2016 Kia Optima

Price: £21,495(est), on sale from January 2016

The Kia Optima is a four-door family saloon that will compete with the likes of the Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat, and Mazda 6.

A sporty GT will be available, as well as a plug-in hybrid and an estate, the latter will be released later in the year.

Now into its fourth-generation, the Optima will come with a much more high-quality interior and improved comfort. Kia say that the Optima is evolutionary, with new exterior features including a chrome trim and small side vents positioned at the corners of the bumper, and there are now three-lens foglamps on the large vent.

© Kia

The new model should now be more aerodynamic than its predecessors thanks to the styling revisions, meaning a more fuel efficient car. Kia have kept things simple by making just the one engine available in the UK, an upgraded version of the 1.7-litre CRDi diesel used in the current version.

This 139bhp engine can produce a total of 55.3mpg with a stop-start system fitted alongside it. Kia say that a plug-in hybrid version will be launched later in the year.

Plenty of safety technology comes optional with the revamped Optima alongside the stronger body and increased number of airbags. These include adaptive cruise-control, a lane-keeping system, blind-spot monitoring and a system that can detect passing cars when attempting to reverse out of a parking space.

Buyers can choose to fit Kia's Connected Service to the infotainment touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard, where sat-nav systems showing real-time traffic updates and weather forecasts can also be operated.

Other technology features include a wireless mobile-phone charging device that notifies you if the device is left on charge when you leave the car.  Rear-seat passenger air vents and an optional 360-degree camera that provides a birds eye view of the car for help with trick manoeuvres is available.

An optional optical electronic suspension that alters the firmness of the car's ride depending on your steering and pedal inputs is available to UK buyers. It also allows drivers to choose between presets such as normal and sport.