The all-new 2016 Kia Optima Sportswagon has been revealed ahead of its physical debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
THE ALL-NEW Kia Optima Sportswagon, the Korean car maker’s first medium/large station wagon has been revealed ahead of its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month (March). Inspired by the 2015 SPORTSPACE concept – shown for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show last year, it borrows the interior styling of the Optima sedan with the added benefit of a 553 litre boot, or 48 litres more than the Optima sedan.
Kia claims its Sportswagon will be “more practical” than many other same-segment wagon, boasting a safety barrier net built in to the back of the rear seats and pop-up sliding luggage rails to secure individual items which are likely to slide or roll around the boot. A low, flat boot lip, and a Smart Power Tailgate – which opens the boot automatically when the Optima’s smart key is located in close proximity to the rear tailgate round out the boot package.
The rear seats are 40:20:40 split-folding, enabling owners to slide longer items through the central seat, with outboard seating available.
Kia made no mention of the arrival Down Under of the Optima Sportswagon in its statement but did say European sales would begin later this year. So, depending on the business case and perceived local demand for a wagon, it’s unlikely we’d see the Sportswagon before 2017. We’ll know more once the Geneva Motor Show kicks off.
Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe, commented: “The Optima has come to define Kia globally, and is credited with kick-starting the brand’s design-led transformation. The SPORTSPACE concept from 2015 was a clear intention of where we wanted to take the Optima next, and the Sportswagon adds an extra level of style and practicality to the well-received sedan.”
Cole added: “This is an important product for Kia in Europe, and it will increase our presence in this hugely important segment. 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.”
The Sportswagon retains the same width (1860mm) and length (4855mm) as the sedan, and grows by 5mm in height (to 1470mm) to accommodate the expanded boot. At the rear of the car, wide LED tail lamps wrap around the corners of the bodywork. The rear bumper houses a single oval exhaust and features an integrated air diffuser, for a sporty finish.
The Optima Sportswagon will be available in Europe in a choice of nine paint colours, and will ride on alloy wheels ranging from 16- to 18-inches in diameter. The front-wheel drive Optima Sportswagon will be available with a range of Euro 6-compliant petrol and diesel engines offering the choice of either a 1.7-litre CRDi diesel (104kW and 340Nm) or 2.0-litre CVVL petrol engine (120kW and 196Nm), while GT models are equipped with Kia’s new high-powered 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol direct injection engine (180kW and 353Nm. These are mated to either a six-speed manual, seven-speed DSG or a six-speed automatic in GT models.
