Kia Optima Sportswagon estate (2016-2020) - Interior & comfort
Typically generous equipment and smart design make the Kia Optima SW a pleasant place to spend time
Kia interiors have come on in leaps and bounds over the years and the Optima SW gets the same nicely designed, well-appointed and high-tech cabin as the four-door Optima saloon.
Kia Optima Sportswagon dashboard
Anyone who’s driven an Optima saloon will be right at home in the SW, as its interior is carried over almost unchanged from that car. The dashboard is angled slightly towards the driver and features a seven or eight-inch infotainment screen depending on exactly which trim level you go for (see ‘Equipment’, below). Most functions are controlled using this screen, so confusing and fiddly dashboard buttons are kept to a minimum.
Equipment
The Optima SW uses the same numerical trim levels as the rest of the Kia range, but there’s no sparse 1 model to kick things off. Instead, the cheapest you can buy is the Optima SW 2, which comes with a seven-inch sat nav screen, a reversing camera, USB ports front and back, front electric windows, air-conditioning, a leather steering wheel and gearstick, cruise control, power-folding heated mirrors, DAB radio and powered lumbar adjustment for the driver’s seat, as well as MP3 and Bluetooth connectivity.
Outside, there are roof rails, 17-inch alloy wheels and LED daytime running lights, while standard safety kit includes electronic stability control, hill-start assistance and tyre-pressure monitoring. The boot features a DC power socket and a one-touch handle for lowering the back seats.
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Next up is the Optima SW 3, coming in at around £2,200 more than the 2. For the extra cash, you get a bigger sat-nav screen, 18-inch alloys, rear electric windows, lane-keeping assistance, speed-limit warnings and a premium Harmon/Kardon stereo. The 3 also sees all seats get faux-leather sections, while the fronts are heated and the driver’s is eight-way power-adjustable.
Topping the Optima SW range is the very plush GT-Line S. For another £5,000 or so more than the 3, this boasts a different design of 18-inch alloy wheel, a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree parking camera, parking assistance, a ‘smart key’ with push-button start, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, auto-dimming headlights, automatic emergency braking, a powered tailgate, black leather upholstery, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats.
The Optima SW GT features a 242bhp turbocharged engine, but it whispers rather than shouts about its extra power. The GT comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, twin exhaust pipes and slightly sportier-looking bumpers, yet it looks discreetly purposeful rather than aggressively menacing. Inside it’s pretty much identical to GT-Line S Optima SWs, although you do get slightly different seats and a few dashes of red stitching.
This is a very impressive list, but it’s worth bearing in mind that at this point in the Kia price list, there’s precious little in it between the Optima SW and a BMW 3 Series Touring, which offers a more powerful engine and more rewarding driving experience.
Early in 2017, the Optima SW GT will join the range, promising a sportier driving experience than the standard SW and no doubt a suitably athletic-looking bodykit and other extras to go with it.
Technology
Up-to-date connectivity ensures you’ll be able to pair your smartphone with the Optima SW: it incorporates Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, letting you view your phone’s apps and functions on the dashboard screen. The built-in sat-nav system also comes with a ‘connected services’ package, incorporating traffic updates and speed-camera alerts, free for seven years.
Bluetooth for safe hands-free calls is included as standard, along with USB charging points for front and rear-seat passengers. The 3 and GT-Line S specifications add an upgraded Harmon-Kardon stereo, while the GT-Line S also has a wireless charging pad.
Options
We don’t have an exact list of Optima SW optional extras just yet, but most Kias don’t have long options lists – you just pick the trim level with the kit you want (and can afford). You can expect dealer-fitted accessories such as roof racks and bike carriers to be available, however.
