Nother CarGuy

It’s barely been two years since Kia rolled out the current Optima. But the Korean automaker is already giving it a bit of an update – shown here for European markets following its rollout back home. The refreshed Optima benefits from a new front bumper (and rear bumper on the sedan version), along with a chrome-trimmed tiger-nose grille, and new head, tail, and fog lamps. The cabin is also spruced up with a new steering wheel, satin-chrome trim, and upholstery options. There’s a new drive-mode selector, with ambient lighting either switching with the mode selected or manually selectable. GT Line and GT models feature new LED fog lamps as well, along with gloss-black exterior accents, fresh interior trim, and dual exhaust tips. A new shade of red is introduced with the updated model, and there are new wheel choices across the board. The manufacturer has taken the opportunity to updated the advanced driver assistance features, too. But the bigger change may be under the...

Kia pulled the wraps off their new Optima Sportswagon ahead of the Geneva Motor Show debut, after  an earlier leak today . Inspired by  the Sportspace concept  which received a very positive feedback, the new Kia Optima Sportswagon wants to combine the obvious practical gains of a wagon body with a striking exterior design. Kia’s first D-segment wagon retains the same 4,855mm length as the saloon version, with only the height to have increased by 5mm to 1,470mm. The Optima Sportswagon offers 553lt of cargo capacity (48 more  than the saloon model ) with the rear seats in place while the latter feature a 40:20:40 split-fold ability.  “This is an important product for Kia in Europe, and it will increase our presence in this hugely important segment,” said Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer Kia Europe. “In Europe, two thirds of all sales in the D-segment, and three quarters of all fleet sales in this class, are made up of tourers, so the Optima Sportswagon w...