2015 Chengdu Motor Show: 2016 Kia Optima

The exterior of the car shown here (SX Sport), has a similar design language to the Kia Optima (its American version). The fascia gets the familiar chrome tiger-nose grille, single projector headlamps, chrome lined air intakes, redesigned bumper with triple foglamps and a wide radiator grille split in between by a chrome slat.

The sides profile gets a vent on the front fender, new alloy wheels, chrome strip on the baseline, shark-fin antenna and a chrome strip that runs from the top of the windows down to the start of the boot lid. The rear end features wrap around taillamps, twin oval exhausts, subtle boot lid spoiler and a four-fin diffuser.

The interiors are laid out in a clean and clutter-free manner. The cabin gets a three-spoke leather wrapped steering wheel with controls for audio and telephony, a twin-pod instrument cluster, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, heated/ventilated seats and wide center console incorporating AC vents.

The 2016 Kia Optima (K5) will pack an engine lineup that includes a 2.0-liter, 1.6-liter turbo and 2.0-liter turbo petrol engines. The 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated unit develops 161 bhp and 193 Nm, the 1.6-liter turbo generates 180 bhp and 265 Nm while the bigger 2.0-liter turbo conjures up figures of 245 bhp and peak torque of 350 Nm. A 7-speed DCT gearbox is offered with the 1.6-liter unit while the remaining two units are paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The Optima (K5) comes with features such as automatic climate control, blind spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist and panoramic sunroof.