Kia will launch its Optima saloon in the UK on February 1 and it will be priced between £19,595 and £25,995.

The Korean brand will be aiming squarely at the fleet market with the new model and the company believes its design alone will ensure success.

It will be sold only with a diesel engine - a new 134bhp version of Kia's 1.7-litre CRDi 'U2' power unit - while four specification options will be tuned to business users.

All manual versions feature Kia's EcoDynamics package, which includes Intelligent Stop & Go and aerodynamic drag-reducing measures, while automatics have an Active ECO button which alters the operation of the engine's electronic control unit and the compressor on the climate control system, bringing potential fuel savings of up to 9%.

Kia says the manual can achieve 57.6mpg, with CO2 emissions of 128g/km, while the figures for the automatic are 47.1mpg and 158g/km.

Kia has bumped its share of the fleet market from 1.58% in 2010 to 2.42% in 2011 and the introduction of the Optima is expected to further boost progress.

Specification includes 12 speaker Infinity audio system, self-parking system, heated seats, cornering lights, panoramic sunroof, reverse parking camera and automatic cabin defogging system.

Kia will also be offering a six-speed automatic transmission.

Safety equipment includes large disc brakes on all four wheels, ABS, electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist. Electronic Stability Control (ESC), front, side and curtain airbags, plus active front-seat head restraints are included as standard.

As with all Kias, the Optima comes with Kia's seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty. The warranty is transferable to subsequent owners.

Care-3, Kia's servicing package for retail customers, is available for the Optima and offers fixed cost servicing for three or five years.

The Care-3 package is £299, which covers the first three services - either 36 months or 30,000 miles, or the Care-3 Plus package is £549 which covers the first five services - either 60 months or 50,000 miles.

View a full gallery of images for the Kia Optima