The 2020 Kia K5 Is A 4-Door Mid-Size Luxury Sedan With A Fastback

• The Kia K5 gets a complete makeover with a bigger footprint.
• The sedan is available with 4 petrol engine options ranging from 180PS to 290PS.
• Kia is also offering the choice of an AWD and an 8-speed DCT for the first time.
• The Kia Optima is a D-segment sedan that rivals the Skoda Octavia, Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra.

Kia’s best-selling sedan, the Optima is here in its fifth-generation guise. The most obvious change to the stylish sedan is the new fastback design lending it a coupe-like sloping roofline. Besides, it also gets a new cabin, a wide range of powertrain options, and a whole lot of tech. Kia had also teased the K5 sedan back in October by releasing a design sketch.

The K5 is a sharp-looking sedan with a shark nose-like aggressive front end. The major design elements upfront include the tiger-nose grille and the slim headlamps with unique DRLs. A particularly interesting bit is the chrome strip, which starts from the A-pillar, extends all the way, and wraps around the rear windshield/boot. The rear end also mirrors the front with an aggressive design language but we are not sure about the full-length tail lamp. Overall, the sedan sits 20 mm shorter but is longer by 50mm, wider by 25mm while the wheelbase has gone up by 45mm. 

Inside, the K5 features a wide cabin with Kia’s latest infotainment systems in place. The central 10.25-inch touchscreen will be accompanied by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Some highlights are mood lighting system, soft ambient light from panels in the doors, wireless phone charging, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. 

The K5 will be powered by a range of Smartstream petrol powertrains along with the choice of AWD for the first time. The 1.6-liter T-GDi produces 180PS and 265 Nm of torque. The K5 is also available with a 2.0-litre MPI engine with 152PS/192 Nm, a 2.0-litre engine with continuously variable valve lift developing 160PS/196 Nm, and a 2.5-litre GDi engine with 194PS/246 Nm.

Furthermore, the K5 in its GT iteration gains a 2.5-litre T-GDi turbocharged engine producing 290PS and 422 Nm. Thanks to these figures, the 0-to-100kmph sprint comes up in around 6.6 seconds. Kia also ensures that hybrid powertrain options will be available at a later stage. Gearbox options include six- or eight-speed automatic transmissions, with the 2.5-litre T-GDi engine exclusively available with a new 8-speed DCT.

Some other impressive features on the list include voice recognition, 8.0-inch head-up display, and a plethora of assistance systems including Lane Following Assist (LFA, not the LFA you’re thinking) and nine airbags. The K5 also happens to be the first Kia sedan to use the carmaker’s Remote Smart Parking Assist (move the car out of a parking space remotely with the key fob).

The Kia Optima is expected to go on sale in various markets by the first half of 2020. We might be able to catch a glimpse of the sedan at the upcoming Auto Expo 2020. Regarding Kia’s plans for India, the Carnival and the subcompact SUV QYI are lined up for the near future.