Last report we waxed lyrical about the Optima’s interior quality, but a rare encounter with the car’s engine bay – to top up the washer fluid – made me also marvel at its exterior. Unless you open a lot of different car bonnets for a living you probably wouldn’t notice, but the Optima has one of the best- fitting fronts I’ve seen in a while. It’s made possible by keeping the nose section permanently attached to the grille and then cutting the bonnet in a straight line above, so its edge sits snugly on a rubber sealed top. A small detail, yes, but one that delights.
| Kia Optima 1.7 CRDi 2 Tech (manual) |
| Mileage |
4050 |
Claimed combined
consumption |
57.6mpg |
| Our average consumption |
38.4mpg |
| P11D price |
£21,640* |
| Model price range |
£19,595-£25,995 |
| CO2 (tax) |
128g/km/18% |
| BIK 20/40% per month |
£65/£130 |
| Service interval |
12,500 or 12months |
| Insurance |
group 17 |
| Warranty |
7yrs/100,000 miles |
| Boot space |
505 litres |
| Engine size/power |
1685cc/134hp |
| Top speed/0-62mph |
125mph/10.2secs |
| Why we’re running it |
To see if Kia really
can mix-it with the
fleet’s big boys |
| Positive |
Smart exterior, excellent
interior quality |
| Negative |
Small function niggles
to iron out |
| *Before options fitted: Metallic paint £475 |
|
