Hyundai showcased the 2020 Sonata at the New York Auto Show last month, and now the South Korean group’s attention is turning to the next-generation Kia Optima.
While we haven’t seen much of it lately, Kia’s styling boss revealed some new details about the upcoming sedan. Speaking with Autocar, Byung Chul Juh said the next Optima will have a new design that’s “not extreme, but progressive with a strong brand identity.”
He went on to suggest the styling language will reflect Kia’s “innovative, young, challenging, iconic and cool” character. That’s not very specific, but Juh also said the model will have “unexpected details.”
The new design language will eventually be adopted to other Kias, and each segment will receive a distinct “tiger face” front end with a more three-dimensional look and feel. The company will continue to use its familiar grille, but Hyundai Motor Group chief design officer Luc Donckerwolke said future modesl will have “more of a mask that will deliver sportiness and a presence.” Kia seems to have alluded to these changes with the Imagine concept as the model was equipped with a so-called “tiger mask.”
Also Read: Could It Be That Kia Is Already Testing The Next-Gen Optima?
Besides talking about the upcoming Optima, Donckerwolke said the next-generation Sportage will be “even bolder than the new [Hyundai] Tucson.” There’s no word on when the model will arrive, but a facelifted Sportage was introduced earlier this year so it’ll probably be awhile before we see the redesigned crossover.
Kia isn’t the only company getting a new styling language, as Hyundai will also get a look that Donckerwolke described as “sexy, seductive and sensuous, sporty, eager and stylish.” As part of this effort, upcoming models will have a more emotional and upscale design. They’ll also be further differentiated from Kia vehicles.
