The shape took inspiration from the rear-wheel-drive Kia Stinger hatchback, while new lights were more reminiscent of premium cars. Introduced for 2021, the new K5 upped the edge on the exterior design compared to the toned-down outgoing Optima.
The Optima name was replaced by K5, which the car was always called in South Korea, as Kia standardized its nameplates. But the most noticeable change was to the name. Kia gave Optima another radical redesign for 2021 to stand out in a shrinking mainstream sedan market. As a result, it has made Optima a highly competitive vehicle as some other companies have given up on the segment altogether.Įven though the K5 name has replaced the Optima label worldwide, Kia's midsize sedan continues to stake out its space as a value-focused vehicle that stands out a little from the competition. While the Optima and Sonata have always shared components, Kia has increasingly exercised more freedom to give its sedan a style and personality of its own. It gave Kia a model it never had before and expanded the brand into the competitive midsize sedan segment in the US, dominated by the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry and the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Taurus. The Kia Optima, released in 2001, started as a thinly disguised Hyundai Sonata, following Kia's sale to the fellow carmaker from South Korea a few years earlier. By quickly introducing a midsize sedan, then the largest market segment, Kia had a better shot at grabbing more market share in the most significant new car market. Before the Optima, Kia's line consisted of small sedans and hatchbacks and a small SUV.
The Kia Optima started as a quick attempt to give the fledgling brand from South Korea a broader lineup in the US.
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