There are plenty of options on the market for sport-tuned, four-door sedans, however, today we’re going to rally behind them for a car that will make any driver smile in glee: the 2016 Kia Optima SX Turbo.

For an MSRP of $29,790 ($33,215 as driven), the 2016 Kia Optima SX Turbo offers a sporty look and performance. The front fascia sports Kia’s bowtie front grille with flanking LED headlights piercing into the darkness for you. A lower front grille is blacked out, as are two lower vents (one on each side).

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DSC03664Strong lines lead your eye past auto-leveling HID headlights with dynamic bending, 18-inch alloy wheels (‘unique’ wheels for our SXT Launch Edition), power folding heated mirrors featuring turn indicators, and a panoramic sunroof.

Our interior was also ‘Unique’ for this Launch Edition, a stunning Merlot Leather interior. Kia has given the interior of the 2016 Optima SX Turbo piano black finishes with accents of brushed metallic inserts. Soft-touch surfaces give a sense of luxury while red accent stitching elevated the style.

Seriously. Comfortable. Seats, with 12-way power adjustability for the driver.

Things that are a Godsend in the Seattle climate: Dual-zone climate controls with rear vents so everyone can stay warm, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel so no one gets chilly, heated rear (outboard) seats, and stylish rear Sport LED taillights to better see you in the rain.

The Snow White Pearl beauty we had the pleasure of experiencing came with a magical 245-horsepower, 2.0L turbocharged, inline 4-cylinder engine. While Kia didn’t mate it to a 6-speed transmission, they did give it a push-button start that brings this turbo-beast to life and quick-shifting 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters than give a better sense of car-connection than the auto-stick. And the transmission was in no way glacier. We’re no turtle drivers, so we’ll tell you straight: This automatic is good.

We could, for instance, put our foot down and it would respond with pep. We like pep.

And, while the pep was all-and-good, there are other things to be aware of.

Like the Harman Kardon QLS Premium Sound System blaring through many speakers. An 8-inch display offered access to the navigation system, Sirius XM (yes, that’s a reggae channel), AM and FM Radio in HD, Bluetooth connectivity for audio streaming and hands-free calling, USB chargers for front and rear passengers, an AUX jack, and more.

Overall, we were quite impressed with this truly-sporty, four-door sedan from Kia. They’ve hit the nail on the head with the 2016 Kia Optima SX Turbo and we really did wish we had more time with it. It was fun while it lasted.

You can have fun, too, if you call or visit your local Kia retailer for a test drive in the 2016 Kia Optima SX Turbo.