The LX with the 161-horsepower, 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine and manual transmission can actually be fun to drive, if not necessarily exhilarating. The engine is surprisingly peppy, thanks to the best-in-class torque. Brake pedal feel on the car we drove at the press introduction was solid and firm, with equally comforting response from the four-wheel discs. The clutch and gearbox were more family-sedan grade than sporty. The steering felt a little light, almost too responsive, which tended to give the car a top-heavy feel; once recognized, though, it was easily managed. Engine and exhaust sounds were throatier, more robust, and in our view more pleasant, than we're used to from four-cylinder powerplants in mid-size sedans.

The EX with the 185-horsepower, 2.7-liter V6 and automatic is the cruiser of the Optima line. Although its power trails other V6s in the segment (as does its size, so no real surprise here), it does a decent job of getting the car started and keeping it moving. The Optima's modest curb weight, a hundred pounds or so below the segment average, helps somewhat, but we still wouldn't race for pinks with any comparably equipped competitor. Only against the Accord would we wager our gas bills. But for getting from here to there, be it to work or to the lake for the weekend, calmly and comfortably, this is the one.

The package Kia expects to sell most is the EX with four cylinder and automatic, so this is the model in which we spent the most time and on which we racked up several hundred miles of typical, everyday driving. It doesn't seem as quick in terms of acceleration as the manual, but gear ratios are matched to make the most of the engine's power. Left alone, the automatic's shifts are smooth, if not invisible, and while downshifts for quick passes could be more prompt, we never scared ourselves, or our passengers. The Sportmatic feature allowed more control over gear selection and timing of shifts, but with the dedicated, sequential slot on the passenger side of the shift gate, using it wasn't as intuitive as it should be.

Ride quality varied between the cars we drove. The LX, wearing Kumho tires on 16-inch wheels, was less compliant, although by no means rough or bumpy. This surprised us, as generally the taller a tire's sidewall, the more give and the better the ride. On the Optima, the optional 17-inch wheels wear lower-profile Michelin tires with shorter sidewalls. On the other hand, and probably because of the sidewall height, the EX delivered the crisper, more responsive handling. This isn't to imply the EX is a sports sedan, given its forward-weight bias and comfort-oriented suspension settings, but merely that it's the more enjoyable of the two models.

Overall, against a comparably outfitted and priced Malibu, Fusion, Accord or Camry, the newest Optima is competitive in terms of ride, handling and comfort. Accord and Camry models at the higher end of those lines surpass the Optima in suppressing and filtering wind and road noise, but only barely.