Kia is showcasing the new Kia Optima in European specification at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.

The European launch follows the New York debut of the car earlier in the year.

Michael Cole, chief operating officer, Kia Motors Europe, said: “When the current Kia Optima arrived on the global stage in 2010, it acted as the catalyst for the five-year, design-led transformation of Kia’s product range. Its combination of technology, design and refinement added greater depth to our model line-up and fundamentally changed the way that people saw the Kia brand.”

Cole added: “The all-new Optima retains the unique personality of its predecessor, and improvements to every aspect of the car will make it an even more compelling proposition to buyers – private and fleet – across Europe. It truly offers motorists something fresh, in a segment that’s typically among the most conservative.”

The upgraded 1.7-litre CRDi diesel engine is expected to account for the majority of European sales from launch. Carried over from the existing model, it receives a range of modifications for its application in the all-new Optima, resulting in greater power output and torque, and reduced emissions.

Now producing 141ps (up from 136ps), the upgraded 1.7-litre diesel engine offers an improvement to engine response, low end torque, efficiency and NVH. The upgraded engine offers lower CO2 emissions, reduced by 14% to 110g/km (when fitted with manual transmission and Kia’s Idle Stop/Go fuel-saving technology).

 

The Kia Optima range will be developed further in future, with the addition of a new estate body style, inspired by the Kia SPORTSPACE concept car shown at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show.

The car will go on sale across Europe in Q4 2015, paired with a 7 year warranty.