The Kia Optima may be an unfamiliar name here, but it became Korea’s top-selling car within a month of going on sale.

It is longer and wider than Kia’s previous D-segment saloon (the Magentis) and definitely a lot more stylish. Front passengers in particular benefit from more legroom, and there has also been a small increase in headroom. The boot holds an impressive 505 litres.

It is on sale with just the one engine – a new 134bhp version of Kia’s 1.7-litre turbodiesel – and a choice on the mid and top spec models of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.

Likely to appeal to the company car market, standard features include alloy wheels, air conditioning, LED daytime running lamps, a leather steering wheel with mounted audio controls, Bluetooth with voice recognition and music stream-ing, powered windows and electric folding mirrors as well as cruise control and a speed limiter. Move up to the mid and high grade specs and you’ll find an automatic window de-fogging system, cornering lights, a 12-speaker Infinity sound system, a reversing camera either integrated into the rear-view mirror or the seven-inch sat-nav screen, a parallel parking assist system and a cooled ventilated driver’s seat (haven’t needed that much this summer!) as well as an Active ECO switch on automatic versions.

There are also loads of handy storage areas, such as a tray for mobile phones, front and back cup holders, a sunglasses holder and a chilled glove compartment.

Optional 18-inch wheels makes it feel pretty firm over bumps, but the ride is otherwise really comfortable – and quiet, thanks to extensive noise-reduction measures.

Kia’s motor-driven power steering (MDPS) delivers assistance only when needed to reduce the load on the engine and save fuel, offering just the right degree of help and weighting in all circumstances.

Drivers with some environmental concerns can opt for Kia’s ISG Start/Stop system, which automatically switches off and restarts the engine in heavy traffic or at traffic lights.

The Optima gives its competitors – the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat – a good run for their money, and it is certainly one of Kia’s better looking models. But let’s not forget Kia’s unique selling point either – its seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty, which is fully transferable to subsequent owners.

Fact File

Car: Kia Optima
On the road: £23,200
0-60mph: 11.5 seconds
Top speed: 122mph
Fuel: 47.1mpg (combined)
CO2 emissions: 158g/km