Kia Optima 2021, a sneak peek at the new version of the Korean saloon

We have known for months that a new version of the Kia Optima will arrive, but everything related to this model is still under wraps, although we are starting to get a glimpse. The launch of the Kia Optima is set to take place throughout 2020, but it is planned that in November 2019 the Kia K5 will reach the Korean market, and it will be the basis on which the Kia Optima 2021 will be built.

What we can see in the preview the Korean company has made public gives us a first look at the Kia K5, so we can begin to see what awaits us with the Kia Optima. The final design is still a mystery, but according to these images, the concept of the model has changed. This changes substantially compared with the current model, and these details are worth looking at closely.

Without abandoning the style of Kia, the brand wants to offer a more dynamic and sporty image. The design features a front end dominated by a more pronounced Tiger Nose grille and headlights that merge with the grille. The LED daytime running lights are similar to those of the Kia Cadenza, which in Asia is the Kia K7. The moulding running along the upper edge of the doors in the current version is retained, but accentuated in this new version.

The mirrors also have a new design and although these sketches do not show the door handles, we know they are kept in this new version. At the rear, the LED lights have also been changed and have grown in size compared with the current Optima.

And if we look at the interior, Kia seems to bet on a fully digital instrument cluster and a wider infotainment system screen forms part of the equipment of the cabin of the new Kia Optima. This eliminates some of the buttons for controlling various elements of the car. As for engines, Kia is expected to offer a good selection of engines, both petrol and diesel, and it is also expected to be marketed as a plug-in hybrid version.

With all this, we just have to wait a little longer to see the Kia K5 in detail and start getting an idea of the Kia Optima that will arrive in Europe within a few months. For now, we have these sketches as a clue.