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Kia to show Optima Sportswagon estate at Geneva

Kia-Optima-Sportswagon-Exterior 1The Kia Optima Sportswagon, the company’s first ever estate car in this size bracket, will make its global premiere at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show on 1 March. The new model is inspired by the 2015 Sportspace concept which was shown for the first time at last year’s Geneva show.

Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe, commented: “The Optima has come to define Kia globally, and is credited with kick-starting the brand’s design-led transformation. The Sportspace concept from 2015 was a clear intention of where we wanted to take the Optima next, and the Sportswagon adds an extra level of style and practicality to the well-received saloon.”

Cole added: “This is an important product for Kia in Europe, and it will increase our presence in this hugely important segment. 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 will play a critical role in attracting new private and corporate buyers to the brand. This is an important conquest product for Kia.”

The Optima Sportswagon will be available with a choice of petrol and diesel powertrains and is due to go on sale across Europe in the last quarter of this year.

There will be a choice of nine paint colours, and alloy wheels ranging from 16- to 18-inches in diameter. Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay will be available. The Optima Sportswagon is also equipped with Kia’s latest audio-visual navigation (AVN) system, available with 7.0- or 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment – the latter when specified with the satellite navigation system. DAB digital radio, which is available across a number of European markets, is fully supported with Kia’s AVN.

The Optima Sportswagon will be available with Kia’s new wireless charger for mobile devices, situated at the base of the central console. The 5W wireless charger lets users charge their phone on the move, without a wire. There will also be two USB charging points, one in the front and one in the rear, to allow passengers to charge mobile devices, depending on trim level.

Kia-Optima-Sportswagon-Exterior-2According to Kia, the additional cargo space resulting from the tourer bodystyle makes the Optima Sportswagon one of the most practical cars in its class, with 553 litres (VDA) of cargo space behind the second row of seats – 48 litres more than the Optima saloon.

A low, flat boot lip, and a Smart Power Tailgate – which opens the boot automatically when the Optima’s smart key is located in close proximity to the rear tailgate – is designed to enable owners to load heavy items easily.

Rear 40:20:40 split-folding seats are fitted as standard, enabling owners to slide longer outdoor equipment – such as skis or snowboards – through the central seat, while two rear passengers can still sit in comfort.

The bodyshell of the Optima Sportswagon benefits from the extensive application of Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS), which makes up 51% of the body. AHSS has been used to reinforce the car’s A and B-pillars, side sills, floor and front wheel arches, with particular attention paid to the roof, C-pillar and rear bulkhead, which have been adapted in the Optima’s transition from saloon to tourer.

The Optima saloon’s fully-independent suspension hardware is carried over for the new Sportswagon derivative, however spring, damper and alignment settings have been adapted for the new tourer due to this new version’s different weight distribution, which is slightly more rear-biased.

The front-wheel drive Optima Sportswagon will be available with a range of Euro 6-compliant petrol and diesel engines when it goes on sale across Europe. Upgraded for its application in the Optima saloon and carried over unchanged in the Sportswagon, the 1.7-litre CRDi diesel engine is expected to account for the majority of European sales. The engine benefits from a series of modifications, resulting in greater power output and torque, and reduced emissions. Producing 139 ps and  251 lb ft torque, the upgraded 1.7-litre diesel engine is promised to offer low CO2 emissions and high economy, pending final homologation later in 2016.

The 1.7-litre CRDi engine is available with a six-speed manual transmission or Kia’s new seven-speed double-clutch transmission, capable of handling the higher torque outputs of the turbodiesel engine and engineered to offer a sportier driving experience with smooth and instantaneous gear changes.

Full technical details of the Optima Sportswagon will be released closer to the official vehicle launch.

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