Kia Ups Its Game with K5 Design

Stylish, fast design. (Images: Kia)

Although the sedan market is shrinking, OEMs that are staying in the category are upping their game in terms of what they’re offering to the market. The Toyota Camry, for example, the vehicle that is the best-selling non-light truck and has been since 2002, will be offering AWD to make the vehicle more appealing. Kia has revealed its new K5 sedan, which is what will be known in the U.S. as the Optima. It, too, will offer AWD.

Globally Created

What’s interesting about the design of the vehicle—and studios literally around the world, as in the U.S., Europe and Korea, contributed to the project—is that it is a fastback design. One might think that in the Age of the SUV there would be a desire to make something somewhat higher and boxier.

Bulk Banished

But that’s not the case at all. Rather than bulk it portrays more of a strong, lithe athleticism. For example, the body actually narrows between the wheel arches (the so-called “Coke-bottle” shape) rather than bulking outward. In the U.S. market the car will be available with a 180-hp turbocharged GDI engine, so presumably it will be as quick as its agile appearance promises.

Long and lean.