Kia Optima GT: Keen, comfortable and confident

A more powerful and focused addition to the Korean manufacturer’s popular D-segment saloon car range, the Kia Optima GT has the performance and dynamic abilities to match its now sharper more muscular design. Succeeding the previous generation US market Optima Turbo the GT is the first — and very welcome — performance-biased Optima introduced to the Middle East.

Quick, composed, comfortable and confident, the GT is the range-topping model in a new fourth generation optima range, first unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show late last year. Evolutionary in nature, the new Optima is aesthetically more assertive, but also features structural and dynamic improvements, better refinement and more contemporary infotainment and driver assistance systems.

Aggressive evolution

An evolutionary design that is subtly but distinctly more aggressive and muscular, the new Optima features a more sculpted bumper section, side sills and body surfacing. With noticeably blistered fog lamp/side gill housings, more swept back yet heavily browed grille and headlamps, side ports, sharply angled slim rear lights and built-in bootlid spoiler, the Optima a wider more purposeful presence.

Rakishly angled with coupe-like roofline, tautly pulled back sheet metal and flowing waistline line stretching from the headlights to the rear lamps, the new Optima both visually more dramatic and slightly larger. Roomier in all directions, and with 10mm longer wheelbase, the new Optima features 25mm more rear legroom and slight shoulder and headroom increases front and rear. 

Driven with the largest available 235/45R18 footwear filling in its bulgy wheel-arches, the sportier Optima GT is distinguished by a yet more aggressive bumper design with slatted metallic side gill slats and long lower intake slat. The GT also features black gloss side sills and aggressive rear diffuser section with integrated dual exhaust ports.

Quick and confident

Powered by a 2-litre turbocharged direct fuel injection four-cylinder engine driving front wheels through a smooth shifting six-speed automatic gearbox, the Optima GT produces 241BHP at 6000rpm and 258lb/ft torque throughout an early arriving and flexibly broad 1400-4000rpm. Though down from the previous non-Middle East Optima Turbo’s 274BHP and 269lb/ft, the new GT does however deliver better low and mid-range responses and improved fuel efficiency.

A welcome addition to Kia’s regional line-up, the Optima GT offers performance more in tune with its decidedly aggressive design. With quick spooling twin scroll turbo, the GT virtually eliminates turbo lag and is responsive off-the-line. Welling up muscularly to an effortlessly punchy and accessible wide and versatile mid-range, the Optima GT felt decidedly more athletic than headline figures suggest.

Eager spinning to redline and maximum power, and underwritten by generous torque, the GT felt urgent yet refined, with useful real world performance and little torque steer, despite the absence of electronic torque vectoring to tidily channel power to the driven front wheels. Covering the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.4 seconds and capable of 240km/h, it also returns 8.5l/100km combined cycle fuel efficiency.

Composed and committed

Using 150 per cent more advanced high strength steel, the new Optima benefits from 50 per cent enhanced structural rigidity, which pays dividends in terms of crash safety, ride refinement and handling precision. Meanwhile, wider suspension subframe mountings improve stability and the use of four — rather than two — front bushing mounts, more robust wheel bearings and dual rear lower control arms.

Collectively improving lateral stiffness, steering response and precision, cornering traction and agility, the sportier Optima GT, however, also receives firmer high-performance dampers for better responses and body control. An altogether tauter more connected driving experience, the Optima GT felt stable at speed and settled on rebound, yet eager, poised and committed into and through corners.

Despite limited opportunities to fully explore its dynamic envelope during test drive in Oman, the Optima GT felt tidy and direct on turn-in, with good front and rear grip under load and through corners. Tauter damping provided a sportier and more reassuring drive, with noticeably improved body roll control and a more buttoned down feel over imperfections.

Classier comfort

Tauter and more connected than other Optima models, the GT’s sportier handling abilities better reflects its assertive design, and finds a good balance between keen handling and ride comfort. Supple yet stable riding, the new Optima also benefits from improved acoustic and vibration refinement owing to improved aerodynamics, window seals, dashboard insulation under-floor cover and larger cross member bushings.

Better refined, classier and roomier inside, the new Optima features a cleaner less cluttered design with horizontal emphasis. More upmarket in appearance and feel, it gains more soft textures and improved materials, and features unified metallic accent tone and texture throughout the cabin. Supportive and comfortable, the GT-specific sports seats featured rich red leather and contrasting dark grey stitching.

Well equipped with standard and optional infotainment, convenience and safety and driver assistance systems, the Optima GT features optional 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, up to 8-inch infotainment display, Bluetooth connectivity and wireless phone charging. Also available are 360° around view parking camera, sensors and assistance, and rear cross traffic, blind spot and lane keeping alerts.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 2-litre, transverse, turbocharged 4 cylinders

Bore x stroke: 86 x 86mm

Compression ratio: 10:1

Valve-train: 16-valve, DOHC, direct injection

Gearbox: 6-speed automatic, front-wheel drive

Gear ratios: 1st 4.766:1; 2nd 2.946:1; 3rd 1.917:1; 4th 1.420:1; 5th 1:1 6th 0.772:1

Reverse/final drive: 3.393:1/2.885:1

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 241 (245) [180] @6000rpm

Specific power: 120.6BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 154BHP/tonne

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 258 (350) @1400-4000rpm

Specific torque: 175Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight: 223.6Nm/tonne

0-100km/h: 7.4 seconds

Top speed: 240km/h

Fuel consumption, urban/extra-urban/combined: 12.3-/6.3-/8.5 litres/100km

CO₂ emissions, combined: 191g/km

Fuel capacity: 70 litres

Length: 4855mm

Width: 1860mm

Height: 1465mm

Wheelbase: 2805mm

Track, F/R: 1607/1614

Overhang, F/R: 965/1085mm

Ground clearance: 135mm

Headroom, F/R: 1020/970mm

Legroom, F/R: 1155/905mm

Shoulder-room, F/R: 1475/1432mm

Hip room, F/R: 1423/1422mm

Luggage volume: 510 litres

Kerb weight: 1,565kg

Steering: Electric-assisted rack & pinion

Lock-to-lock: 2.78 turns

Turning circle: 10.9 metres

Suspension, F/R: MacPherson struts/double wishbones, coils, anti-roll bars

Brakes, F/R: Ventilated discs, 320mm/discs, 284mm

Tyres: 235/45R18