12.1.2012 New Kia Optima keeps running costs low

The all-new Kia Optima saloon is set to go on sale in the UK from 1 February, bringing low running costs and emissions as well as high specification levels to the D-segment. Pricing starts at £19,595 on-the-road.

Unveiled in 2010 at the New York Auto Show, the Optima has proven to be a global success since day one. It became Korea's top-selling car within a month of going on sale, and almost 300,000 have been sold globally to date.

The Optima has been configured to appeal to the business community who make up the vast majority of D-segment customers in the UK. It will be sold only with a diesel engine – a new 134 bhp version of Kia's efficient 1.7-litre CRDi 'U2' engine – while all four specification options contain every essential for the business user. There is a choice on the mid and top spec models of 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

All manual versions feature several Kia EcoDynamics fuel-saving, CO2-reducing measures, including Intelligent Stop & Go and aerodynamic drag-reducing measures. Automatics have an Active ECO button which alters the operation of the engine's electronic control unit and the compressor on the climate control system, bringing potential fuel savings of around 9% at the touch of a button.

Acceleration from 0-60 mph takes 10.2 seconds in manual versions and 11.5 seconds with automatic transmission, while the respective top speeds are 125 mph and 122 mph.

The manual can achieve 57.6 mpg, with CO2 emissions of 128 g/km, while the figures for the automatic are 47.1 mpg and 158 g/km. Both attract vastly lower company car tax rates than any previous Kia D-segment model.

The Optima's ride and handling have been optimised to provide the perfect combination of stability and agility with refinement and comfort on the long motorway drives, common for business drivers. Kia's motor-driven power steering (MDPS), which delivers assistance only when needed to reduce the load on the engine and save fuel, offers just the right degree of help and weighting in all circumstances.

Extensive noise-reduction measures ensure minimal transmission of engine and road sound, while the low co-efficient of drag – down to 0.29 from the 0.32 of Kia's previous D-segment saloon – not only helps fuel economy but also minimises wind turbulence.

The Optima is sold in the UK with Kia's familiar 1, 2 and 3 trim grades, but the mid-range 2 versions offer buyers the options of 'Luxe' or 'Tech' variants. Standard features in the '1' version include alloy wheels, air conditioning, Bluetooth with voice recognition and music streaming, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, all-round electric windows, cruise control and many other features.

The mid-grade '2', '2 Luxe' and '2 Tech' version offer a wealth of additional features, including panoramic sunroof, reverse parking camera, larger alloys and larger sound system and 7 inch touch screen satellite navigation system – to mention just a few.

The Optima '3' offers a luxury range of equipment. Full leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, automatic parallel parking assist and Xenon headlamps with automatic levelling and smart key with start-stop ignition button are all unique to the '3'.

As with all Kias, the Optima comes with Kia's unique seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty, subject to conditions covering wear and tear items. The warranty is fully transferable to subsequent owners.

UK model line-up and pricing

Newspress