2020 Kia Optima
Late last month, we got our first glimpse of Kia's updated Optima, complete with aggressive front and rear styling that looks like something straight out of Europe, not Korea.
Dec 19, 2019
Just recently, this K5 Optima went on sale in Korea, and with that, the manufacturer released the different trim levels for the car, including a high-performance all-wheel drive variant with a decent power figure.
As expected, this K5 Optima will be offered with a range of power trains in various markets around the world. The base spec will be a turbocharged 1.6-litre, and two 2.0-litre options will be offered above this.
A larger 2.5-litre engine will also be offered in the standard trim, but only produces 143kW and 246Nm of torque. Sitting on top of the range is the K5 GT with its turbocharged 2.5-litre engine that's capable of 213kW and 422Nm of torque.
With an all-wheel drive system that can shift "power to the rear axle", this GT model will be capable of a 0-100km/h time of just 6.6 seconds after the power is sent through an eight-speed transmission.
While the exterior was previously revealed, this is the first look into the K5's cabin that we've had. Following the theme of the exterior, an extremely refined interior complete with ambient lighting and leather seats can be found.
Other premium features of the cabin include a flat-bottom steering wheel, and 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 10.25-inch infotainment system, and a 12-speaker bose audio entertainment system.
To keep up with modern safety standards, Kia has crammed the K5 full of driver assistance systems. These include forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, and a blind-spot view monitor. Smart cruise control and a highway driving assist round out these features.
This redesigned Optima is set to go on sale in "many markets" throughout the first half of 2020, but due to the fact that it is only be produced in left-hand-drive right now, don't expect to see it on Kiwi roads any time soon.
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