Kia's new Sportwagon looks like an optimal Optima

New Kia Optima Sportswagon Officially Revealed - Should They Bring It To US?

Kia pulled the wraps off their new Optima Sportswagon ahead of the Geneva Motor Show debut, after an earlier leak today.

Inspired by the Sportspace concept which received a very positive feedback, the new Kia Optima Sportswagon wants to combine the obvious practical gains of a wagon body with a striking exterior design.

Kia’s first D-segment wagon retains the same 4,855mm length as the saloon version, with only the height to have increased by 5mm to 1,470mm. The Optima Sportswagon offers 553lt of cargo capacity (48 more than the saloon model) with the rear seats in place while the latter feature a 40:20:40 split-fold ability.

“This is an important product for Kia in Europe, and it will increase our presence in this hugely important segment,” said Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer Kia Europe. “In Europe, two thirds of all sales in the D-segment, and three quarters of all fleet sales in this class, are made up of tourers, so the Optima Sportswagon will play a critical role in attracting new private and corporate buyers to the brand. This is an important conquest product for Kia.”

Customers will be able to choose between two petrol units and one diesel engine. The entry-level petrol model is powered by a 163ps 2.0-litre SVVL unit while GT models are equipped with the new turbocharged 245ps 2.0-litre T-GDI engine which is offered only with a six-speed automatic. If you prefer diesel, then Kia also offers the 141ps 1.7-litre CRDi which can be specified with an optional seven-speed double-clutch gearbox.

Inside Kia offers the choice of a single- or two-tone scheme (black or dark grey with light grey) with the company’s latest infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay offered with 7.0inch and 8.0inch displays. With soft-touch materials and high levels of soundproofing, the new Kia Optima Sportswagon promises to offer a premium experience from a segment above.

The global debut is scheduled for the Geneva Motor Show on March 1.

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2017 Kia Optima Sportswagon

Back at the 2015 Geneva Auto Show, Kia revealed the 2015 Kia Sportspace Concept. The car itself was basically a sporty version of the Optima Sedan reimagined as a station wagon. As Kia put it, the Sportspace was “a totally new breed of grand tourer that promises to bring sportiness and utility under the same roof.” At the time, we didn’t know for sure if the concept would ever make it into production form, but our spy photographers have recently caught the Kia Optima Sportswagon hitting the road under camouflage, and it shares a striking resemblance to the Sportspace concept.

Naturally, Kia has gone to the extreme to conceal a lot of the design characteristics of the Sportswagon, but we can see enough to get excited about. The car itself seems to resemble the Euro version of the Optima Sedan, but as you can see in the images, the roof line from the Sportspace concept was carried onto this mule.

Given the fact that the Sportswagon is this far in the testing cycle, it’s likely that we’ll see it officially revealed at the 2016 Geneva Auto Show before going on sale for the 2017 model year. With that said, let’s take a deeper look at these new spy shots.

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The Kia Cee'd is a must-have car

You've got to hand it to them. Their dramatic turnaround has been nothing less than remarkable over the last five years and its new Cee'd — despite its pointless apostrophe — is a wonderful thing in Sportwagon guise.

The Cee'd, made famous by its stint as Top Gear's 'reasonably priced car', has stolen sales from the established players in the hatchback sector such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf and is set to win more fans in its refreshed estate form.

A 'GT Line' trim package has been released and debuts on the Sportwagon, which takes sporty styling cues from the handsome ProCee'd GT, with more aggressive bumpers and a twin exhaust adding to its already large appeal. Estate cars' styling is notoriously tricky to get right, but Kia has got it just right. That handsome Peter Schreyer-designed 'tiger nose' front grille appears once again and it's actually a bit of a looker; the front has a stylish appearance with daytime running lights, the sides have swooping, graceful lines and the rear follows Kia's model-wide blueprint.

First impressions count for a lot with me and I'll admit it, I'm impressed. Its interior feels extremely well-made, there's not much in the way of scratchy plastics to ignite one's derision and its optional satellite navigation is a doddle to use. It's a pleasant place to be with masses of space, with 1,642 litres of room in the cavernous boot.

Rewind back just a handful of years and Kia's offering was a very different proposition. Style-free Rios with the scratchiest plastics known to man and woeful seven-seat Sedonas with beige upholstery dominated the marque's line-up. Our test car, fitted with a 1.0-litre engine, is enhanced by a small turbocharger and produces 118bhp. You'd perhaps think — like I did — that its small capacity would maybe feel a little underwhelming in a car the Sportwagon's size but it's actually a great fit. It takes 11 seconds to get to 60mph, which feels adequate on the road. That turbo gives torque, so you're never lacking sufficient grunt. It's quiet on the move, too, but there's the hint of a satisfying three-cylinder growl above 4,000rpm. Mainstream manufacturers are moving towards downsizing their engines and Kia's effort is unquestionably a great example of it.

Its six-speed manual gearbox has a nice action to it without ever feeling notchy, visibility is great thanks to unintrusive A-pillars and any thoughts of pre-2010 Kias are dissipated thanks to piano black trim and quality materials throughout the cabin. The GT Line has three steering modes — Normal, Comfort and Sport — but they're the only disappointing features in the whole package. It's best left in its default mode, as Comfort mode tends to feel just too disconnected and Sport dials in more steering weight which just feels unnatural. Leave it in Normal and there's a good balance, although feedback could never be described as a strong aspect.

ONE positive thing about its lightness is the car's excellent turning circle. It makes for simple manoeuvring and, for quite a long car, is an easy thing to park thanks to it. Stop-start technology - a standard feature on the GT Line - plays a big role in the mightily impressive fuel economy figures. Around 50mpg is claimed and with that comes cheap running costs, so it's most definitely a major plus point.

As you'd expect from a car aiming for families, a broad range of engines are on offer. A 1.4-litre petrol with 99bhp starts the choices, followed by a 133bhp 1.6 petrol. Diesels come in the form of an 89bhp 1.6 and turbocharged units in either 108bhp or 134bhp guise.

Prices start from £21,220 in GT Line specification, which far undercuts its European rivals, but don't think that that leaves you without equipment. A seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system - which houses the satellite navigation - is standard, as is the reversing camera, 17-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass and an impressive LCD speed display.

Since its introduction in 2006, more than one million Cee'ds have been sold so it's arguably the marque's most important car. Now into its tenth year, it's better than ever and that enticing seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty remains.

The Cee'd has come on leaps and bounds and the Sportwagon is now a genuine alternative to ten-a-penny Golf and Focus estates. The future is looking very bright for the muchmaligned South Korean manufacturer and the handsome new GT Line is certain to steal yet more sales from its well-established rivals.

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