I just heard a crazy rumor

[Brian Keenan]

My source hasn't been 100% in the past but they've got it right several times lately so I'm not discounting this rumor. I received word that a future generation of the Kia Optima is going rear wheel drive. From what I understand the next gen Optima is already set in stone on a FWD platform. But after that it'll be using the same platform as the Stinger and will essentially be the comfort focused midsizer as opposed to the Stinger which will take on more of a BMW 6 position in the Kia lineup.

While the Stinger will be getting major performance updates over the next couple of generations the RWD Optima will stay 50-75 hp behind the base twin turbo v6 Stinger in its top SXL model. The Stinger will also offer one level up performance on the base twin turbo v6 to further set it apart from the Optima. The reason for this is, as I'm told, Kia wants to take on a position more similar to BMW and Audi.

 

[regnitStinger]

My source hasn't been 100% in the past but they've got it right several times lately so I'm not discounting this rumor. I received word that a future generation of the Kia Optima is going rear wheel drive. From what I understand the next gen Optima is already set in stone on a FWD platform. But after that it'll be using the same platform as the Stinger and will essentially be the comfort focused midsizer as opposed to the Stinger which will take on more of a BMW 6 position in the Kia lineup.

While the Stinger will be getting major performance updates over the next couple of generations the RWD Optima will stay 50-75 hp behind the base twin turbo v6 Stinger in its top SXL model. The Stinger will also offer one level up performance on the base twin turbo v6 to further set it apart from the Optima. The reason for this is, as I'm told, Kia wants to take on a position more similar to BMW and Audi.

I can see that happening as the GM at my local dealer said Telleride was set to be announced for production in mid 2018. Just another “power to surprise” from Kia.

 

[hej]

Would be interesting to see, though the Stinger was allegedly already a comfortable "grand tourer".

 

[davebo]

Seems odd to move the Optima up to a RWD platform but I guess they can do it. If the Stinger moves farther upmarket with higher trims then it should only help to boost its brand so hopefully our first-gen ones won't depreciate quite as horribly. I'd be pissed if they finally made a RWD Optima wagon then actually brought it to America, as that's exactly what I said I wished the Optima was when I got mine.

 

[Jenny Wang]

Pretty interesting. Kia has been saying for a long time that it wanted to be the more sporty Korean car company. So maybe this is being born from that desire. I remember reading about this a few years ago. Not the rwd Optima but that Kia wanted to focus on high performance.

 

[regnitStinger]

Pretty interesting. Kia has been saying for a long time that it wanted to be the more sporty Korean car company. So maybe this is being born from that desire. I remember reading about this a few years ago. Not the rwd Optima but that Kia wanted to focus on high performance.

...hence investing huge in Schreyer and Biermann to get a timeless design that hopefully will age gracefully then matched with the quality/sporty ride and handling? Personally, I think Stinger’s design, like Optima’s, will keep growing in an evolutionary fashion rather than a revolutionary one. Dare I say, hopefully not too far-fetched, ...like Porsche’s design with subtle evolutionary yet desirable changes that still make their buyers drool. Without looking at the badge, when I look at a second gen Optima I know it’s a newer Optima. With repects of course, I’m not sure I can say the same thing to Camry’s or Accord’s designs compared against their previous cars. So if Kia is really going with this design philosophy, I won’t have much regrets buying the first gen Stinger knowing I can still tell whose parents of the next gen cars are hahaha.

 

[BahamaTodd]

Two product cycles away? If power to the rear wheels is added, I would expect it to be accomplished with electric motors.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Maybe they see how going from FWD to RWD has revived the Cadillac brand so much. Cadillac was on the chopping block at one point and now look at them. Not saying they're up to par with BMW or anything but they're really not all that far away. The CTS is a great car and only has trouble selling because they overpriced it. The CTS-V is no joke when it comes to high performance luxury sedans and the same goes for the ATS-V. The CT6 was a bad failure at trying to make an S-Class but only because Mercedes-Benz went out of their minds with turning the S-Class into a freakin' space ship. Who can compete with that? And the Escalade is pretty much "the" full-size SUV if you want what is truly full-size and "in your face" luxury...

 

[BahamaTodd]

If they make Kia more of a sporty brand, its not going to be as competition for the luxury brands. It would be more like competition to Dodge, or what GM had planned for Pontiac before the bankruptcy. Affordable mainstream performance.

 

[Kia Stinger]

If they make Kia more of a sporty brand, its not going to be as competition for the luxury brands. It would be more like competition to Dodge, or what GM had planned for Pontiac before the bankruptcy. Affordable mainstream performance.

I envision sporty as leaning more toward sport than luxury the way BMW and, maybe to a lesser extent, Audi does. Mercedes-Benz and Lexus lean more toward luxury. Genesis will lean more toward luxury and Kia will lean more toward sport. Genesis focuses on a more plush, SILENT, serene driving experience...

 

[Brian Keenan]

Would be interesting to see, though the Stinger was allegedly already a comfortable "grand tourer".

The Stinger will be focusing more on high performance while the Optima will be focusing more on high luxury but both will share with eachother. For example the Optima will be fit with more sound deadening material and technologies that keep the cabin quiet. If there's any sound piped into the cabin, the Stinger will have aggressive sound and the Optima will have sound that counters road noise and wind noise. Things like that will set the car apart amongst other things like the Stinger's hatch and aggressive looks.

 

[Kia Stinger]

@Brian Keenan it looks like you actually beat me to the punch with this rumor a ways back. Here's the latest: AWD Kia Optima

 

[xot1]

Unless its an EV they will have to sacrifice one of the optima's big selling point: back row space.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Unless its an EV they will have to sacrifice one of the optima's big selling point: back row space.

Why, the center floor area?

 

[xot1]

Why, the center floor area?

Not only, overall cabin space is larger in FWD cars because everything is packed under the hood.
For example, see Cadenza vs G80.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Not only, overall cabin space is larger in FWD cars because everything is packed under the hood.
For example, see Cadenza vs G80.

The Cadenza is sized between the K900 and Optima. Genesis Motors doesn't have a car like it. The Optima would be the closest relative to the G80. The Optima should have no trouble having the same interior volume expected in cars like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5-Series - no more; no less. It should not be an issue...

 

[xot1]

The Cadenza is sized between the K900 and Optima. Genesis Motors doesn't have a car like it. The Optima would be the closest relative to the G80. The Optima should have no trouble having the same interior volume expected in cars like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5-Series - no more; no less. It should not be an issue...

Only the future will tell.
The 5 series is 4935mm in length and the Optima is only 4845mm but its back seat space is slightly larger than the 5 series. Same for the E class which is 4955mm.
If this difference is mainly due to RWD vs FWD, then I assumed a RWD Optima would have been a tad smaller inside then an FWD version. I may be wrong.

 

[Kia Stinger]

Only the future will tell.
The 5 series is 4935mm in length and the Optima is only 4845mm but its back seat space is slightly larger than the 5 series. Same for the E class which is 4955mm.
If this difference is mainly due to RWD vs FWD, then I assumed a RWD Optima would have been a tad smaller inside then an FWD version. I may be wrong.

It would be in Kia's best interests to match other rear wheel drive mid-size sedans if they want to be competitive. I don't think they'll overlook rear seat volume if they decide to move the Optima to a rear wheel drive platform...

 

[stinger1168]

From what I've read, the future Optima and a couple of other models are going to have an all wheel drive option. Not RWD but we'll see I guess...

 

[Kia Stinger]

From what I've read, the future Optima and a couple of other models are going to have an all wheel drive option. Not RWD but we'll see I guess...

Brian's source, as well as mine, said rear wheel drive last autumn. That was the first we've heard anything about a non-front wheel drive Optima. I think our source/sources were pretty close. Wrong - but close...