Lightly refreshed for the 2009 model year, the Kia Optima was the other Kia off to the side at this morning's unveiling of the Koup concept .
"If there's a poster child for the old school of Kia, it's got to be the Kia Optima," Communications Director Alex Fedorak admitted. "But as Edmunds.com put it, 'When it comes to design, the Optima looks like it was styled by the witness protection program.'" (Credit for this now famous turn of phrase goes to Edmunds Automotive Editor James Riswick.)
To remedy the situation, Kia designers gave the Optima a new nose and tail. The front end borrows from both the current-gen Honda Accord and the current-gen Toyota Camry. The back has a mix of current-gen Hyundai Sonata and previous-gen Accord. We doubt these retouches will break the Optima's cover, but this midsize sedan is at least a bit more attractive.
In other news, the base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is now an even more appealing option over the underachieving 2.7-liter V6. The addition of variable intake and exhaust valve timing, along with a new intake, provide an extra 13 horsepower. So its totals are now 175 hp and 169 pound-feet of torque compared to 182 hp and 182 lb-ft from the V6. Kia is hoping to eke a bit more power out of the six as well, but hasn't gotten it certified yet. There's plenty of time, since the 2009 Kia Optima won't hit dealers until the fourth quarter of this year.
A new SX trim level is the obvious driver's choice in the 2009 lineup, as it includes both a sport-tuned suspension and sport seats. Interior illumination is all in red for '09 Kia Optimas, and a USB port and a three-month Sirius subscription are standard. We couldn't get a look at the new interior, though, because the exact furnishings are not yet final. -- Erin Riches, Senior Editor, Inside Line
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