2016 Kia Optima first drive: Kia's best-seller gets even better

The midsize Optima offers luxury-level features, but be prepared to pay

What is it? 

It's important! Particularly if you're a Kia dealer. 

In fact, according to Kia product planning VP Orth Hedrick, the 2016 Optima sedan is "the most important vehicle in our franchise." Given that the Optima accounts for roughly a quarter of Kia's U.S. sales -- about 120,000 units so far in 2015 -- Hedrick's statement is spot-on and, ironically, also the reason the car you see in the gallery above doesn't look much different than the outgoing model … at least upon first glance.

Kia opted not to reinvent its best-seller, instead following a policy that keeps what's working while refining everything else. "We have momentum with the current car, even in its fifth year," explained Hedrick, "so we wanted to continue that." The Optima's styling, penned by the venerable Peter Schreyer, has aged well, and for its 2016 refresh, the car maintains its overall DNA, including the trademark "tiger nose" fascia. Behind the familiar sheetmetal, though, the car has grown in nearly every dimension, leading to a lower, wider stance and improved interior packaging -- packaging that was already among the best in the midsize segment.

2016 Kia Optima SX-L models get quilted leather heated and cooled front seats.

Most of the additional volume goes toward rear legroom -- already a strong suit on the current Optima, and even better on the 2016. In upmarket SX-L trim, those rear passengers also get heated, quilted-leather seats and side-window sunshades, while the front-seat occupants get the same upholstery, along with heated and cooled seating, dual-zone climate control and multiway adjustable power thrones.

Basic models come with Bluetooth connectivity and satellite radio, but navigation and a larger screen are optional starting on the LX 1.6 and standard on all SX/SX-L trims. Depending on how fancy you get, Android Auto and (soon anyway) Apple Carplay make an appearance, along with wireless cell phone charging and what Kia terms Enhanced UVO -- a suite of apps that includes geofencing and speed reporting to keep your teen in line.

Safety gear including blind spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert comes standard on SX-L, but is available on all trim levels; the ancestors of your future autonomous overlords -- front collision warning, lane departure warning and autonomous emergency braking capable of bringing the car to a complete stop -- are optional on SX and standard on SX-L, but unavailable on lower trims.

There's a 2-liter turbo four under there, and it's got a decent set of cojones.

A stout 245-hp 2.0-liter turbo four coupled to a six-speed automatic is standard on the SX and SX-L; lower trims get a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four/6AT combo making 185 hp. New this year for the LX is a fuel-economy special powertrain consisting of a 1.6-liter turbo four and Kia-developed seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. With 178 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, the smallest engine should have plenty of power to get the Optima moving, though expect the usual DCT grabbiness at low speeds and on initial acceleration. The payoff is 32 mpg combined fuel economy, 2 mpg better than the standard I4.

What’s it like to drive?

Outstanding, in a word, but there’s a caveat: We drove top-trim Kia Optima SX-L models exclusively, and though the fundamental architecture is shared with other Optimas, there’s equipment under the SX/SX-L cars' skin that actually makes them drive differently than the LX or EX you might be testing on a dealer lot. Most noticeable is the 245-hp 2.0-liter turbo engine, but there’s also exclusive suspension tuning and a rack-mounted assist motor for the power steering as opposed to the column-mounted motor on other trims. Putting the assist motor directly on the rack reduces play in steering response; most drivers won’t notice the difference, but the result is one of the best EPS systems we’ve felt in a mid-priced car.

Kia snagged Albert Bierman from BMW’s M division; though the 2016 Optima was already in the bag when he arrived, the limited amount of expertise Bierman managed to impart is immediately obvious. Suspension tuning gets called out for particular praise: On bumps and undulations, the Optima delivers rebound control that rivals some of the best European sedans available, and the car slingshots through mountain passes with complete confidence and a notable absence of the kind of tire howl expected from a mainstream machine.

We drove a Kia Optima sedan with the 2-liter turbo four-cylinder engine to 12,000+ feet and the car never ran out of breath.

It's unfortunate that the number of Optima owners who'll actually drive their cars that way can be counted on two hands, but for the perpetually average buyer, the Optima still punches well above its pay grade. Stoplight acceleration is smooth and lag-free, while highway comfort is superb, thanks to well-controlled tire and wind noise. The effect is more pronounced due to the near-luxury surroundings Kia has conjured up for the SX-L, but they've also managed to exorcise the powertrain harshness (especially at lower engine speeds) with which we've long associated four-cylinder Korean cars. In all, it's a far more refined package than even the previous well-mannered Optima.

Do I want one?

There’s only one reason you wouldn’t, and it requires some brutal honesty: Are you willing to spend roughly $30K for a Kia, a Korean brand with a toy-like name known primarily for dirt-cheap transportation? When someone asks you what kind of car you drive, are you OK saying “A Kia”? Can you say it to yourself -- “I drive a Kia Optima” -- and be comfortable with it? Don't scoff at the suggestion; cars are fashion statements, and the badge matters no matter how much your normcore buddy insists otherwise. 

Let it rattle around in your head for a few minutes. If it works for you, then by all means get an Optima. It’s one of the best midsize sedans on the market today, but don't expect it to be the high-value alternative to a comparably equipped Ford, Toyota or Honda.

If you just can’t make the leap, that’s OK, too; the Fusion, Camry and Accord are best-sellers because they’re fantastic cars from brand names that have earned their reputations over decades. Just don’t be surprised when, in five or maybe 10 years, you hear yourself say “I drive a Kia Optima,” and you’re suddenly, inexplicably … fine with it. Kia’s on that trajectory.

2016 KIA OPTIMA SUMMARY	LX	LX 1.6	EX	SX	SX-L
BASE PRICE	$21,840	$23,990	$24,890	$29,890	$35,790
ENGINE	2.4-liter I4	1.6-liter I4T	2.4-liter I4	2-liter I4T	2-liter I4T
OUTPUT	185 hp	178 hp	185 hp	245 hp	245 hp
COMBINED FUEL ECONOMY	30 mpg	32 mpg	28 mpg	26 mpg	25 mpg