The South Korean automotive giant has
commenced tests of its new Optima AWD sedan. The model will primarily target
the U.S. market and fight the mid-sized Toyota and Nissan sedans for customers’
wallets.
The new Kia Optima gets all-wheel-drive as
a paid option which has never been available before. The development mule
depicted on the spy photos was pinned down on the roads of South Korea, but the
manufacturer says it will hit the dealerships throughout the United States in
summer.
The saloon will ship with a 1.6-liter
gasoline engine under the hood, rated at 180 hp and 265 Nm of torque. What kind of transmission the AWD version will use and how much it
will cost remains unknown.
