After a big announcement and furore last year, the 2011 All New Kia Optima has finally hit the shelves. Or, well, the forecourt anyway. So, what do we think of this  car that claims so daringly to be “ahead of its time”? Now, just for clarity, the Optima in the US is the Kia Magentis here in the UK, but judging  by Kia’s approach the Magentis simply doesn’t exist any more.

Well, the 2011 Optima didn’t have a much to improve on, unless the Optima/Magentis family is your idea of a stunning car. Still, they made such a fuss about this new release that they did need to make a bit of a splash, and I have to admit that the new version is definitely an improvement. In fact, this seems much more executive than ever it has before, and as someone who generally finds Kias boring (if not ugly) I have to salute their achievements. Sleek, stylish and ultimately a lot better than the original, the 2011 Kia Optima is pretty damn smart.

Aside from looks, they have done a lot to improve the spec in the all new 2011 Kia Optima. It is, after all, the most powerful car that Kia have ever made to fit into the D-Segment, alongside cars like the Vauxhall Insignia. It certainly has the performance and the tech, but the claims about being ahead of its time are probably a little presumptuous. Still, maybe this is accurate for a car from a budget brand, something which will either hinder their progress or make them more likely to succeed!

The new 2011 Kia Optima/Magentis

A glimpse inside the 2011 Kia Optima