GALLERY: Kia Optima Sportswagon debuts in Geneva

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Although Kia has already unveiled its Optima Sportswagon prior to the start of the Geneva Motor Show, that hasn’t stopped the Korean carmaker from releasing more photos of its first D-segment estate, which was previewed by last year’s Sportspace concept.

Based on the fourth-gen Kia Optima, the Sportswagon is nearly identical in terms of dimensions to its sedan sibling, measuring 4,855 mm long and 1,860 mm wide, with only a 5 mm gain in height (1,470 mm).

The increased height is no doubt a result of the expanded boot, which permits more cargo space – 552 litres (VDA) to be exact. That is before the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats are laid to rest, and 48 litres more than the sedan. A low, flat boot lip and a Smart Power Tailgate helps with the accessibility.

As you can tell, the Sportswagon retains the same frontal design as the Optima sedan. However, from the B-pillar onwards, the car’s shoulder and roof line gets extended as part of the estate’s looks. The rear is now less sculpted compared to the sedan, and features wide LED tail lights and a bumper with an integrated air diffuser.

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For the European market, the Kia Sportswagon is offered with a choice of nine paint colours, and will ride on alloy wheels ranging from 16 to 18 inches in size. Available as a front-wheel drive model, the Sportswagon will also be available with a range of Euro 6-compliant petrol and diesel engines.

The petrol options include a 2.0 litre CVVL four-cylinder engine (163 PS at 6,500 rpm and 196 Nm at 4,800 rpm) and a 2.0 litre T-GDI turbocharged four-cylinder (245 PS at 6,000 rpm and 353 Nm at 1,350 to 4,000 rpm. As for the oil burner, it is a 1.7 litre CRDi turbo four-pot (141 PS at 4,000 rpm and 340 Nm at 1,750 to 2,500 rpm).

The 2.0 litre CVVL can be specified with a six-speed manual or automatic, whereas the 2.0 litre T-GDI can only be had with the latter. The turbodiesel also gets a six-speed manual but the automatic option here is a seven-speed DCT instead.

Underneath, the Optima sedan’s fully-independent suspension is carried over for the new Sportswagon, with revisions made to the spring, damper and alignment settings to suit the estate’s different weight distribution.

Inside, the Sportswagon is available with a choice of single- or two-tone colour interior schemes in cloth or leather trim. The console is finished in gloss black and chrome, with plenty of soft-touch materials to boot.

Cabin highlights include Kia’s latest audio-visual navigation (AVN) system, available with 7.0- or 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment. The AVN system has Android CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, along with a wide range of other features involving connectivity and navigation.

Safety and driver assistance technologies here include Advanced Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), High Beam Assist (HBA), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and Speed Limit Information Function (SLIF).

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Gerard Lye

Originating from the corporate world with a background in finance and economics, Gerard’s strong love for cars led him to take the plunge into the automotive media industry. It was only then did he realise that there are more things to a car than just horsepower count.

 

Comments

  • The front is ok, but the whole rear looks like a cancerous growth.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
 

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