The Kia K5 sedan, formerly the Optima, is getting a design refresh after launching in 2021. A new spy video captures the sedan cruising on US roads for the first time.
The cladding and wraps obscure many new design details, but the coverings can’t hide the redesigned headlights. Kia has repositioned the daytime running light above the headlight until. This change likely signifies the sedan will receive a major front-end makeover. The sedan has revamped taillight graphics, which should sit above a restyled bumper.
Signs suggest Kia will update the car’s interior, giving the model a curved, dual-screen display. A previous spy video captured the sedan’s cabin, but whoever drove it last covered up the dashboard before exiting. The new video also provides a peek, and it appears there are screens on the dashboard.
The Kia K5 uses a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine for the base offering. It makes 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. The automaker also offers the sedan a more potent 290-hp 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It churns out 311 lb-ft of twist, and Kia estimates the K5 can hit 60 miles per hour in 5.8 seconds. We don’t expect the company to make any powertrain changes as it struggles to sell the model.
Kia K5 sales continue to fall, tumbling 28 percent from 2021 to 2022 to 66,298. They are down through September of this year but by only seven percent. Kia has sold about 50,000 K5 sedans in 2023, nearly half of the number sold in 2021 – 92,326.
The model’s dwindling sales have fueled rumors that Kia will discontinue the model in the US alongside the Hyundai Sonata. The company will allegedly kill the model at the end of this generation, which won’t be until 2027 or 2028. If so, it’ll need a mid-cycle redesign to stay competitive.
While the sedan continues to wear a significant amount of camouflage and cladding, it is debuting later this year. Kia confirmed last month that the updated K5 and Carnival will debut before the end of 2023, and we’re a week away from the start of November.