2015 Kia Optima vs. Its Competition

Bengt Halvorson Senior Editor

The Kia Optima, in its current form, has been around for four years.

And in that short time, Kia has completely revamped this model (and most of its model line), transforming the Optima from a frumpy bargain sedan into something with a lot more flair and features.

Although it's not as fresh as the Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, and Honda Accord -- all of which were redesigned for 2013 - and its Sonata platform-mate gets a full refresh for 2015, this Optima remains competitive.

The Optima most directly faces the Accord, with its good compromise between ride and handling.

The 2015 Mazda6 is also a strong rival in style, and it actually drives with more verve than the Optima, although the Mazda's infotainment systems are inferior to the Optima's.

The Ford Fusion is one of our favorite cars on the market, with great handling and a rakish appearance to match that of the Optima.

Meanwhile, the base Nissan Altima beats the Optima's highway mileage, with up to 38 mpg on the highway.

And as for the new 2015 Hyundai Sonata, it takes a more conservative design direction, and we expect more refinement and comfort out of it compared to the current version.