Solid Optima gets even better

Back before the dawn of time, when I was still writing about pop music, I had a friend who liked to rib me about an imaginary piece of software he’d dreamed up.

“Admit it,” he’d say. “When you write a review, you just plug in the name of the band and the kind of music they play, and the computer comes up with all the right words.”

I never knew if I should be offended by this challenge to my creativity, but there were times I would have paid good money for that program. One too many New Age pianists or L.A. glam-rockers will do that to you.

My friend and his magical software came to mind when I sat down to write the 2006.5 Kia Optima. If one cared to reprise every word I’ve written about every Korean car over the past half-dozen years, they’d find most of them right here.

To wit, the all-new 2006.5 Kia Optima is bigger, stronger and more comfortable than before and is built to a higher standard of quality. It compensates for uninspiring power plants with a terrific list of standard features, a winning price tag and a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty.

See what I mean? New car, same words.

It’s no secret the Koreans shot themselves in the collective foot by entering the U.S. market with dated designs and lousy products. They’ve spent the intervening years working to undo the damage; so committed are they to salvaging their reputation they could adopt the old Pontiac “We Are Driven” slogan as their national mantra.

The job has been made easier by the paring down of the industry to what amounts to a single maker. Hyundai and Kia share DNA the way Volkswagen and Audi do, or Chevrolet, Buick and Pontiac.

Two brands, effectively, under common ownership.

The Optima is first cousin to Hyundai’s Sonata. Both are midsize, five-passenger family sedans that compete in a category dominated by Toyota’s Camry and Honda’s Accord, the two giants that duke it out each year for the title of best-selling car in America.

Almost everybody else in the business shares the leftovers, which are not negligible, as this is the big, fat heart of the market.

There are a handful of ways to distinguish oneself here. Nissan and Mazda emphasize sport, while the domestics pursue the Buy America crowd and pitch tremendous sales incentives.

Kia plays it down the middle of the road, albeit with a hefty dose of the old reliable value message. It seems content to slip quietly into the segment with a car that serves the greatest need, offends no one and gives budget-conscious buyers access to industry-standard safety and vehicle-stability systems.

For $16,995 (including destination), the owner of a base Optima LX takes home a full complement of airbags, including full-length side-curtain bags; active front headrests (they minimize the potential for and severity of whiplash in the event of a rear-end impact); and four-wheel disc brakes.

Regrettably, the LX is not available with the optional stability package, which includes anti-lock brakes with electronic stability control, traction control and brake assist. It’s a $300 option — and well worth it — on LX V-6 and EX models, which are priced from $19,995.

Other standard gear on both trims includes air conditioning; power windows, mirrors and locks; heated outside mirrors; six-way adjustable driver’s seat; AM/FM/CD audio with six speakers; 60/40 folding split rear seats; and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

A jump to the automatic transmission bumps the four-cylinder LX price tag to $18,250 but also fetches cruise control, keyless entry and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel.

The base engine on both trim levels is a new, 161-horsepower, 2.4-liter four, with continuously variable valve timing. That’s a 15-hp bump over last year. The carry-over, 2.7-liter V-6 is up 10 percent to 185-hp.

Neither is a class leader in terms of power, but Kia boasts that each bests certain competitors in certain comparisons.

Both engines are paired with a five-speed automatic with a sport mode, although a five-speed manual is standard on the LX four-cylinder trim.

Positioned as the sporty entry in the Sonata/Optima duopoly, the Optima projects a sprier persona than the more luxurious Sonata. It’s responsive and nimble around town, and offers a nice balance between comfort and responsiveness. It’s not much given to playfulness, though, showing significant understeer and body lean in the twisties.

Despite a stem-to-stern facelift, the Optima plants its visual flag in a solid, value-oriented middle ground. Those who would impart a devil-may-car attitude can opt for an optional appearance. Meanwhile, interior materials continue to gain ground, adding new textures to the mix, and an upscale gauge-package lighting system lends an air of new-school elegance.

While it breaks no new ground, the new Optima continues the consistently upward trend from Korea’s auto industry. Maybe building good cars isn’t rocket science; maybe they have this really cool software.

Plug in the name and out comes a car.