Kia News: Next Kia Optima Teased as K5 for Korea

[Drew Dowdell]

Kia's styling lately has been on a good run with the handsome Kia Telluride, the Kia Stinger, and the new Kia Soul.  Next up looks to be the redesigned Kia Optima. Though the current model is only 4 years old, Kia is looking at a major redesign for 2020-2021 in the Korean market where it is dubbed the K5.

The company released a series of concept photos to show the direction in styling they are aiming for. The flowing lines give the car a couple like silhouette, while a larger, blunter "tiger nose" grille takes up most of the front.  The running lights take on a Z shape like on the larger Cadenza and the headlamps merge into the wide front grille. Around back is a trunk lid with a small lip of a rear spoiler and full-width tail lamps. A chrome strip runs from the base of the A-pillar, up and along the roofline and then down under the rear window glass. 

Inside is a fully digital instrument cluster and a minimal number of buttons and dials on the center stack. The standard style gear shifter has been replaced with a rotary selector. 

We don't know when the actual reveal will be, but it can't be that far away, perhaps at the Los Angeles Auto Show coming up in November. 

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[G. David Felt]

Have to say, I am really liking the style direction Kia is going, very refreshing.