Kia Motors is not giving up on the midsize sedan segment despite major sales declines as American consumers move away from passenger cars to crossovers.
The South Korean automaker on Tuesday unveiled a new midsize sedan called the K5, which will replace the outgoing Optima when it arrives at American dealerships this summer.
“Almost a decade after the 2011 Kia Optima paved the way for one of the automotive industry’s biggest growth and achievement stories, Kia Motors America is restoring expectations once again with the unveiling of the new K5 mid-size sedan,” the company said. he said in a statement.
The 2021 K5 features more standard and available safety features, added technology, and a new design with elements similar to Kia’s Stinger performance sedan.
The most notable exterior design changes include a new interpretation of Kia’s “tiger face” front, which includes a sleeker grille that flows into the headlights. The lights themselves include “heartbeat” daytime running lights that extend to the side of the vehicle.
Inside the car is a redesigned interior, including an optional 10.25-inch infotainment display and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The systems reflect elements and functions of a consumer’s phone on the vehicle’s screen without a cable.
The K5 is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged GDI four-cylinder engine that produces 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, managed by a new eight-speed automatic transmission.
A GT model with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 290 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque will be available in the fall, Kia said. The all-wheel drive versions of the car will be available in late 2020.
The K5 will be built at the Kia plant in West Point, Georgia. The price of the car was not announced. The Optima currently starts at around $ 24,000.
After being unveiled in 2010, the Optima quickly became the automaker’s best-selling vehicle in the US Sales increased to nearly 160,000 units in 2015. Since then, they have rapidly decreased 39.4% through 2019. Optima sales decreased another 16% in the first five months of this year.
Kia’s total sales last year increased 4.4% to more than 615,000 vehicles compared to 2018. This year’s sales decreased approximately 13% through May compared to the same time period in 2019.
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