If nothing else, if history proves the second-generation 2006.5 Kia Optima to be a mid-pack competitor from the beginning, it’s a handsome machine. Even in base format, the LX four-banger with its plastic bolt-on wheelcovers, this car looks good. In fact, it looks like a luxury car, and if not for the oversized “Kia” badges front and rear your neighbors just might buy it as an entry-luxe European sport sedan. From the circular lighting elements to the dual exhaust outlets on V6 models, the Kia Optima is attractively and inoffensively designed.

It’s also thoughtfully designed. Pop the hood and check out the single gas strut that supports it. There’s no cheapo prop rod to contend with here. Pop the trunk and check out those gas struts, too, along with how the lid angles past 90 degrees for maximum loading space. The Kia Optima can swallow 14.8 cubic feet of cargo in its usefully shaped, nicely lined trunk, and there’s a handy close assist grip to slam the lid shut without getting your fingertips dirty.

Wider, and with a longer wheelbase, Kia says the new Optima has more interior passenger room than 2006 versions of the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry. Too bad it doesn’t feel like it once you get inside. It is clear, however, that Kia is paying more attention to detail when it comes to crafting its interiors. The Optima features matching textures and grains, subtle accenting, and a pleasing blue-and-white nighttime illumination scheme. But there’s still work to be done in terms of materials.

The Optima LX is well equipped, but the standard seat fabric has a pattern that resembles the scattered tread marks left by mountain bikes as they fly across surface mud. It draws too much attention to itself, and major acreage is covered with the stuff – including the door panel inserts and front seatbacks. A more subdued twill material with contrasting inserts using a quieter pattern would better match the upscale pretensions of the Optima’s stylish sheetmetal.

The leather that’s offered in the Optima EX is a big improvement over the standard fabric. It looks great, soft and smooth with perforated inserts for the seats and door panel inserts, going a long way toward making the Optima an agreeable daily driver. However, the metallic trim in one of our test cars, a gold EX with a taupe-over-tan interior, took on a distasteful brassy tint that contrasted poorly with the interior decor. Kia might wish to think about using fake wood, instead.

Other details give the Optima a feeling of quality, from the triple-sealed doors to the way the headliner is finished around the sunroof. Still, you don’t need to look too hard to find where Kia cut costs to meet specific price targets. For example, the driver’s window is one-touch down but not one-touch up. Ditto the optional power sunroof, which offers one-touch open but not close. The plastic used for the lower dash panels is a bit glossy, and some of the switches and controls feel more like an economy car than a mainstream midsize sedan.

The buttons and knobs for the stereo and climate controls feature clear markings and are easy to use, offering refined operation for this price class. Most storage areas are lined with rubber or a felt material to lend an upscale ambience and cut noise, vibration, and harshness. The available trip computer doesn’t display an average mpg readout; that’s odd because it’s got distance-to-empty data, so it must be calculating something. However, given the disparity we experienced between EPA numbers and real-world returns, the omission of average mpg in the trip computer may not be accidental.