If nothing else, if history proves the second-generation 2006.5 Kia Optima to be a mid-pack competitor from the beginning, it’s a handsome machine. Even in base format, the LX four-banger with its plastic bolt-on wheelcovers, this car looks good. In fact, it looks like a luxury car, and if not for the oversized “Kia” badges front and rear your neighbors just might buy it as an entry-luxe European sport sedan. From the circular lighting elements to the dual exhaust outlets on V6 models, the Kia Optima is attractively and inoffensively designed.