The package Kia expects to be the best seller is the EX with four cylinder and automatic, and this is the model with which we spent the most time and on which we racked up several hundred miles of normal, everyday use. It doesn't seem as quick in terms of acceleration as with 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. The shift pattern feels natural, however, with higher gears selected by pushing up, lower gears by pulling down.
Ride quality varied between the cars we drove, with the LX wearing the Kumho tires on 16-inch wheels the 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, and on the Optima, the 17-inch wheels wear the 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 and 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, and, for the most part, in ride and handling as well. Next Page