Kia's mid-size sedan looks stylish, puts comfy seats in a spacious cabin and brings two engine choices including a V6 teamed to a select-shift automatic transaxle designed by Germany's Porsche. The five-seat cockpit has a pair of bucket seats up front and a rear bench for three but indentations for two.

All editions contain standard equipment such as air conditioning, a stereo sound kit with six speakers, and power controls for windows, locks and mirrors. Optima LX uses a four-cylinder engine and a four-speed automatic with optional Sportmatic mode for clutch-less shift control. Optima LX V6 and EX V6 bring a 2.7-liter V6 that makes 178 hp through the automatic with Sportmatic shifting. For 2006, Optima carries forward the 2005 issues in anticipation of the next-generation Optima due in the spring of 2006.

That number attached to the nameplate denotes a tail-side fifth door added for accessing the aft cargo compartment on a hatchback variation of Kia's redesigned Rio sedan. The sporty hatchback edition uses the same engine and equipment as the sedan but gets its own trim designations -- LX and SX. Rio5 LX has a list of standard equipment that's comparable to the Rio LX.

Rio5 SX gets more goods, like 15-inch alloy wheels with 195/55R15 tires, foglamps, a spoiler on the tail of the roof, metal grain trim in the cabin plus metal pedals on the floor and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. Styling for the Rio5 exterior package features a raked windshield, pronounced wheel arches and an aggressive prow with sweeping corner headlamps and a grille with black mesh insert.

Kia's subcompact four-door sedan emerges in a new design for 2006 with a longer wheelbase, broader track, more safety gear aboard and class-capping power from a new engine. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder CVVT plant produces 110 hp and employs a five-speed manual transmission or optional electronically controlled four-speed automatic. Rio the sedan brings two trims -- base and LX. Either stocks six standard air bags, including dual advanced frontal and front seat-mounted side air bags, and full-length curtain-style air bags above side windows front and back.

Rio LX adds additional standard equipment like air conditioning, audio gear with AM/FM/CD, the rear seatback split 60/40 and foldable, a height-adjustable steering column and power steering. Rio LX with optional power package shows power controls for windows and door locks plus heated outside mirrors, and the LX Sport Package installs alloy wheels, four discs brakes, foglamps and spoiler plus metal pedals. (CONTINUED...)