Can you buy a luxury car for a starting price of just $15,500? Kia seems to think so and the Optima is their attempt at entering the high society world of well-appointed sedans. Certainly the Optima looks the part with its distinctive lines, clear-lens halogen headlamps and chrome accents.

Inside, all the usual accoutrements are there, including power doors, locks and windows, tilt steering wheel, eight-way adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support, CD stereo with six speakers, dual map lights and plenty of cup holders and assorted storage areas. The SE trim level also gets a leather steering wheel and gearshift and faux wood grain accents on the dash. In the back, the rear seats fold and split 60/40, while the trunk is quite spacious.

Two engine choices are offered. The Optima LX comes with a 2.4 liter, 4-cylinder engine rated at 138 horsepower mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The SE gets a more powerful 2.7-liter V6 rated at 170 hp with Kia's four-speed "Sportmatic" transmission. The Sportmatic system is your basic automatic transmission with a separate gate for clutchless manual shifting.

The V6 actually claims mileage of 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway (compared with 22/30 for the four-cylinder LX). But neither engine truly impresses. The LX feels underpowered and the V6 on the SE is a somewhat sluggish performer.

Safety features are quite considerable and include side-door impact beams, dual airbags, adjustable height shoulder belts in the front, LATCH system anchors for child car seats, front and rear crumple zones and an energy absorbing steering wheel. ABS brakes are not standard on either model, but can be added on as an option for SE.

Competitors worth considering include the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima or Maxima and the Hyundai Sonata. Of the above, only the Sonata, which actually shares many components with the Opitma, comes close in pricing.