Euro-Spec 2016 Kia Optima Photos Leaked

The 2016 Kia Optima has been on sale in the United States and South Korea (where it’s called the K5), so it is about time for Europe to get it as well.

The first official pictures of the vehicle have surfaced on the web, along with information, courtesy of our to good people Autoblog.nl. So what does the European-spec 2016 Kia Optima bring?

Well, compared to the United States model, it sports different front and rear design bumpers, as well as slightly different rear taillights – more specifically the inner LED design. Compared to last years model, the new 2016 Optima is 10mm longer (all in between the wheelbase), 25mm wider and 10mm higher. The sedan also offers a decent 510 liters (18 cu-ft) of luggage space.

The 2016 Kia Optima’s body is 50-percent more rigid and offers more standard passive safety in the form of seven impressive airbags. Standard equipment also includes a car stability system (VSM), with safety assist extras such as adaptive high-tech cruise control, active braking, lane assist, blind spot detection system, cross traffic detection system, high beam assistant system, speed signs recognition system, and a 360 degree environment monitor also optional.

The 2016 Kia Optima will be released with a 1.6-liter CRDi diesel engine rated at 141 horsepower and impressive 340Nm (251lb-ft) of torque, connected to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DCT transmission. Other engine options will follow, possibly including the 1.6- and 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline units. In the United States, these engines are rated at 178 horsepower and 247 horsepower, respectively.

The 2016 Optima will first arrive in Europe as a sedan model from the fourth quarter of this year, with an estate model based on the Sport Space Concept said to follow later. A hybrid powertrain will also be offered.