Family sedans should not look this good. This would be the conventional wisdom, anyway. But the 2013 Kia Optima does not follow conventional wisdom. Its styling and interior design are not only sleek, sophisticated and timelessly handsome for a family sedan, but also impressive for any car, period. Driving an Optima down a crowded street draws double-takes from bystanders and then inevitable squinting as they attempt to identify the badge on its tail.

The gasoline-powered LX comes standard with 16-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, full power accessories, keyless entry, cruise control, air-conditioning, a height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth phone connectivity and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface.