The Forte Koup and Soul aren’t the only new cars Kia brought to New York, the fast-growing Korean brand also showed the 2014 Kia Optima facelift. It was at the same show three years ago that Kia rolled out the third-gen TF Optima, which wowed the crowd with sharp lines penned by Peter Schreyer, who is of course now a president at Kia and design head for the Hyundai-Kia group.
For this update, Kia’s Frankfurt-based design team worked on the Optima’s front and rear fascias and the brand’s now signature tabbed grille. The D-segment sedan’s bold image is further accentuated by updated rear diffusers and a sweeping boot lid. There are also front LED positioning and fog lights, along with clear, newly designed LED rear lamps. Still unmistakably Optima K5, which is no bad thing.
Inside, pressing the US-spec Optima’s push start button brings two new displays to life: a 4.3-inch TFT LCD instrument cluster and optional high-resolution 8-inch navigation and telematics screen, featuring UVO eServices, an 8-speaker Infinity sound system, HD Radio, SiriusXM Satellite Radio and SiriusXM Traffic.
In addition, the seat designs are new, while an optional new Blind Spot Detection system, which includes rear cross-traffic alert and rear parking sensors, improve active safety. In America, the Optima is available in LX, EX, SX and SX-Limited trims; the latter stuffed with kit such as 18-inch wheels, HIDs, LED fog lamps, electronic parking brake and premium Nappa leather seats.
Two Theta II powerplants with gasoline direct injection are available – a 203 PS 2.4L GDI and a 278 PS 2.0L GDI turbo, in addition to a 2.4 litre hybrid powertrain, all paired to a six-speed automatic with Sportmatic. New for the 2014 Kia Optima, and exclusive to the sporty SX variant, is Drive Mode Select, which adjusts transmission shift points and steering weight, offering owners a customisable driving experience.
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FIRST!
In my rape list..
Ahh who care about the handling and Engine?! this is one of the best looking and affordable car! other is just ugly and plan i mean the only one that look ugly and still using those 90’s tech and 4 speed is just terrible!
Haha, if buying a good looking car supersede the handling, go buy yourself a custom made car which can suit your design taste much more than this kimchi rip-off. Work harder Kimchi SA :P
Please make my day and buy this cabbage. I am sure you do not need to be reminded of the ultra low RV
to get hit by a slow-moving garbage truck..
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quite true. I have tested drove 1.
Just as most journalist would say: the drivetrain is not right. handling not as good as japanese.
just a eyecandy with lots of features.
it’s more like a passengar cars.
lousy driver car indeed.
You are right but what else can they do? Since they can’t make a good handling and poor driving experience, the only thing they can do is to throw in all available features and come out with better looking car. After all Malaysia know nuts about car. All they care for are the goodies they put in the car.
u must be some troll from a cave for thousand years
malaysian where got care bout goodies?
unless u call logo that sticked on the car a big goodie.
If we care bout goodies, then toyota will be the first to get knockout from our auto market. look at their offerings and car that sell most, tin kosong dugong.. stripped out of spec compare to standard in other countries.
malaysian care bout brand and resale.. at least get that right
Actually Kia and Toyota is the same lever badge…they r best selling but does not mean they r premium!
who ever says KIA is just throwing goodies but not the engine and handling, that was a completely untrue statement or this people are just fans of T&H and other jap cars.
I have drove 2 generation of accord from 2004 to 2012 before i switch to KIA, i can say 5 major reasons that KIA wins:-
1. The technology and additional features that never found in jap cars in malaysia.
2. The safety features that T&H cannot even reach a tiny bits. Nobody will prevent you from looking a car that does not give you full safety feature if you just want to talk about engine and handling. i wont stop you from putting yourself and your family in risk if you have those kind of mentality. thats your life, if you don’t love them, good luck to you and your family
3. The price of the car win hands down
4. I can surely say that in terms of petrol consumption, if this car are in highway driving mode most of the time, this car win hands down. Accord cannot win. Also comparing the driving experience, i like KIA more than Accord.
5. KIA Global Diagnostic System are available and able to work with any generic OBD which provide people to learn more about its technology. They are open and not like T&H being close up
agree..stiff ride…bt floaty bumpy skittish handling
Most of all, ultra low RV.
Need I remind you of the Hilux ritual?
I don’t care about your hilux la bro. If i cannot afford i will have bought a viva. I got money i can buy optima. Not bcome a wannabe and buy camry to show off but kiasu scared to lose value.
Anyhow, Toyota indeed give a higher (level) feeling of prestige compare to Korean car which is also the reason why so many people still willing to buy it despite knowing that the spec are much more lousy in comparison…
In other words, some people put higher priority on the feeling for ‘owning’ the car than ‘using’ the car..
Besides, conservative people will tend to buy Japanese brand (e.g rich uncle, banker) since they are ‘known’ to be reliable and high RV..
KAkakakaka this maserati feller need to go back to school and learn some math and logic. Calling a GDI engine crap. Do you even know what is GDI? Its light years more advanced than stone age vvti in Camry la!!
The 2.4L GDI produces 203ps vs 181ps only in outdated 2.5L dual vvti in Camry.
Funny guy must be thinking with his backside.
Those TSI or high presure direct fuel injection engine inside ferrari, maserati, Audi, BMW, Merc & etc are built based on GDI concept. Only lambo did not adopt it yet coz dont have budget. Check GDI engine in wiki…..
Toyota salesman or honda salesman??
liking dat new ateering wheel
Nice…. Bring on the hybrid, please….
kia malaysia shud bring in more colour choices… n dat turbo engine if possible
Back So “Audi” front so “Preve” Interior so “SAAB”
How original Lol….. & isn’t latest Audi r design by De Silva, Shame on u Peter Schyecopycat.
I don’t think you have an idea about what are you barking.
Preve? lmao that’s one of the funniest thing ive seen before, at least get your facts right before bashing.
You know what they said…good artist copy…great artist steals. original?only what god creates…
Hyundai De La Junk is a fail troll.
Fail in every word and info in his sentence. Lol
So many trolls using my name.
No creativity at all
Lot of Japanese car SA,
Think of last few years who will but Samsung product but have a look at today how many people not using Samsung.
The facelift are much better then T brand,it the upcoming Camry facelift will add in the VSC other car brand in even lower segment already have.
Phones and cars are totally different category of consumer products
and so many Kimchi SA trying to justify this rip-off and putting down the other carmakers. You guys are too mainstream that you and your brethren look like sheeps.
It’s still to me the best looking Korean car, both interior and exterior, even with the new offerings that are coming out from the Korean manufacturer. The ‘jewel’ LED from the Cee’d and revised lamps just improves things…..awesome design.
The facelift makes it look even better. I hope it has improve the handling and driving experience as well because I feel the older one even lose out to a City for driving experience. Honda’s upcoming Accord and Toyota’s Camry will give u excellent driving experience but their design is so ancient. I seriously don’t know which to choose, but I rather not buy any of these if the money I’m paying doesn’t reflect the value that it should be give !
A mere 2.4 engine which produces 200hp?! Now that is what Audi would call Advancements Through Technology.
Even the Koreans are so advanced now, so what are the excuses of Japanese car makers especially Toyota still sticking with prehistoric engines under they latest gen cars?? A bigger and thirstier 2.5 liter engine which produces a mere 170+ hp?! Pathetic in this day and age I’d say.
Not to mention the new gen Vios which was just revealed in Thailand will use the same old 1.5 as the current Vios we can get from our local showrooms now…
Sure, the Koreans have the most advanced depreciate curve for Asia made vehicles
Even if that’s true and im not saying it is, I will rather buy a desirable car I enjoy owning and driving throughout the many years I am with it. The value when you are gonna sell it does not matter at all because you are going to keep it for longer in the first place.
But then again, latest korean cars are now holding their value just as well as their japs rivals. Not to mention their price are lower to buy in the first place, so you have less to lose :)
Korean versus Japanese Business Strategy
New Tech versus Old Tech
Performance versus Reliability
Safety versus Fuel Consumption
Value For Money versus High Resale Value
Time To UBAH
Don’t like the dashboard…so 90’s …why don’t make like Sonata interior..
Why can’t Koreans make cars that have high resale value like the Japs instead?
cos they are making cars, not properties
if u want high resale value..don buy a car..cari is just like pakai buang…why u don argue about mercedes or bmw..they also no resale value…why? i bought 530 e60 at RM ~500k..6 years later i sold it at 90k only…
Why must they? Put in single VVT-i and 4AT in?
Love it, bravo KIA !!
Now im thinking whether to tahan with my old vios for another year just to wait for this 2014 optima…
Sam loo, why you always talk about rv? so you buy, you sale. like you cum in a pussy then you leave the bitch somewhere? lol. everyone has a different opinions. :p
when is the new optima coming to malaysia
Here is my personal opinion as a K5 owner. I put up a “mini” review on my blog. Go check it up. I can take constructive criticism.
http://pondokajip.blogspot.com/2013/07/im-in-love-with-koreankorean-made-car.html
Curious to know any new tech being added to this facelift model such as blind spot warning system and so on. Cosmetic changes are really very subjective.
korean audi..