The Kia Optima facelift is now available in Europe, and in UK, where Kia is targeting company car buyers, the D-segment sedan is available with a sole engine choice of a 1.7 litre U2 diesel. The ‘Game Changer’ was launched here in January with a 165 PS/198 Nm 2.0 litre CVVL Nu petrol engine.
The U2 diesel, engineered at Kia’s European R&D centre in Germany, features high-pressure commonrail fuel injection for maximum efficiency, and a variable geometry turbocharger to enhance low-speed driveability while ensuring strong top-end power. It makes 134 bhp and 325 Nm from 2,000 to 2,500 rpm.
That’s similar to 2.0 litre units in European and Japanese rivals, but from a smaller capacity, Kia says. 0-96 km/h (60 mph) acceleration takes 10.2 seconds in the six-speed manual and 11.5 seconds with the six-speed automatic. The manual can achieve a claimed 20.2 km/l, or 16.7 km/l for the auto.
New to the facelift with automatic transmission is Drive Mode Select. This offers three programmes – Normal, Eco and Sport – which alter the shift timing, accelerator mapping and steering weighting.
It also features Neutral Control, which shifts the transmission from ‘D’ to ‘N’ when the car has been stopped for a few seconds, reducing fuel consumption. The manual gets Kia’s Intelligent Stop and Go (ISG) system.
An economical, torque-rich small capacity diesel engine in an Optima; now that would be a real game changer, but alas, our low fuel quality doesn’t permit such a move.
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dashboard xleh blah…. goshh.hating the air cond vent.
The dash reminds me of Saab’s dashboard design, which looks like it came from a plane’s cockpit, which is also fine. It looks pretty sophisticated in my book.
As always, preferences varies between people so yeah. Just my 2 cents.
Danny,
You know emmachizit the price of a ‘proper’ diesel is right? In the UK and most of EU, its MORE expensive than a 97/98 Petrol (which is the ‘proper’diesel…). I understand where are you coming from though and I also wish our diesels and petrol are world-standard. But kalau gomen kena subsidize…ayooooo. Real prices for a ‘proper’ i.e EUR5 Petrol(95 thru 97) and diesel will be circa MYR+/- 5-7/Litre. To subsidise the costs, well…we all can do the math right? And no…let us all not get into the “Malaysia is a petroleum producing country” thingy….
Government show us every month how much they subsidies our fuel per liter on petrol pump all over the countries… 80-90 sen per liter, and that inclusive of the tax that they “charged” and then deduct it out again… Which mean it is actually not as high as 80-90 sen per liter.
And why shouldn’t we mention that our country is producing oil if that is the fact? I know it is up to our elected government to manage the money produced from oil production and our taxes, but if everyday you drove on road with pot holes, no road lamp, traffic jam everywhere (bad city management & public transport), robbery everywhere, wouldn’t you question how they manage the country resources?
yes. without subsidy it will be MYR7.59/litre. just like what it says in utusan and at the petrol pump. the number RM2.80-something at the petrol pump is not the correct number. that is a typo.
ini semua ketentuan. jangan persoal! be stupid and keep calm. and read utusan.
Only a fool who reads Utusan thinks this way. Malaysia produces its own oil. There is nothing to subsidise. Only idiots are told that fuel needs to be subsidised. There is nothing to be bought. It comes free from our land. Supposed to be given cheaply to all Malaysians because it comes from under our feet. It is the fools who read Utusan who are so stupid, they don’t question the fact that, what is there to subsidise?
If you grow vegetables at the back of your garden to be eaten by your family, do you tell people that, the vegetables are subsidised? That is bodoh.
We will end up becoming net-importer very soon like Indonesia.. what happen then?
Another thing, Norway is also net-export country, yet their fuel cost more than RM7 per liter. VAT at 22%, income tax at 42%. no doubt their average salary is almost 2.5 times than ours.
when will we get better quality diesel in malaysia? =(
#facepalm
fuel consumption 20.2 km/l(manual), or 16.7 km/l(Auto), not bad for 2L engine. with several drive mode, Normal, Eco and Sport can be select, i think it is extra impressive function.
Do you even read? Lol
Haiya, u never read ka?
Aisey bro….read properly first..
so when can we get that gorgeous screen in our K3s and K5s?
KIA has already upgraded it head unit of K3 for 2014 model.. 7 inch screen.
The K3 and K5 uses the same tiny 4.3 inches screen in malaysia. Go home, you are drunk.
you’re drunk. 2014 K3 comes with 7 inches screen. go home, kiddo.
Just visited Kia, and you guys are right! damn they need to update their damn websites!
they should hire U2 as the ambassador for this car in Europe…..lol…….
Danny,
The steering wheel is not flat-bottomed like facelifted K5 here?
Yup, appears so
Damn nice….a 1.7ltr diesel…would be nice if it is on sale here…
Same in UK.
After 1 year, price is 25%-30% of new price.
Only difference is that UK still accepts trade in for KIA