Kia has announced that the newly redesigned Optima mid-size sedan will offer two turbocharged engines in the U.S. as well as an all-wheel-drive option globally—and, very likely, also in the U.S. for the first time.

There will be a new Optima GT that's powered by a 286-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four.

The new Optima will be called the K5 outside the U.S. and possibly here as well, and American buyers will get it in the second half of 2020.

There have been rumors that the sexy new Kia Optima, which is badged the K5 in the Korea market, will soon have only one name, bringing the Korean moniker to the U.S. and other markets, although Kia won't confirm that yet. What Kia did confirm, however, is that the redesigned mid-size sedan will offer two turbocharged engines for the U.S. and it's very likely, for the first time, that the U.S. Optima will get all-wheel drive.



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The entry-level Optima is powered by a new turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four that's also found in the new Hyundai Sonata. It produces 178 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque and features Kia's new continuously variable valve duration (CVVD) technology.

Jumping to the top of the group, a new GT variant, which has been confirmed for the U.S., makes 286 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque thanks to a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four. Kia claims it'll do zero to 62 mph in 6.6 seconds.

There is also a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a higher-output continuously variable valve lift version of that same 2.0-liter, and a 2.5-liter GDi engine, though Kia says these engines will be sold in various other world markets. There is also talk of a hybrid powertrain, though details on it are slim. All of these engines come standard with either a six- or eight-speed automatic transmission, though the turbo 2.5-liter found in the GT is available with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Front-wheel drive comes standard on the updated Optima. Kia has yet to tell us what powertrains get the all-wheel-drive layout and in which countries. The Hyundai Sonata does not currently offer AWD, so this can be expected to make the Kia more desirable.

The new Kia Optima will be available in global markets in the last half of 2020, and we expect to see it arrive in the U.S. in late 2020 as a 2021 model.

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