The British market now has two extra variants of the new Kia Optima including a PHEV hybrid, Kia’s first plug-in hybrid model, and a Sportswagon GT Line S, Kia’s first D-segment estate car. These cars serve different types of customers… unless you want a hybrid estate car!

So let’s begin with the Optima PHEV saloon and see what makes this extremely fuel efficient four-door sedan tick. There aren’t many clues on the outside as to what this car is all about apart from some exclusive bumpers and grilles which nobody’s going to notice anyway. But under that skin Kia Optima Hybrid features a sophisticated system consisting of a 154bhp 2.0-litre direct injection petrol engine with a 50kW (67bhp) electric motor powered by a 9.8kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack. That’s a total of 202bhp and 375Nm of torque corresponding to an average fuel consumption of 176.6mpg.

Boasting all the comfort and convenience of a range-topping model in addition to all-electric or hybrid drive modes and connectivity features include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Kia Optima Hybrid is priced at £31,495 (with the Government’s £2,500 plug-in car grant).

As for the Kia Optima Sportswagon, which you might remember seeing as a concept in Geneva some years ago, the car excels as its intended role as a well-priced, well-equipped, and practical station wagon. Prices start at £22,295 for which you get as standard a minimum of 552 litres of cargo space, including two underfloor trays, and 1,686 litres with the rear seats folded. The only available engine is a rather pale 1.7-litre turbodiesel engine with 139bhp, but the least of features is pretty rich and includes active driver assistance technologies, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Kia Connected Services powered by TomTom, a harman/kardon eight-speaker audio system, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Smart Cruise Control and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.