Yes, other comparable vehicles are that bit more enjoyable to steer, and we will concede that rear visibility is compromised by chunky rear posts and the slanted rear window, but everywhere else the Kia Optima performs really well — most notably with regards to forward visibility and, thanks to
the slightly vague steering also being rather light, the ability to place the car accurately on the road.
There are clues to its relaxed brief immediately: the elevated driving position, the fact that the gearshift paddles are a stretch too far to use comfortably and the light,
slightly vague steering.
Not exact matches
Steering remains a little light and
vague, and clutch takeup is
slightly spongy, but overall, the manual version of the hottest TL feels like a much sharper beast.
It isn't as direct or as communicative as Porsche's best hydraulic -
steering units, but it's a vast improvement from the V - 12's
slightly vague nature thanks to the revised suspension, a more rearward center of gravity due to the V - 8's placement in the engine bay, and the 200 - plus pounds removed from the car's nose.
The
slightly vague initial pedal bite quickly cedes to firm feedback, easy modulation and pretty colossal stopping power, and Project 8 squirms down from 160mph as you tease the
steering left and right to keep things under control.
Though there's little to find fault with when it comes to the car's road - holding ability, the Ford Edge does let that area slide a bit as a result of the
slightly vague and imprecise
steering, which makes it a bit tricky at times to confidently place the vehicle where you want it on the road.
The only whiff of torque
steer you get here is that the
steering gets a bit
vague when accelerating hard out of turns, self - centering
slightly reduced, but that's barely worth a mention.
Steering is sharp and linear, if
slightly vague, which is a possible consequence of the different, more economical rubber the car is wearing in Energi trim.
The overall
steering feel is just behind the Ameo only due to some slack around the dead centre where it feels
slightly vague.