New York 2015: 2016 Kia Optima Arrives


Coming on the heels of the Sportspace Concept, the 2016 Kia Optima made its global debut at the 2015 New York Auto Show.
Two engines carried over from the outgoing model will join a third engine for the 2016 model year. The carry-overs are a 2.4-liter direct-injection naturally aspirated four and a 2-liter direct-injection turbo-four, delivering 185 horses and 247 horses through a six-speed automatic to the front. The third engine is a 1.6-liter turbo-four paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox found in the Hyundai Sonata Eco.
Inside, soft-touch materials, metallic accents, real stitching in the dash and door panels, and cloth or leather seating await occupants. Meanwhile, Kia’s UVO connected-vehicle system comes with four new features not previously found in the Optima, including curfew alert and geo-fencing. The Optima itself is the pilot vehicle for the brand’s introduction of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay systems, allowing iPhone and Android users to use their smartphones in conjunction with UVO.
Pricing wasn’t announced at this time, but Kia said to expect the 2016 Optima to hit showrooms in Q4 2015.





















Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.
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- FreedMike I suppose that in some crowded city like Rome or Tokyo, there's a market for a luxurious pint-size car. I don't think they'll be able to give them away here in the U.S.
- TMA1 How much did exchange rates affect this decision? The Renegade is imported from Italy. I'm wondering if that's what caused the price to reach within a few hundred of the much bigger Compass. Kind of a no-brainer to pick the larger, more modern vehicle.
- CEastwood Everytime I see one of these I think there's a dummie who could have bought a real car , but has to say look at me driving this cool thing I can't drive in the rain like an actual motorcycle that I should have bought in the first place ! It's not Batman I see driving these - it's middle age Fatman .
- SilverCoupe I should be the potential audience for this (current A5 owner, considering an S5 in the future), but I can't say it excites me. I have never liked the vertical bars in the grilles of sporting Mercedes models, for one thing. The interior doesn't speak to me either.I would be more likely to consider a BMW 4 Series, though not the current version with the double Edsel grille. Still, I suppose it would be worth a look when the time comes to replace my current vehicle.
- Verbal Can we expect this model to help M-B improve on finishing 29th out of 30 brands in CR's recent reliability survey?
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Hello 2011 Stretched Kia Forte... oh wait!
Well, it was nice while it lasted. The previous K5, I mean. That was a handsome car, the one that made me aware of Kia as a brand. This... studied hard at the Sonata school of disappointing sequels.