2021 KIA Optima - Now That's Dashing

It's been a month now since the 2021 KIA Optima had broken surface in South Korea, and Kia has finally released some technical information to give some substance to that gorgeous looking exterior and interior design.

Starting at the most exciting area, the engine bay, we now know that the Optima can be equipped with either a turbocharged 1.6-litre 178hp/265Nm engine or a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre with158hp/196Nm or a multipoint injection 2.0-litre engine with 150hp and 192Nm of torque.

A more powerful turbocharged 2.5-litre GDi engine pushing out 191hp and 246Nm of torque is also on the cards. According to some reports from automotive publications in North American, they will be getting a GT version of the Optima which will come with a turbocharged 2.5-litre engine, good for 286Hp and 422Nm of torque mated to a dual-clutch eight-speed transmission.

If that doesn't sound exciting enough as it is, it has also been rumoured that an AWD option of the GT will be made available but nothing that anybody can cement down based on facts.

KIA has gone to great lengths to make the Optima look this aggressively sporty, and it all started with the collaboration of their design studios in North America, Europe and South Korea. The front end looks like something Audi would do, with that aggressive tiger-nose grille spreading nearly the entire front of the sedan. The front end also comes with these 'heart-beat' DRLs which sits under and around those LED headlights.

The aggressive styling continues at the rear, with that also common sloping loof and dashing looking windscreen that every manufacturer is going for these days. Also at the back are dual exhausts, sporty rear bumper and an integrated spoiler. From the pictures, it also looks like there is a red rear light bar joining the two tail lights together. 

Moving to the inside, the Optima now sports a newly designed interior headlined by a 12.3inch digital speedo cluster and next to it a 10.25-inch infotainment system. Other possible kits include an 8-inch head-up display, 12-speaker BOSE audio system and ambient mood lighting.