Kia’s all-new 2021 Optima, called K5 in its home market, is gearing up for the next decade and based on official sketches shared by the Korean automaker, it will morph into more of a sloped-roof four-door coupe, or fastback if you will.
The new model is scheduled to debut in December, featuring not only a new shape, but also a more contemporary design language with aggressive headlight graphics and a recessed grille making up the so-called Tiger Face. These elements have been reproduced in the following speculative renders by Kolesa, which show a more production-ready version of the car we saw in those sketches.
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At the back, the new Optima will feature a full-length taillight design, with a chrome bar on top. The graphics are separated into small segments that get narrower as they approach the boot lid badge. The CGI artist even applied that thick molding we saw on the C-pillar, in the form of a chrome accent that surrounds the rear window.
Regardless if it ends up looking just like this, we’re pretty sure that the Optima will be better equipped than ever to deal with the likes of the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Chevy Malibu and the rest of the non-premium midsize saloon segment. In 2019, the Optima was only the 7th best-selling nameplate in its class, so there’s definitely room to grow.
As for the interior, the sketches show a driver-oriented cockpit setup with a digital gauge cluster next to a large infotainment display. Kia says that the 2021 Optima’s AVN (Audio Video Navigation) system will provide users with a futuristic image quality in three dimensions.
