Should the New Kia Optima Sportswagon Be Released in the US?

Feb 29, 2016

Kia recently announced the release of its new Kia Optima Sportswagon for European markets. The new vehicle was created using the current Optima design and the Kia Sportspace design concept, another European model it featured at last year’s Geneva Motor Show. The Optima Sportswagon will be featured at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, and it is intended to go into production and will be available for European consumers by the end of this year.

It is not uncommon for car manufacturers to design and develop car models for specific market segments. For years, Kia and other manufacturers have created and manufactured models that are only available in Europe, and which are never brought to the United States. Should the Optima Sportswagon only be released in Europe, or should Kia make future plans to bring the model to the United States?

One factor that determines where models are released is the demand for a particular car design. The Optima has become a top-selling model for Kia, not just here in the United States, but globally in other markets, including Europe. As such, there is always the possibility the Sportswagon could eventually make its way to your local Kia dealership in Bismarck and elsewhere in the United States.

When it is first released in Europe, the Sportswagon will feature two gasoline engine options and a diesel engine option. The standard gasoline engine is a 2.0 Liter SVVL 163 PS engine design, while the Sportswagon GT will feature a new Turbocharged 2.0 Liter T-GDI engine design. The diesel engine option will be a 1.7 Liter CRDi 141 PS design, with an optional double-clutch, seven-speed transmission.

The Sportswagon will be Kia’s first model to be marketed to Europe’s D-segment. The D-segment accounts for approximately 66% of all consumer vehicle sales in Europe, and about 75% of all commercial fleet sales for this particular vehicle class. As such, the new Sportswagon model will allow Kia to attract potential consumers and corporate customers in the D-segment.

The Sportswagon retains the familiar styling of the Optima sedan model and has a hatchback design rather than a trunk. Another modification to the Optima design was making it slightly taller in the rear and adding a split seat design in the backseat. The Sportswagon will include all of the latest features and options popular in Optima sedan models, like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with either a 7-inch or 8-inch display screen.

For Kia to consider releasing the Sportswagon in the United States, there would need to be in increased demand for wagon-type models. While wagon models were highly popular in the 1970s and 1980s, the demand for wagons quickly decreased, as SUVs and crossover models became more popular.

Depending on how well the Sportswagon is received by European consumers, it may or may not mean that Kia will eventually decide to test the sale of the model here in the United States. For the latest Kia models and Kia car news, feel free to stop on by Bill Barth Kia in Bismarck, ND, or give us a call at 701-667-9999 today.