Every year-in good times and bad-hundreds of thousands of American families decide what new midsize sedan to purchase. In years past, the Kia Optima hasn’t exactly been at the top of their lists, languishing in sales behind the Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords of the world.powerplants, and the customary Korean price points give the new sedan the honed focus necessary to take on Honda and Toyota’s bread and butter. Kia hopes its bygone years of operating on the automotive industry’s fringe are exactly that: in the past.
Our first encounter with the redesigned Optima wasn’t under ideal conditions. Kia invited us to the Road Atlanta course in Georgia to wring out a few preproduction models at the tail end of the summer. Driving on a world-class track is always invigorating, but this wasn’t a real-world test. As exhilarating as sudden drops in elevation and blind corners are, 99.9 percent of midsize sedan customers would rather learn how it fares on everyday roads.
If we’re talking looks, the new Optima’s striking and distinctive styling breaks from the rest of the midsize field. There’s the entry-level LX, midrange EX, and topline SX trims. Each comes well equipped with an array of features including high-performance dampers, auxiliary/USB inputs, a cooled glovebox, and an extensive safety collection befitting its family-carrying intentions.
The Optima’s cabin has been groomed and tailored to fit the midsize set. Seating is wide and a tad on the firm side, with optional heated and cooled front seats. The center stack is thoughtfully angled some 10 degrees toward the driver and finished in a flat black with buttons and dials that have a solid, high-quality feel. Steering effort is light and feels a bit artificial; there isn’t much feedback from the front wheels.
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