Seatbelts aren’t usually this annoying.

I’ve wracked my brain’s fairly large road test data bank but I can’t think of another car with seatbelt sockets that disappear into their holes so readily as on the Optima when you push the metal part of the seatbelt into them. Such elusive sockets are particularly irritating when leaning over your kid and the child Seat is so close to the socket it’s nigh on impossible to wrestle the socket back out again without heavy lifting of the child and child seat to one side. Note to Kia‘s design and engineering team: Please resolve on the facelift. Thank you.

Kia Optima 1.7 CRDi 2 Tech (manual)
Mileage 2365
Claimed combined
consumption
57.6mpg
Our average consumption 42.5mpg
P11D price £21,640*
Model price range £19,595-£25,995
CO2 (tax) 128g/km/18%
BIK 20/40% per month £65/£130
Service interval 12,500 or 12months
Insurance group 17
Warranty 7yrs/100,000 miles
Boot space 505 litres
Engine size/power 1685cc/134hp
Top speed/0-62mph 125mph/10.2secs
Why we’re running it To see if Kia really
can mix-it with the
fleet’s big boys
Positive Smart looks, spacious,
good value
Negative Annoying satnav
*Before options fitted: Metallic paint £475