The new 2021 Kia Optima is looking really good – like really good. So good, that we may not even recognize it under its new name, the Kia K5. It’s not definite just yet, but because the K5 moniker is so popular in Kia Motors hometown in Korea, Kia Motors America is thinking of adopting the name for U.S. shores, but we’re not sold on the idea. Regardless, with the 2021 Kia Optima getting a lot of upgrades, it has many rivals to compete with. One of these comes from its own automobile group, the 2021 Hyundai Sonata. Too bad Kia Motors is always wiping the floor with its competitors.
Performance
Some consumers out there may be smug and think we’re eating our words right now with the 2021 Kia Optima coming with a 177hp 1.6-liter Turbocharged engine, optimized with gasoline direct injection (GDI) and Kia’s new Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology. However, on the Kia Optima GT trim, a 2.5-liter Turbo-GDi turbocharged gasoline engine capable of generating 286 horsepower is also available.
Let’s look at the 2020 Kia Sonata. Surprisingly standard, the Sonata swings big with its 4-cylinder engine, capable of generating 191 horsepower. However, if fans were thinking a surprise was in store for the high-end trims, the 2021 Hyundai Sonata SEL Plus and Limited come with a 180hp turbo 4-cylinder engine. Kia Motors can nearly match that with their base trim!
Style
How do these two vehicles compete when it comes to style? The new Kia Optima looks completely different from its predecessors, giving a more sports car look with a muscular and wide stance. Working the new tiger-face fascia, equipped with a new lighting signature and a new LED daytime running light along the width of the rear deck, the new Optima will be available with a choice of 16-, 17- and 18-inch machine-cut aluminum alloy wheels and in a range of colors. The GT models push it further with a unique 19-inch wheel design, more aggressive front and rear bumpers, special ‘GT’ badges, and dual twin exhaust tips.
We won’t lie, both vehicles look pretty nice, but the Sonata just doesn’t compete much with the Optima. Look at the side-by-side comparison of the front-fascia of each model. That’s what other drivers will see in their rearview mirror. Which one says, “Move over”?
Technology
Consumers do love their gadgets these days, and to meet the demands, an automaker needs to fit their models with modern tech. Living in the future, the new Kia Optima will offer drivers the ability to control climate control, electric windows, heating for the steering wheel, seats and rear glass, and the audio system with their voice. There will also be a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with audio-visual navigation available, and future models are said to come with an augmented reality (AR) windshield. For the first-time ever, Kia Motors is also putting a 12-speaker BOSE® surround-sound audio system as an available into the Optima.
The 2020 Hyundai Sonata also comes with a premium BOSE® 12-speaker system, available in trims past the base trim. An 8-inch touchscreen with HD Radio is standard, but there’s nothing ground-breaking. There’s modern tech, but the Sonata doesn’t push the envelope, it just provides what consumers expect, such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto or Bluetooth.
Kia Motors really outdid themselves on the new 2021 Kia Optima. No longer just a sports car, this model is a car of the future and looks amazing. Find out when the new Kia Optima will be available when you follow Miami Lakes Kia social media.