2023 KIA Optima: What We Know So Far
2023 KIA Optima: What We Know So Far – Kia gave us a shadow preview of what we should expect from the new Optima 2023. The Korean car manufacturer and its corporate partner, Hyundai, have been successfully shedding that stereotype for years now. They have recently evolved into two of the more exciting brands out there.
Kia created new genre-busting models such as the sporty four-door Stinger and the great three-row Telluride SUV. Now, the new Kia Optima 2021 is heading further upmarket with a more stylish overhaul that has helped fuel the company’s meteor rise.
2023 KIA Optima
If the car can define the word “redesign,” the Kia Optima 2023 will be a candidate for that definition, as the sedan is a clean sheet on the brand’s midsize sedan. In advance, he proceeds with a distinctive tiger-nose grille but is wider and more attention-attracting than ever.
Other updates to the front end include an aggressively designed bumper with a large air inflow, a thin headlight with zig-zagging LED accents, and a sporty hood.
At the back, the redesigned Optima gets a new fastback look, as the C pillar flows deep into the rear fender. The hotel also offers a full-width backlight bar and a sharp bumper design with integrated air fins and angular exhaust outlets.
If you break the measuring tape, you will find Optima 2023 has also grown in size. While he was 0.8 inches lower, his body was 1.9 inches longer and 1 inch wider. The wheel axis distance also grew by 1.8 inches.
It’s hard to believe that the new Optima was built by the same company—let alone used the same signboard—as an exit model. Sure, the last generation can be handsome, but its successors get more affectionate praise. Dare we call it sexy, even? Its narrow headlights are outlined by zigzag running lights that blend into Kia’s “tiger nose” grille to give the sedan a fierce face.
The hood and side surface are cremated for additional characters without looking extra busy. The chrome strip runs in line with the sweeping roof before crossing the rear pillar, tracing the top of the trunk, and connecting the opposite side of the car. This helps create a fastback profile that finishes with a provocative taillight that stretches across the back and resembles a heart rate monitor.
2023 KIA Optima Concept
In it, the Kia Optima 2023 will continue the current hygiene trend, as the dashboard offers a neat look with very few buttons and knobs messing it up. It also has many horizontal lines to visually expand space, a flat-bottom steering wheel for additional exercise, and a rotary shift knob to enhance its space.
There are also plenty of technologies available inside this new generation sedan, including an optional 10.25-inch touchscreen, an available 12.3-inch digital measuring cluster, and an optional 12-speaker Bose audio system.
Not all Optima technologies will be known, as it will have many luxury amenities available. This will include ambient mood lighting, synthetic and natural leather options, metal trim, and wood effects, and more.
If Optima’s dramatic exterior isn’t enough, its impressive cabin should do the trick. Kia intelligently avoids excessive design and opts for an uncomplicated layout with rich-looking materials. The dashboard is dominated by a black-piano bezel that houses a 12.3-inch digital meter cluster and a 10.3-inch touchscreen.
Seriously, the instrument panel has a beautiful screen, including vista-like backgrounds or gauges that change with drive mode. The infotainment system is also beautiful, and the menu is generally easy to navigate. If there’s anything to complain about inside Optima, it’s the lack of tactile control.
While the audio system has a volume knob, everything else is controlled through steering-wheel buttons or touch-sensitive zones around the screen. The same goes for HVAC systems. Kia claims these functions are more intuitive than traditional switchgear, but we prefer more reliable and less intrusive physical things.
2023 KIA Optima Engine
Optima’s 2023 global engine lineup will probably include diesel engines, but we don’t expect to see that in addition to U.S. Diesel engines, three gasoline engines will make it to various markets around the world, but no clarity will make it to the U.S. market.
These engines include a 152-ps (150-horsepower) 2.0-liter, 160-ps (158-hp) 2.0-liter continuously variable valve lift engine, and a 2.5-liter direct-fuel-injection four-cylinder with 194 ps (191 hp).
Kia’s only confirmed engine for the U.S. is a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that will set up shop in the upcoming Optima GT. The engine will inject 290 ps (286 hp) and 422 Nm (311 pound-feet) of torque into this revamped sedan for a sprint time of 0-60 mph mid-six seconds.
All engines other than the Optima GT unit will be paired with a standard six- or eight-speed automatic transmission. The Optima GT will offer an eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission.
Despite a short stop to confirm standard safety equipment, Kia did confirm that Optima 2023 will have all the latest in safety technology available.
These include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assistance, driver attention alerts, highway driving assistance, 360-degree cameras, rear traffic automatic braking, and more. We expect Optima 2023 to follow in the footsteps of current models and offer most of these safety feature standards.
2023 KIA Optima Interior
Optima is great because of its luxury-like features and Kia’s clear attention to detail. The company did not disclose the trim level we were driving, but it did show what to expect from the most fantastic examples.
Our testers include cool ambient interior lighting on doors and dashboards, good air purification systems, heated and ventilated front seats (toggle operated, thankfully), handy head-up displays, luxurious leather upholstery, and wireless charging pads. Except for narrow door pockets, there are plenty of places to store small items in the central console. Optima’s large luggage also appears capable of holding luggage for all its passengers.
While we won’t pack five full adults into the sedan, despite space, the four passengers will be very comfortable. The back seats, in particular, have generous legroom and large folding armrests. The driving position is very flexible and includes a comfortable dead pedal and a floor-mounted accelerator. We just wish we could lower the seat height more.
For those who don’t know, the new Optima is mechanically similar to the new Hyundai Sonata. They share less obvious platforms, powertrain options, and other tools, but they are endowed with different personalities. Based on our experience driving the Optima on the roads and highways around the South Korean capital Seoul, we don’t think it’s possible to seize the Honda Accord or Mazda 6 as a de-facto option for driver engagement.
However, it is more a testament to the manufacturer’s engineering than a shot at Kia. Optima provides a pleasant experience highlighted by stable handling and a quiet ride. There were minimal road noise and no structural vibrations during our trip.
The sedan is easy to maneuver through Seoul’s crowded streets thanks to its relaxed yet reactive steering wheel. We don’t feel confident with its soft brake pedals, which cause panic prods when fasteners don’t always respond quickly.
2023 KIA Optima Release Date and Price
Kia said this will be completed before production begins, and there will be steering and suspension changes for the U.S. market as well. That may resolve our only other complaint, which is that our testers have a strong journey that is most noticeable on uneven surfaces.
Kia has not confirmed when Optima 2023 will arrive in the US but said it will be in many markets in the first half of 2022. Stay up to date on updates.
Prices are not yet available, but we expect the price to be slightly higher than the current model, which ranges from $24,115 to $32,915.
The redesigned fastback sedan will fight other midsize sedans, including the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Hyundai Sonata.
2021 Kia K5 GT-Line
