Kia Optima May Get a Name Change – Say What?

After getting a good look at the new 2021 Kia Optima and some of the tech options that will be available in the new Optima , word is it might be time for a change to the name. The new Kia Optima definitely doesn’t look like it did in previous model years, and nearly everyone online seems to be referring to it as the K5, the name given to the Optima in its homeland. The automaker has already changed their signature tiger-nose grille into a tiger face front fascia – perhaps a few vehicles are due for a new title. Such conspiracies have been piqued by the automaker filing patents for a new logo in Korea, and the Optima may just adopt the Korean market’s K5 moniker on a global scale.

Hmm…not sure how we feel about this one. Although this could help clear up some of the confusion of what the model is called in terms of international sales, the Optima is known very well in America. In fact, the Kia Optima sedan is among the brand’s best-selling models in the United States. American consumers know the Kia Optima name, we’ve known it for years. It’s a real word, the plural form of “optimum”, meaning the best or most favorable. It’s not a jumble of letters and numbers.

If the Kia Optima were to be sold under a new name, that could cause some problems. First off, how often does the average consumer pick a car they are unfamiliar with? Consumers tend to stick to brands they like and more often than not will get the same model, but newer, or the next best model in the lineup when shopping for a new vehicle. Even if someone were to explain the K5 is the Optima, just under a different name, that would actually require someone going to a dealership and asking about the K5, an unknown model as far as they know, so it doesn’t look good.

Kia will need some kind of marketing that can explain the change in an easy way – it’s just a name. Same great Kia Optima, but now called the K5. As long as Kia Motors doesn’t pull a Coca-Cola Classic, then we shouldn’t have any problems.

Either way, as per usual, the automaker isn’t making many comments. So far, a Kia spokesperson has stated that the company has made no official announcements regarding the new Optima but stated that “Regardless of the badge, Optima remains an important component of Kia’s award-winning lineup of vehicles.” It’s a confusing time, ladies and gentlemen.

Will we have to start calling it the “K5” instead of “Optima”? We’re hoping not, but the official specs for the new fastback sedan have been released and Kia is calling it the all-new K5 so far. 2020 is officially here but the Kia Optima for the 2021 model year is still far off. Look for the new specs next week as we cover all the new fastback sedan has to offer. Follow along on Miami Lakes Kia social media for more and learn about the fate of the Kia Optima…or should we say K5?

Photo Source/Copyright: Kia.com

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