Kia has today confirmed that its new Optima sedan will be sold in Australia
with two distinct looks, mirroring the approach taken in the Korean market.
Headlining
the range will be the turbocharged sports model revealed in April, while a more
tame look will feature on lower grades.
That
less aggressive, less ‘blingy’ look was first revealed in March, when an
uncamouflaged Korean-market Optima
- known there as the K5 - was spied on the roads of Seoul during filming for a
new TV advertisement.
Although
buyers of the Optima Turbo will be treated to a
performance look with large silver-trimmed ports and a Mercedes-inspired
diamond grille garnish, those opting for the ‘regular’ models will still get a
sporting look.
The
model spied in March, which could come here as a new SLi or Platinum model
below the hero Turbo, features a sports-styled front bumper, large alloy wheels
and a visible exhaust tip at the rear.
Those
models are expected to be driven by a 138kW and 241Nm 2.4 litre petrol engine,
while the Optima Turbo will get a 2.0 litre engine
producing 180kW and 350Nm.
The
debut of that top Turbo
model should make the Optima
a compelling option for those shopping in the midsized sedan market, matching
the Sonata Turbo’s
outputs and bettering the 177kW/345Nm engine of the top-shelf Ford mondeo.
Australian
buyers can also look forward to the new model being put through the company’s
ongoing localised tuning programme, optimising the Optima for our
roads.
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