Kia Optima Sportswagon Spied Testing for the First Time
The Kia Optima Sportswagon has begun testing, following its debut as a concept earlier this year.
First shown at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show as the Kia Sportspace concept, the Korean automaker confirmed shortly after that the model would be heading to production as an Optima wagon. It’s still unclear whether Kia has plans to bring the Optima Sportswagon to the U.S., but it’s unlikely since North American consumers generally prefer crossovers and wagon sales haven’t exactly excelled in recent years.
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Kia however will look to capitalize on the European market with the new offering and AutoGuide.com‘s spy photographers noted that the automaker has been benchmarking the Kia Optima Sportswagon against the Volkswagen Passat and Ford Mondeo (Fusion) wagon models. Expect it to share its powertrain with the existing Optima sedan along with a plug-in hybrid variant.
Compared to the concept, it appears that Kia has toned down the styling just a notch, with the front end taken from the European-spec Optima. Look for the production Kia Optima Sportswagon to make its debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, where we will likely get a better idea of whether it will be offered in the U.S.
Discuss this story on our Kia Optima Forum
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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A wagon? A (one hopes) handsome, relatively fuel-efficient wagon? Based on the Kia Optima? [shutupandtakemymoney.jpg]