2018-02-27 08:00
A refreshed Optima will be one of Kia’s big introductions at the Geneva Motor Show, and it will take pride of place on the Korean brand’s stand alongside the all-new Ceed hatchback.
It’s due on sale across Europe in the third quarter of 2018, with a revised exterior and interior design, new powertrain options, and Kia’s latest driver assistance systems. Again, both saloon and Sportswagon estates will be available.
The car’s front bumper has been modified with larger side air intakes and new horizontal fog lamps, while the trademark ‘tiger-nose’ grille now features a new bright chrome finish. A slight rethink with the headlights, introducing a new lighting signature, rounds off the refreshed face, while the taillights are new LED units, too. A new paint colour – Runaway Red – has been added to the Optima’s palette, and new alloy wheel designs are available in 16-, 17- and 18-inch sizes.
GT Line cars and the Optima GT receive similar tweaks and also get new LED fog lamps, plus 18-inch alloy wheels, gloss black mirror caps, side sills and grilles, plus new dual twin exhaust exits.
In the cabin, the most obvious additions are a new steering wheel and satin chrome trim on the centre console. The dashboard itself is surrounded by new ambient lighting, which flows down into the doors and can be customised with six different colours. Brown cloth or leather upholstery is now available on standard cars, with GT models gaining the option of two-tone black and red leather, or black leather with red contrast stitching.
Kia’s latest CRDi diesel engine – coded U3 – finds its way under the bonnet, and replaces the old 1.7-litre unit. It’s slightly smaller at 1.6-litres in size, and produces 134bhp and 320Nm of torque. Kia claims it’s cleaner than before with reduced emissions, but hasn’t released an official CO2 just yet.
The 1.6-litre diesel isn’t alone as the only newcomer powering the updated Optima, however. A new petrol engine arrives too – Kia’s 178bhp turbocharged 1.6-litre T-GDi arrives, mated to a seven-speed double-clutch transmission. A Drive Mode Selector switch allows the driver to flick between Eco, Comfort, Sport and Smart modes – Smart automatically switching to and from the other three depending on how the car is driven. The new interior ambient lighting changes colour depending on the mode toggled.
On the technology front, the addition of a Driver Attention Warning system monitors the driver for drowsiness, and sounds a warning chime and displays a warning graphic if it detects slipping concentration levels. It joins other safety available features such as a forward collision warning system with pedestrian detection, lane keep assist and automatic high beam assist.
In the cabin, a seven or eight inch infotainment screen is available, and the optional Around View Monitor 360-degree top down camera system linked up to them has been altered in a bid to make the picture clearer. Full UK equipment, specifications and prices will be revealed closer to the car’s on sale date later this year.
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