2016 Kia Optima Review

With its jagged mountain peaks, conifer-covered slopes, and whitewater rapids, Aspen is a unique blend of beauty and power, making it the perfect setting to launch the all-new 2016 Optima.

Passionately designed and obsessively crafted, the Optima defies the staid midsize sedan segment with its exquisite design, abundance of premium convenience features, and exceptional refinement, delivering a class-up experience to those looking for higher levels of sophistication in their day-to-day driving.

Conceived under the watchful eye of Kia’s president and chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, with modern and instantly recognizable design cues, the Optima maintains its athletic identity but rides on a chassis that is longer, wider and stiffer for improved ride and handling and a more spacious cabin. Available with three engine choices, including a new 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s mated to a seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), the Optima is more confident than ever on the road.

The all-new Optima’s roomier, more luxurious cabin features an impressive level of craftsmanship that will come standard across five trim levels – LX, LX 1.6T, EX, SX and SXL. Like the outgoing model, the all-new Optima is built at Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia.

“The Optima changed the way people felt about the Kia brand, and Kia owes much of its growth and success in this country to the car’s head-turning design and sporty performance. The all-new Optima encompasses everything the outgoing model did so well but does it even better. It has matured in all the right ways, from the European sport-sedan design to the premium materials to its improved ride and handling,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning KMA. “The all-new Optima retains the signature personality of its predecessor, but we’ve literally improved everything, providing more space, better ergonomics, more technology and greater refinement.”

Instantly Recognizable European Design

Because the previous generation Optima was such a success story for the brand, Kia’s designers had to strike a delicate balance, retaining the identity of the vehicle while, at the same time, making a confident move forward to keep the car modern and fresh.

Sweeping contemporary surfaces and modern architecture inspired the design of the all-new Optima, leading to a sophisticated and dynamic sedan that is instantly recognizable yet has more road presence than ever.

The all-new Optima is boldly designed to be functional and sporty with exterior dimensions that are marginally longer, taller and wider. The wheelbase has been extended to 110.4 inches (increased 0.4 inches), and the vehicle has been widened to 73.2 inches (increased 1.2 inches).

Both changes enable a roomier and more comfortable cabin with more head room, shoulder room and rear seat leg room. The increased dimensions also allow for more cargo capacity in the trunk, up 0.5 cu.-ft. from the previous-generation Optima to 15.9 cu.-ft.

The aggressive front clip pulls the sheet metal taut over the wheel arches, and the swept-back headlights reach deeply into the fenders. On the SX and SXL trims, Kia’s signature tiger-nose grille is hot stamped and composed into a sophisticated pinpoint design that bears a strong resemblance to Kia’s luxury sedan, the K9001. The all-new Optima introduces Kia’s first application of Bi-Xenon HID headlights with available Dynamic Bending Lamps, which illuminate the tarmac around corners, and High Beam Assist.

The greenhouse silhouette maintains the raked A-pillar and sweeping C-pillar that lend the Optima its sport-sedan shape. The rear quarter windows kick up smartly just ahead of the carved rear fenders. As with its predecessor, the all-new Optima incorporates a raised deck lid, and the use of available LED halo-style tail lights mimics that of the Cadenza premium sedan.

The 2016 Optima rides on alloy wheels ranging from 16 to 18 inches, with four new unique wheel designs, depending on trim level. Three new exteriors colors complement the latest Optima’s sophisticated styling: a vibrant blue inspired by a sparkling ocean underneath a sunny sky, a dynamic grey with olive undertones, and a deep red that gains depth from the use of aluminum pigments.

Exquisite Interior Craftsmanship

Optima’s interior is larger and more comfortable with an innovative and functional cabin that is well-appointed with class-up touches. Drawing inspiration from Kia’s premium and luxury sedans, the Optima utilizes more soft-touch materials throughout the passenger compartment.

Optima’s luxurious interior is obsessively crafted with an impressive attention to detail and features real stitching along the dash and doors, complemented by tasteful metallic accents, varying by trim level. The driver-oriented cabin has been simplified with a cleaner, more unified design than the previous generation.

A stronger horizontal plane and a wider center console help create a greater sense of space. By grouping and reducing the number of functional keys and buttons, Kia’s already-superior ergonomics are markedly improved.

The interior design team also paid particular attention to seat comfort. A stiffer seat frame reduces vibration; soft foam in the headrest and upper back, and denser, more supportive foam in thigh-support areas allow occupants to nestle into seats with deeper side bolsters. For extra convenience, heated and ventilated front seats are available with power adjustable driver and front passenger seats.

For added convenience, the 2016 Optima offers a height-adjustable front passenger seat, a feature normally found only in premium vehicles. Depending on trim level, the seats are covered in cloth, leather or luxurious Nappa leather trim available in two new colors: a rich Merlot and Dark Aubergine.

Convenience and Technology

Kia’s cutting-edge connectivity system, UVO2, comes standard with four additional eServices not previously available on Optima: Geo-fencing, Speed Alert, Curfew Alert and Driving Score3. Additionally, Optima is Kia’s pilot vehicle for the introduction of Android4 Auto™ and Apple5 CarPlay® (late availability), which allow drivers to access a suite of core functions from their smartphones. After connecting their smartphone to the head unit via the vehicle’s front USB port (two additional fast-charge USB ports and rear 12V outlet are located in the center console for the front and rear seat passengers), the 8-inch touchscreen screen displays the smartphone’s most important features. Core functions including music (new SoundHound6 app), messaging, navigation and voice calls are available via the screen, the steering wheel or via voice command2. Kia is one of the first to deliver this technology, which is available for select Android phones operating with Lollipop or Apple phones operating with iOS8.X or higher.

While the standard six-speaker audio system will satisfy all but the most demanding enthusiasts, true audiophiles will gravitate to a Kia-first available Harman/Kardon QuantumLogic™7 Premium Surround Sound Audio System8, which includes 10 speakers, Clari-Fi™7 technology and an upgraded 630-watt digital amplifier. Clari-Fi is a patented music restoration technology that rebuilds audio signals that are lost in the digital compression process.

This technology breathes new life into your favorite music, restoring a high-fidelity listening experience to any compressed digital source. Optima’s Harman/Kardon premium audio system also comes equipped with next-generation QuantumLogic™ Surround Sound technology, which extracts signals from the original recording and redistributes them into an authentic, multidimensional soundstage for playback that is clear, refined and detailed. Kia was one of the first automakers to incorporate Clari-Fi technology into its audio systems with the debut of the 2016 Sorento, and Optima is the first-ever Kia sedan to feature QuantumLogic Premium Surround Sound technology.

The all-new Optima takes convenience to the next level with a long list of available technologies across the various trim levels. Available on every Optima is a rear-camera display9 while SX and SXL trims offer an available 360-degree Surround-View Monitor9. Available driver-aid technology, including Advanced Smart Cruise Control (ASCC), Blind Spot Detection (BSD)with Lane Change Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Rear Parking Assist System (RPAS), Front Collision Warning System (FCWS), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)9 – which, under appropriate conditions, will bring the vehicle to a complete stop to potentially avoid a collision or reduce damage – makes the task of driving easier and more convenient. Also available for the first time on any Kia vehicle are Bi-Xenon HID headlights with Dynamic Bending Lamps (DBL) and intuitive High Beam Assist (HBA), which recognizes oncoming traffic and automatically switches the lights to low beam until the opposing vehicle has passed.

Smart Performance and Safety

The 2016 Optima features a uniquely engineered body that combines various high-tensile strength steel alloys to create a stiffer chassis that’s more durable thanks to the increased use of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS), with more than 50 percent of the all-new Optima’s body constructed from the material. In addition, the greater use of structural adhesive improves NVH and contributes to structural rigidity, as well as a significant increase in hot stamped components. This newer body structure helps provide crash protection, better driving dynamics, and is the foundation for a quieter ride.

Additional innovations were implemented to reduce NVH, lighten the vehicle and enhance aerodynamics. The 2016 Optima features a panoramic sunroof support structure made with carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, which helps reduce weight and lower the vehicle’s center of gravity. A larger full floor under cover helps reduce wind noise and aid fuel efficiency. Increased dash insulation, added windshield side molding, acoustic laminated front door windows and the increased use of structural adhesive ensure a quiet ride with reduced road and wind noise. Engine mounts, body panels and wheels all are stiffer on the all-new Optima, reducing vibration, engine noise and road noise. Larger cross-member bushings are utilized to help isolate road and engine noise, as well as reducing engine vibration through the floor and steering wheel.

Improving ride and handling was a top priority for engineers. Overall, the chassis is lighter and stiffer, resulting in 58 percent more torsional rigidity than the outgoing model, which contributes to improved steering response, high-speed stability and handling. Moving the suspension points outward optimizes suspension geometry for a smoother ride over uneven pavement. Where the previous Optima made do with dual bushing mounts, increased lateral stiffness was achieved with a four-bushing mount system for both sub-frames. The increased stiffness pays dividends in improved steering response and tractability through corners. More robust wheel bearings up front and the addition of larger lower control arms at the rear also help refine the all-new Optima’s ride and handling characteristics. Available Rack-mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (R-MDPS) improves steering response with a higher gear ratio.

The all-new Optima is available with three engine choices, striking a performance balance between sportiness and fuel efficiency. Two powerplants carry over from the previous generation, the 2.4-liter GDI four-cylinder, available on the LX and EX models, and the 2.0-liter GDI turbo engine, available on the SXL and SX models. The 2.4-liter produces 185 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 178 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. The 2.0-liter turbo generates 245 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 260 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,350 rpm. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with Sportmatic® shifting, and the SX and SXL trims add paddle shifters. Both engines have been retuned for fuel economy10 and better performance and drivability with maximum torque now available at lower RPM.

All new for the 2016 model is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo engine. The 1.6-liter will be offered on the LX trim. Pushing out 178 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and a stout 195 lb.-ft. of torque at just 1,500 rpm, the new engine mates to a seven-speed DCT, a first for the Kia brand. The transmission optimizes the engine’s responsiveness for a sporty feel that doesn’t sacrifice fuel economy. Also new for the Optima, Michelin®11 tires are available on select trims. All three engines channel energy through the front wheels.

Price

Recommended retail price (MSRP) starts from $21,990

Specifications