The
current generation of Kia's midsize
sedan debuted at the New York International Auto Show five years ago, and now
the automaker is back with the new 2016 Optima. The brand's
best-selling car is redesigned with what Kia calls more mature styling;
it's also longer and wider than its predecessor and gets a new turbocharged
engine.
LX, LX
Turbo, EX, SX Turbo and SXL trims will be available when the car goes on sale
in late 2015. It will be built at the automaker's West Point, Ga., facility.
Exterior
When
the original Optima debuted,
it was positioned as a fresh alternative to its bland-looking midsize sedan
competitors. The new version builds on that mission subtlety with swept-back
headlights and a revised tiger-shark nose that resembles the brand's K900
luxury sedan. Newly available are high-intensity-discharge headlights with Dynamic
Bending Lamps and High Beam Assist; they illuminate the road around corners.
Rear
styling cues include a raised deck lid and an LED taillight design similar to
the Kia Cadenza full-size
sedan. Three new exteriors colors are available: blue, gray and red.
Interior
Kia says the wheelbase has been
lengthened by 0.4 inches and widened by an inch, making for a slightly roomier
cabin and greater trunk capacity than the outgoing model.
If the Optima's exterior styling is
reminiscent of the brand's upscale Cadenza and K900 sedans, Kia wants the same effect
inside. The automaker is going for a premium look and feel and says the new
cabin wears more soft-touch materials and classier-looking finishes such as
stitching along the dash and doors and metallic accents throughout.
The
automaker paid extra attention to the Optima's seats; it said the new sedan's
front seats have more upper back and thigh support and deeper side bolsters
with more supportive foam. Newly optional is a height-adjustable front
passenger seat.
The
controls have been reorganized into a cleaner, streamlined design, and the Optima features the latest
version of Kia's
UVO 8-inch touch-screen multimedia system. The Optima is the first Kia to use the
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone compatibility systems. They allow
drivers to access and control a suite of smartphone apps using the car's
touch-screen.
Under the Hood
Three
engines are available. The LX and EX models use a carryover 185-horsepower,
2.4-liter four-cylinder and the SXL and SX Turbo models use last year's 247-hp,
turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Both are paired with a six-speed
automatic transmission; the SX and SXL trims add paddle shifters.
New
this year for the LX trim is a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine making
an estimated 178 hp. It pairs with Kia's first seven-speed
dual-clutch automatic transmission. No word yet on fuel economy ratings.
Safety
New on
SX and SXL trims is an available 360-degree Around View Monitor camera. Other
available safety features include adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning,
rear cross-traffic alert and Autonomous Emergency Braking.
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