By nature mid-size family sedans have conservative styling and in this respect the Kia Optima fits right in. It won't attract undue attention from law enforcement or thieves, nor will it attract any criticism regarding appearance or finish.

Optima's styling leans more to convention than cutting edge, with a near-level shoulder character line from front lights to rear and none of the elliptical window and roof lines becoming ever more popular. A rib section below the doors to add style and deflect debris is cleanly integrated. The roof is relatively flat, yielding a decent-size sunroof, headroom all around, and rear side door openings you don't have to duck under to get in. Broad expanses of glass front and rear add spaciousness and improve outward visibility. And the flat trunk lid means an opening large enough to avoid contortions loading large suitcases or awkward cargo.

In keeping with that the tail is clean and uncluttered. Tail lights do what they should without looking to jet into the 22nd century; signals are red and to avoid confusion by following drivers they don't share a bulb with the brake lights. The tailpipes on V6 models exit straight rearward in bumper cutouts.

A continuous curve marking the front bumper comes across as a smile and mimics the aerial-view curve of the leading edges of the hood and fenders. The smooth wraparound lamp housings with projector low-beams remind us of earlier Acura TSX and TL models and Kia's newest design language seen on the Forte. The black sections above the fog lamps in the lower outboard grilles don't look like bumpers but they do protrude very slightly and will take the brunt of any close-quarter scrapes and save some paint bills.

Side mirrors are rectangular, the same general shape as most of the vehicles you will see in them. They fold narrower than the car and have signal repeaters on the outer edges; misjudge a garage or toll booth opening and that will be the most vulnerable point. Large door handles are easy to grab for anyone and chrome (EX) doesn't suffer ring and fingernail scratches quite like paint. Simple six-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels on our example match the mission ideally, easy to clean (no sand, salt, or snow buildup pockets) and don't stick out beyond the tire sidewall where they're prone to scuffing.

SX models get the usual visual upgrades for sporty models with a black mesh grille and blacked-out headlight housings, and painted alloy wheels.

Compared to the sedans in this segment the Optima has the shortest wheelbase and the shortest overall length, typically by just an inch or two, but has among the widest tracks (distance between left and right side wheels) in its class. Optima is also the lightest car in its class; less weight translates to better acceleration and fuel economy, all other factors being equal.

Interior

Kia Optima is compact on the outside but large on the inside, suggesting an space-efficient design. Despite its relatively small outside dimensions, the Kia Optima trails only the Nissan Altima in front legroom among eight popular sedans and is mid-pack or better for other measurements, the delta usually a fraction of an inch. When comparing Kia Optima vs. Honda Accord (classified a Large Car by the EPA), the big Accord clearly leads the pack in front headroom and rear shoulder room, but the Optima measures more legroom front and rear.

Optima LX comes with cloth upholstery, Optima EX with perforated leather. Optima SX features woven inserts on black leather and aluminum trim around the shifter and center switch panel, metal pedals, and a revised instrument display (same data) called Supervision. The leather appears rugged and long wearing rather than supple and baby soft, and a similar material covers upper door panels and armrests. Upper interior panels are black to minimize reflections. EX trim such as door handles is a titanium color. Lower doors and trim pieces are hard plastic, easy to clean, not the nicest to touch, and wholly appropriate for the market and price.

The front seats are thick and supportive, a few might say aggressive on lumbar support and offer a relatively high seating position even with the cushion as low as it goes. The driver's seat on the EX is eight-way power adjustable. Power-adjustable pedals and four-way power for the passenger seat are optional. There's plenty of headroom for this arrangement, even with a moonroof, and an excellent view in all directions; those who like the armored-car cocoon sensation of a Chrysler 300 or Hummer will not feel quite so comfortable.

The rear seat is nicely contoured in the outer positions. Foot room under the front seats allows the Optima to accommodate four six-foot passengers with ease; the rear center seat position has sufficient padding but the raised profile makes it best for kids. The substantial rear center armrest has cupholders and storage, with small bins in the doors for MP3 players or phones. There are assist handles and seatback pockets on both sides, a coat hook on the driver side, optional rear sunshade, and the rear side windows roll all the way down. Seatbelt buckles are mounted to short belts (rather than rigidly anchored) so they move aside and allow those with a waist larger than 28 inches to avoid sitting with the buckle wedged in their backside. The rear doors open with sufficient space to put a size 13 boot between seat and door post, so most will enter and exit the back seats easily.

The tilt and telescoping steering wheel on all Optima automatics has audio controls on the left and cruise on the right; on most it is covered in leather like the shift handle which makes the plastic handbrake stand out. The console houses a bin under the armrest, cupholders, gated shift lever, and a well ahead with aux/iPod/USB inputs. More stowage is found in the glovebox, door pockets, a CD wallet-size covered space below the climate controls, and a hook for a purse or grocery bag on the right side of the center console.

Inset shaded luminescent gauges with white numerals and red needles are easily read and give speed, engine rpm and temperature, and fuel level. The central display, handles odometer, gear, and trip computer data that includes outside temperature. Instrument lighting is not adjustable without lights on, and all switchgear, including those on the steering wheel and audio inputs but not the mirror and power lock switch, are illuminated.

Two large vents frame the stereo controls; cars with navigation use this space and integrate the audio. Operation of the audio, navigation and automatic climate control is simple. We found the air conditioning system dealt with triple digit heat quickly and without excessive fan speeds and noise. As with many cars, if you wear polarized sunglasses wear them on a test drive to ensure they work with the various digital and map displays.

Oft-used controls are on steering-column stalks, lights on the left and wash/wipe on the right. The switch panel on the left dash has stability control, dash lights and the power adjustable pedals.

Overhead are lit visor vanity mirrors, map lights, sunglasses holder and sunroof controls with separate buttons for tilt and slide functions. The moonroof shade stayed in position even during hard acceleration and braking which can't be said for many more expensive cars.

Trunk space and access are typical for the class. The split rear seat folds narrow-side behind the driver but does not make a full-length flat load floor. The only thing a load might get caught on are the seatback releases at the top corners. A temporary spare tire is under the floor. Cargo nets and organizers are available. The trunk can be opened by a key in case your remote battery dies and you don't want to open the door first. Optima's 15-cubic-foot trunk betters that of the big Accord and the Galant, virtually matches the Camry and Malibu, and trails the Fusion by 0.8 cubic feet and the Mazda6 by twice that.