(September 10, 2015) LAS VEGAS — The all-new 2016 Optima challenges the midsize sedan segment through significant improvements in refinement and obsessive attention to detail.  An instant hit with consumers looking for a fresh alternative to an otherwise staid segment, the Optima has been Kia Motors America’s top-selling vehicle for three consecutive years, and the all-new model is poised to continue that success.

Conceived under the watchful eye of Kia’s president and chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, with modern and instantly recognizable design cues, the Optima maintains its athletic identity but rides on a chassis that is longer, wider and stiffer for improved ride and handling and a more spacious cabin. 

Available with three engine choices, including a new 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s mated to a seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), the Optima is more confident than ever on the road. 



The 1.6-liter will be offered on the LX trim.  Pushing out 178 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and a stout 195 lb.-ft. of torque at just 1,500 rpm, the new engine mates to a seven-speed DCT, a first for the Kia brand.  The transmission optimizes the engine’s responsiveness for a sporty feel that doesn’t sacrifice fuel economy.  Also new for the Optima, Michelin10 tires are available on select trims.  All three engines channel energy through the front wheels.

The all-new Optima’s roomier, more luxurious cabin features an impressive level of craftsmanship that will come standard across five trim levels – LX, LX 1.6T, EX, SX and SXL.  Like the outgoing model, the all-new Optima will be built at Kia’s plant in West Point, Ga.  Pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle’s launch date.



“The Optima changed the way people felt about the Kia brand, and KMA owes much of its growth and success to its head-turning design and sporty performance.  The all-new Optima encompasses everything the outgoing model did so well but does it better.  It has matured in all the right ways; from the European sport-sedan design to the premium materials to its improved ride and handling,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning KMA. 

“The all-new Optima retains the signature personality of its predecessor, but we’ve literally improved everything; providing more space, better ergonomics, more technology and greater refinement.”

Because the previous generation Optima was such a success story for the brand, Kia’s designers had to strike a delicate balance, retaining the identity of the vehicle while, at the same time, making a confident move forward to keep the car modern and fresh.  Sweeping contemporary surfaces and modern architecture inspired the design of the all-new Optima, revealing a sophisticated and dynamic sedan that is instantly recognizable yet has more road presence than ever.

The all-new Optima is boldly designed to be functional and sporty with exterior dimensions that are marginally longer, taller and wider.  The wheelbase has been extended to 110.4 inches (increased 0.4 inches), and the vehicle has been widened to 73.2 inches (increased 1.0 inch).  Both changes enable a roomier and more comfortable cabin with more head room, shoulder room and rear seat leg room.  The increased dimensions also allow for more cargo capacity in the trunk.

The aggressive front clip pulls the sheet metal taut over the wheel arches, and the swept-back headlights reach deeply into the fenders.  On the SX and SXL trims, Kia’s signature tiger-nose grille is hot stamped and composed into a sophisticated pinpoint design that bears a strong resemblance to Kia’s luxury sedan, the K9001.  The all-new Optima introduces Kia’s first application of Bi-Xenon HID headlights — with available Dynamic Bending Lamps and High Beam Assist — that illuminate the tarmac around corners.

The greenhouse silhouette maintains the raked A-pillar and sweeping C-pillar that lend the Optima its sport-sedan appearance.  The rear quarter windows kick up smartly just ahead of the carved rear fenders.  As with its predecessor, the all-new Optima incorporates a raised deck lid, and the use of available LED halo-style tail lights mimics that of the Cadenza premium sedan.  

The 2016 Optima rides on alloy wheels ranging from 16 to 18 inches, with three new unique 18-inch wheel designs, depending on trim level.  Three new exteriors colors complement the latest Optima’s sophisticated styling:  a vibrant blue inspired by a sparkling ocean underneath a sunny sky; a dynamic grey with olive undertones, and a deep red that gains depth from the use of aluminum pigments.

Optima’s interior is larger and more comfortable with an innovative and functional cabin that is well-appointed with class-up touches.  Drawing inspiration from Kia’s premium and luxury sedans, the Optima utilizes more soft-touch materials throughout the passenger compartment. 

Optima’s luxurious interior is obsessively crafted with an impressive attention to detail and features real stitching along the dash and doors, complemented by tasteful metallic accents, varying by trim level.  The driver-oriented cabin has been simplified with a cleaner, more unified design than the previous generation, with a stronger horizontal plane and a wider center console that help create a greater sense of space.  By grouping and reducing the number of functional keys and buttons, Kia’s already-superior ergonomics are markedly improved.