Kia’s first D-segment tourer, the Optima Sportswagon, has been revealed ahead of its debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show next month. The estate version of the fourth-gen Optima, which was previewed by the Sportspace concept last year, is set to go on sale across Europe in sometime in the fourth quarter.
The Optima Sportswagon retains the same width (1,860 mm) and length (4,855 mm) as its sedan sibling, only taller by five millimetres (to 1,470 mm) to accommodate the expanded boot. Cargo space is 553 litres (VDA) behind the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats, which is 48 litres more than the sedan.
Design-wise, the front of the car remains the same as the Optima sedan, with the rising shoulder and sloping, swept-back cabin continuing for longer to produce the extended shape of a tourer. The new rear end features wide LED tail lamps and a new bumper, with an integrated air diffuser providing the car with a sportier outlook.
The front-wheel drive Sportswagon will be available with a trio of Euro 6-compliant gasoline and diesel engines at point of introduction. Continental customers will be able to pick from a 1.7 litre CRDi diesel or 2.0-litre CVVL gasoline engine, while the GT model will be equipped with a 2.0 litre turbocharged gasoline direct injection mill.
The 1.7 CRDi oil burner, which was upgraded for its application in the Optima sedan, has been carried over – a series of modifications has resulted in greater power output and torque (139 hp at 4,000 rpm and 340 Nm at 1,750 to 2,500 rpm) as well as reduced emissions.
The 2.0 litre CVVL gasoline engine, meanwhile, offers 161 hp at 6,500 rpm and 196 Nm at 4,800 rpm, while the high-output 2.0 T-GDI turbo unit in the GT is good for 241 hp at 6,000 rpm and 353 Nm at 1,350 to 4,000 rpm. Drivetrain choices are made up of six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions as well as the automaker’s seven-speed double-clutch unit. The GT variant only gets a six-speed automatic.
Elsewhere, the fully-independent suspension from the sedan is also carried over for the new derivative, but spring, damper and alignment settings have been adapted for the new tourer due to the wagon’s different weight distribution, which is slightly more rear-biased.
The Sportswagon’s interior – which is available with a choice of single- or two-tone colour schemes – again largely mirrors that of the sedan, with a high proportion of soft-touch materials, cloth and leather trim in natural tones and metallic accents.
Plenty in the way of kit – there’s an audio-visual navigation (AVN) system, available with a 7.0- or 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is paired with a six-speaker audio system as standard and a 590 watt, eight-speaker Harman Kardon Premium Sound system as an option.
The Sportswagon also gets a Kia Connected Services package, which offers up-to-date, driver-oriented information, as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, the latter by the end of the year.
Other novelties include a Smart Power Tailgate, which opens the boot automatically when the Optima’s smart key is located in close proximity to the rear tailgate, a 360-degree Around View Monitor and an automatic Smart Parking Assist System (SPAS). Europe will get nine exterior colour choices for the Sportswagon, which will be built at Kia’s Hwasung manufacturing facility in Korea.
GALLERY: Kia Sportspace Concept
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It just looks like a big white sneaker shoe.
This one can be traded in for RM20k for units less than 12 months old
I’m so proud of this Kia Optima Sportswagon truly the Asian Volvo V60 wagon.
The true Asian Volvo V60 is the one assembled by VCMM in Shah Alam. Others are just bodo piang
Enough said.. Kia, Hyundai & Proton bad RV in Malaysia..
2.0 Nu CVVL engine in this? It can barely move the sedan decently, I can’t imagine how underpowered the wagon would be, especially under load. The 1.7 CRDI has been noted to be gruff and lacking in power too.
They should have done the 2.0 Turbo, and the 2.2 CRDI from the Sorento/SantaFe instead.