers tons of value for the money and is an option that’s worthy of the shortlist if you are considering the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. However, you’ll have to stick with the cheaper of the range to get the best value, and while our tester car had all the bells and whistles that we liked. We still find it hard to pay the premium for one when there are many other options that are slightly better in quality and hold their value much better.

Likes: 1.6 turbo offers good flexibility and low running costs. The standard kit list is high and the asking price is reasonable, plus it’s spacious for five with a decent boot to match.

Dislikes: The 1.6 turbo is limited to one trim. We’d love to see the wagon here; also the top of the range 2-liter turbo is disappointing to drive.

Our pick: We’d stick with the trim (EX) that we had as our tester car. It came fitted with all the options we’d like to see without having to pay an arm and leg for it. We just wish that it were as exciting to drive as the Mazda 6.

Our favorites (Part one)

Wagon:



Volvo V60

Some may argue that the V60 is just a hatchback as the cargo space is too small compared to the BMW 3-series Touring and it doesn't really have much in terms of rear seat legroom. What we do love about the V60 is how much wagon  you get for your money. Volvo tends to be quite generous when it comes to standard kit and the V60 doesn't disappoint at all. Plus there's a version for everybody. The entry-level Dynamic offers plenty of flexibility, low running costs and decent purchase price. R-Design gets sportier looking styling and a more potent 306hp turbo engine. Top of the range Polestar gets a thumping 362hp turbo engine and of course is the only real high-performance wagon you can option for currently. (We're looking at you BMW.)

Hatchback



VW GTI

The king of the hot hatches continues to be that. It may not have the hooligan appeal that the Focus ST does but for someone looking for hot hatch turn of pace in a classier more refined package, you won't be disappointed with this one. For 2018, Volkswagen has given the GTI a facelift with new LED headlights and restyled infotainment screen. The 2-liter turbo has been pumped up to 220hp and also new snazzy looking alloys are also fitted standard.

Sedan



Kia Optima

When it comes to mid-sized sedans, we think that the Kia Optima is one of the better choices out there. You can choose between three engine options; 2.4 four-cylinder, 1.6-turbo and 2-liter turbo. The 2.4 is the pick of the range as it makes the most sense financially. We do like that Kia offers the 1.6-turbo but it just doesn't really offer much of a benefit in running costs over the 2.4. The top of the range 2-liter turbo doesn't feel as potent as the horsepower figures suggests, but for most buyers looking for a competent mid-sized sedan that's roomy and offers tons of value for the money. Look no further.

Coupe



BMW 2-series

You'd think that opting for the cheapest BMW coupe of the range would be a total penalty box, but it is the complete opposite. You can get the 2-series with two amazing engines (2-liter turbo four 248hp, 3-liter turbo six-cylinder 320hp) and a slick shifting six-speed manual; if you can't drive stick-shift then you can choose a eight-speed automatic which is just as good. The M-tuned version of the 2-series is quite literally the best M car from BMW in a long time. Just because it sits at the entry-level spot in BMW's coupe range doesn't mean that it's a penalty box and of course it can get quite expensive as well.

SUV



Land Rover Discovery

We fell in love with the Discovery when we had it as a rental. It's very comfortable to drive, has plenty of flexibility from both engines and won't disappoint with it's legendary off-road abilities. We'd choose the diesel engine which makes the most sense financially, especially considering that most buyers will do tons of highway driving with their Disco. You can also carry seven-people aboard and opt for uniquely trimmed versions. Land Rover isn't famed for its reliability, but it's very hard to fault it for what it really does bring to the table; in our