2021 Kia Optima/K5
22 MOTORTREND.COM APRIL 2020T
he fifth generation of the Kia Optima
is such a big leap forward in looks
and tech that the automaker is
considering changing the name to K5, used
in all markets outside the U.S.
The 2021 K5 is an inch wider, 2.0 inches
longer, and 0.8 inch lower than its prede-
cessor. This and its 112.2-inch wheelbase
allow for ample room in both the front and
rear seats. The new platform provides a
stiffer body and chassis in a vehicle that
has dropped some weight. It also now
offers all-wheel drive.
On our drive of early-build Korean-
market cars, the chassis was extremely
forgiving, as evidenced by the car’s ability
to handle the country’s myriad speed
bumps. The expectation is the suspension
will be tightened up for the U.S., though
heavy traffic and highway driving limited
our handling evaluations.
We drove units with the standard
1.6-liter paired with the new eight-speed
automatic, a first for Kia. It proved to be
a powerful little combo. Acceleration was
swift and smooth. Changing drive modes
did not produce vastly different experi-
ences with the exception of Sport, which
brings an artificially enhanced exhaustnote that turns up the volume notice-
ably. The upgrade from the old six-speed
provided seamless shifting, and the car has
a new rotary dial electronic gear shift.
The GT, which the U.S. will get later in
2020, will have the high-performance
2.5-liter Smartstream turbocharged
engine mated to Kia’s new eight-speed wet
dual-clutch automatic. Kia says the GT will
go from 0 to 60 mph in about 6.6 seconds.
Much care was taken with the interior.
The cabin is quiet, with little road noise
filtering in. Material choices include very
nice wood for the price class. The 12.3-inch
instrument cluster has mood themes that
vary with the weather. (It’s not known
whether the U.S. will get this feature.)
The wide infotainment screen is bright
and intuitive, and it covers functions
from navigation and stereo to heating and
cooling controls. An even larger 10.3-
inch screen is optional, as is an optional
8.0-inch head-up display. Kia strategically
placed USB and power outlets near the
wireless charging pad up front, and there
are more outlets for the rear passengers.
On the K5, a smartphone and app can act
as a digital key to start the engine, unlock
and open the vehicle, and even autono-
mously pull the car out of a tight parking
spot. Alisa PriddleIntake
NEWSI OPINIONI GOSSIP
APRIL 1990
PRICE: $2.9 5
If you love perfor-
mance cars, we
bet you’d have
liked this issue. Our
feature story for the
month was a review
of every variant of
the 1990 Corvette.
Unsurprisingly,
our favorite was
the 375-horse-
power Corvette
ZR-1, which was
described to us by
its chief engineer,
Dave McLellan, as
“a Corvette, only
more so.”APRIL 2010
PRICE: $4.99
“Buick is back!” we
declared rather
prematurely in April
2010. In our defense,
with new product in
the form of the Lexus-
fighting LaCrosse
and both the Regal
Turbo and the Regal
GS, it sure seemed
like Buick was on the
right track. Unfor-
tunately, a decade
later, with the recent
discontinuation of
the Regal line, it
seems like we’re back
where we started.30
50
10
APRIL 1970
PRICE: $ 0. 50
April 197 0 ’s cover
was dedicated to
auto show coverage,
but to the modern
eye there were far
more interesting
stories inside. Our
pick? Our first look at
what would become
the De TomasoPantera. We joined
a Ford engineer,
stylist, and product
planner in Italy at
the Ghia design
studio to look
at the progress
being made on
the Ford-powered
Italian supercar.
The Pantera would
go into production
the following year,
with 7, 000 built
from 1971 to 1992.From the MotorTrend
Archive ...REAR VIEW
SPECS Base Price $25,000 (est) Vehicle
Layout Front-engine, FWD/AWD, 5-pass,
4-door sedan Engine 1.6L/177-hp/195-
lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4;
2.5L/290-hp/310-lb-ft turbocharged
DOHC 16-valve I-4 Transmission 8-speed
auto; 8-speed twin-clutch auto Curb
Weight 3,300 lb (mfr) Wheelbase 112.2 in L x
W x H 192.9 x 74.2 x 56.7 in 0 -6 0 MPH 6.6-8.2
sec (MT est) EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ
Not yet rated On Sale in U.S. Fall 2020