At its first attempt, the Kia Optima didn't exactly make a dent in the European car market. However, the South Korean manufacturer is ready for repairs and will bring the new generation of the mid-class sedan to Frankfurt after New York and Seoul.
The basic lines of the body are of course identical to other versions from different corners of the world, which reduced the aerodynamic resistance of the body to cx = 0.29. The bumpers and rear LED light optics are specific to the European version, on the other hand, the unifying details are to be elongated main headlights, a radiator grille again in the shape of a tiger's nose and a profile evoking a four-door coupe. For lovers of individualization, Kia will offer nine body colors and alloy wheels with sizes from 16 to 18 inches. Passengers inside will certainly welcome the intergenerational extension of the length and wheelbase and an increase of 10 mm, respectively an extension of 25 mm. Specifically, this means 4855 mm in length , 1860 mm in width, 1465 mm in height and 2805 mm between the axles.
In the cabin, these positive changes are reflected in more legroom for rear passengers (+ 25 mm), shoulders in the front and back (+ 20 and 17 mm) and headroom in both rows (+ 5 and 15 mm). The trunk grew by 5 liters to a total of 510 liters. If we talk about where the change of generations has manifested itself the most, then it is clearly the appearance and quality of the dashboard . Its main material is softened plastic in combination with piano black and metallic decors, at the same time the number of sound dampening materials has been increased. The display of the multimedia system is 7 or 8 inches, and the available connectivity is extended by a wireless smartphone charger, for example. Harman Kardon audio with ten speakers appears among the extras.
Under the hood we can find either a two-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with an output of 163 hp at 6,500 rpm and a torque of 195 Nm at 4,800 rpm or a 17-liter diesel engine with an output of 141 hp at 4,000 rpm with a torque of 340 Nm between 1,750-2,500 rpm The petrol-powered unit will be available with a six-speed manual transmission (9.4 s, 210 km/h 7.4 l/100 km) or a six-speed automatic transmission (10.5 s, 208 km/h, 7.5 l/100 km ), the diesel gets either a manual six-speed (10.0 s, 203 km/h, 4.6 l/100 km) or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic (11.0 s, 203 km/h, 4.4 l/100 km). Thanks to a higher proportion of ultra-high-strength steel, the body is 50 percent stiffer than its predecessor, and at the same time it has lost 8.6 kilograms. The chassis was also redesigned with new springs, shock absorbers and fully independent suspension in all four corners.
The new Optima will hit the market at the beginning of next year, during which a plug-in hybrid and sports version, or station wagon , inspired by the Sportspace concept, will go into production.
Source: Kia
