Paultan reports that bookings for the Kia Optima GT
are open in Malaysia ahead of its launch tomorrow. It is estimated to be priced
at RM 175,888 and rival the VW Passat 1.8 TSI and Honda Accord 2.4.
The sportiest variant of the Optima lineup measures
4,855 mm long, 1,860 mm wide and 1,465 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,805 mm.
It has a sportive body kit with large air inlets, bold “tiger-nose” grille,
faux side intakes, dual tailpipes flanking a diffuser and 18-inch alloy wheels
shod with 235/45 Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres.
The interior has a flat-bottom GT steering wheel
with paddle shifters, drilled aluminium pedals, and black leather upholstery.
Also available are an eight-inch touchscreen display, a dual-zone climate
control system with Clean Air ioniser, ventilated front seats (cooling and
heating functions), electrically-adjustable front seats (lumbar support and
memory function for driver’s side).
Some of the other notable features are rear air-con
vents, rear power outlet, a sunroof, sun shades for the rear windows,
navigation function in the infotainment system and a 4.3-inch TFT-LCD
multi-info display in the instrument cluster. Six airbags, automatic brake
hold, front and rear parking sensors, and a reverse camera form the safety kit.
For a more dynamic driving experience, the
suspension is tuned towards a firmer setting and has electronically-controlled
dampers to adapt the ride quality. It also has larger disc brakes for better
stopping power and Kia’s new rack-mounted motor-driven power steering (R-MDPS)
for better feedback from the road.
Under the hood is a 2.0-liter T-GDI petrol engine
producing 242 hp and 353 Nm of torque, paired to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
It is capable of sprinting from 0-100 km/h in 7.4 seconds and hit a top speed
of 240 km/h. The combined fuel efficiency is 12.19 km/l, and CO2 emission is
191 g/km (Euro cycle).
