THERE is good reason why Kia is becoming such a successful brand in the UK and it is not the lure of a seven year warranty.

It is because they make such good cars, lately with not only all the electrical fixtures and fittings but with rich interiors.

The electric Niro, by the way, is car I would consider and will be in one just as soon as Lancashire is linked to the national grid.

Recently I spent a happy two days in Cheshire driving just about all the company makes and there are no real disappointments.

Make no mistake, the reason Kim Young Boy does not snot the south is that even he can see that the Chinese model of trade over terror is a better way. No, Cheshire was the only problem. If you are wondering where your local police are they are in Cheshire.

There is a good reason why we took up against Yorkshire. If you get bored with the stabbing and killing there was always a good game of cricket to be had.

They don't seem to do county cricket in Cheshire. Probably interferes with the spray tan appointments.

Anyway, back on God's allotment I have been driving the Optima estate - or Sportswagon as the Korean brand likes to call it.

Is it quick? No, that is nor a word I would use. Slow is a word I would use, over 11 seconds to 62mph. On the other have it sips fuel. The 1.6 diesel averages 54mpg.

So as a family man do you want to afford a good holiday or would you rather Velcro your wife to the passenger seat? Is it well set up? The Optima is far from the rough side of the tracks in any guise.

The GT-Line comes with leather upholstery and the front ones are heatd.

The Optima Sportswagon's new Driver Attention Warning (DAW) system, available on grade ‘3' and above, combats distracted or drowsy driving by monitoring a number of inputs from the vehicle and driver. It sounds a warning chime and displays a graphic in the instrument binnacle if it senses a lapse in concentration from the driver.

In Europe, driver fatigue is believed to be a key factor in up to a quarter of all fatal traffic accidents across the continent.

Other safety features available on the Optima include: Forward Collision-avoidance Assist (FCA) with pedestrian recognition, Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS); High Beam Assist (HBA), and full LED headlamps with Dynamic Bending Light. Available on selected grades, these technologies make the Optima one of the safest cars in its class.

The Optima Sportswagon is available with Kia's latest 7.0- or 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with satellite navigation and Kia Connected Services powered by TomTom.

The system offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to enable full smartphone ntegration. Android Auto is designed to work with Android phones running 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher; Apple CarPlay for iPhone 5 or newer.

Within the centre console on the GT-Line S and GT versions there is a wireless smartphone charger, allowing users to charge their smartphones on the move.

The infotainment system is linked to the Optima Sportswagon's new higher-resolution 360-degree around monitor camera system available on GT-Line S and GT models. The system uses cameras at the front, rear and sides of the vehicle to provide the driver with a 360-degree view of their surroundings.

Crucially the Sportswagon shows itself to be an accommodation family small esetate

If you can find a better equipped car for n£31,755 I suggest you go to it.

You will struggle to match both appointments and a sensible,level of performance.

That's Kia, champion performance - not out.