Kia is really spreading its wings over the Irish car market, with an offering in nearly every class available.

In the majority of cases the Korean manufacturer’s offerings are strong contenders, and this estate version of the Optima is no different.

In the looks department it is stunning, with its strong nose and beautiful roof line over the elongated rear. This estate is better looking than its saloon comrade, not something said about the majority of roomier relations on the market.

When I say roomier with regard to the Sportswagon, I mean monstrous – this is a big car in every way.

The driver and front seat passenger can be as laid back as they like and still give the rear seat passengers oceans of space.

The boot space is sizeable but not as big as the Skoda Superb that I drove earlier in the year. Still, it’s more than big enough for all the family stuff – or some agricultural lugging.

Gadgets

The Sportswagon comes with some serious gadgetry in the only specification level available, the EX. There is dual zone temperature control and satellite navigation with seven years’ map upgrades included.

The eight inch infotainment system has the ability to connect to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It offers access to all car settings, radio and Bluetooth connectivity.

Importantly, the volume controls and temperature dials are good old fashioned twisty knobs – as touch screen controls for these are just annoying.

On the outside, the big wagon comes with nice, if not spectacular, 18 inch alloys, a really nice chrome louvre at the bottom of the A pillar and privacy glass in the back.

This privacy glass is so good that when I was collecting some bits for a small construction job the guy loading me in the hardware thought it was a commercial.

While on the loading of the boot, the bottom ledge is very low and this along with the high roof-line allowed for very easy loading and unloading of an entire bathroom suite.

On the road

Sitting into the Sportswagon is a pleasure, all the bits required are easily at hand. It feels roomy but the seat is still figure-hugging enough to make you feel attached to it. Once the Kia standard, 1.7l turbo diesel is fired up it goes about its business in a truly unremarkable but not bad way. It just gets on with its job.

It produces 141bhp, which is just enough to get this big car down the road in a very relaxed manner. The power is transferred to the wheels via a smooth six-speed manual gearbox which never failed to crisply get the gear I wanted no matter how ham-fisted I was with it.

The steering is very light for such a big car, this was a real bonus when attempting to manoeuvre it in carparks or tight spaces. On the flip side, when driving it in a spirited manner on the local roads it made it feel a little vague. Despite this the Sportwagon handled very well for such a big car, with little or no body roll – unless it was pushed beyond the confines of normal driving.

Out on the open road the Kia was an absolute pleasure, eating up the miles with consummate ease and comfort. With its cruise control set and other driver aids such as the lane assist and traffic sign recognition working away it is very easy driving.

The Kia can also be very frugal on fuel if it is treated correctly, with 4.4 l/100km (67 mpg) possible according to Kia. For the week that I had it we managed 6.4l/100km (44 mpg). Which is not too bad considering there was a lot of cross country driving involved.

Verdict

This Kia sits in a very interesting place both in the Kia range and the overall market. In the Kia range it is priced similarly to the perennial top seller the Sportage. It gives Kia buyers a serious choice to make; the big and practical or the small and trendy. Small and trendy is currently winning hands down but I can see certain families choosing the big Kia for it practicality and better driving experience.

In the overall market, the Sportswagon is an awful lot of car for not a massive amount of money. Coming in at less than €30,000 it is cheaper than some of the premium hatchbacks once they have been given a level of spec that makes them interesting.

In conclusion, the Kia Optima Sportswagon EX is a serious car that struggles to find its place in the market but should be looked at by anyone who is thinking of spending this sort of money on a family car.

The spec

Engine: 1.7 litre four cylinder turbo diesel

Power: 141BHp

Torque: 340 N/m

Fuel economy claimed: 4.4 l/100km (67 mpg)

Fuel economy As tested: 6.4l/100km (44 mpg)

CO2 emissions: 113g/km

Boot size (seat up): 522l

Boot size (seat down): 1,686l

Gearbox: six speed manual

Road Tax: €200

Price as tested: €29,950