KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — The fourth generation, the biggest and most powerful Optima yet, has just made its way into the Malaysian market, through the auspices of Naza Kia Malaysia.
Standing at 10mm longer, 30mm wider, and 10mm higher, the brand new fourth generation Kia Optima is offered only in GT trim, a clear indication of Kia’s target market in Malaysia — those who want a high performance executive sedan.
With its new Theta II 2.0 T-GDI turbocharged petrol engine, the Optima instantly becomes one of the most powerful sedans in its class, with an impressive 242bhp at 6000rpm and 350Nm of torque available at just 1400rpm. With a six-speed automatic transmission mated to the engine, the Optima GT accelerates from 0-100kph in just 7.4 seconds to a top speed of 240kph. Fuel consumption remains low at 8.5-litre per 100km while CO2 emissions is recorded at a smidge under 200g/km.
When it comes to looks, the Optima still bears some the Kia DNA with the signature front grille, but it now features a sportier front bumper as well as a new rear bumper. The rear bumper is built to accommodate dual exhausts along with a diffuser. 18-inch dual tone alloy wheels complete the sporty look Kia is going for.
The sporty theme continues on the inside with a flat-bottomed steering wheel and centre console and aluminium trim on the foot pedals. Being longer, wider and taller than the previous generation, the interior gives passengers more leg and headroom as well. Everything soft to the touch inside is wrapped in premium leather including the door panels. You can even choose the colour palette for the leather as well, with a choice of either red leather with grey stitching or black leather with red stitching.
A 7-inch TFT LCD screen plays host to all forms of entertainment in the Optima GT including the MirrorLink function. The car also comes with a new wireless charging pad that features a temperature detect function — it will turn off automatically when the temperature gets too high.
Other key technology features on the Optima includes new LED headlamps with Daytime Running Lights; the headlights have Dynamic Bending Light technology that turns the lights towards the direction the steering wheel is pointed to. This helps to illuminates dark corners and enhances the safety of the car.
Speaking of safety, Kia is proud to announce that the Optima comes with an arsenal of safety awards from the EuroNCAP (5 stars), Asian NCAP (5 stars), US NCAP (5.1 stars) and Korean NCAP (First Class) respectively. The array of safety features include six airbags, ABS, ESC and Vehicle Stability Control systems as well as Hill Start Assist Control and Emergency Stop Signal.
Naza Kia Malaysia stickered an affordable RM179,888 price tag (on the road with insurance) on the Optima GT. Three colour options are available for the car, Gravity Blue, Aurora Black and Snow White Pearl.
