Kia Optima Sportswagon: car review | Martin Love

Kia's laidback estate will happily cope with everything your family throws at it. Just don't drive it through puddles"

Price: 22,295
Top speed: 124mph
0-60mph: 9.8 seconds
MPG: 64.2
CO2: 113g/km

Do you love doing any of these things at the wheel: driving barefoot, blasting your horn while stationary, accelerating through puddles? If so, you are breaking the law. All are illegal. Swooshing through a puddle, even if the kids in the back are chanting, "Do it do it do it," could win you three points on your licence. How about this scenario? You've drunk too much so you decide to sleep it off in the car before driving home when you've sobered up. Nope, that's illegal, too: you can be charged with drink driving. How about flashing your lights at oncoming motorists to warn them of a speed trap? No way, that's also illegal. A driver in 2011 was fined 440 for doing so after being accused of "obstructing the police". Finally, what about unclipping your seatbelt to reverse? Actually, you're OK there - reversing is the only manoeuvre during which you are not required to wear a seatbelt.