Photo: Kolesa.ru
This is one of those stories where people come here just to check out a car they wish was real so they could buy one. Only Kia did make an Optima Wagon, and nobody cashed in. So should they try again?
Well, various reports said another Optima wagon was on its way even before the regular sedan version came out. On the other hand, the new K5/Optima is not coming to Europe, and that would have been the main market. Until that happens, you'll just have to make do with this rendering from the Russian website Kolesa.
They did a nice job fleshing out a slightly more practical Optima. Its main job would be to take on other mid-size wagons, but there's barely any market for that anywhere in the world. America obviously won't buy something like that while Europe is slowly killing its cars too.
The Mondeo, which is Ford's version of the Fusion, is probably going to be turned into a crossover. Opel reportedly wants to do the same to the Insignia (Buick Regal). Meanwhile, the Renault Talisman, which is also kind of a Korean car, is rarer than hen's teeth. Which just leaves the VW Passat and its Skoda sister.
Even if it only sells in small numbers, it would be a shame if we didn't get a 2021 Optima Wagon. That's because Hyundai-Kia tech is just now getting great. They've developed a 2.5-liter turbo that's already being fitted to the Sonata, the gearboxes are smoother and build quality is among the best in most segments.
Sadly, most mid-size European buyers are in Germany and they seem to buy only German. Last November, the Passat managed 12,000 sales, which is about the same as the whole year for the Optima.
So what do we think of the rendering itself? Well, it's as nice as you'd expect. The front kind of looks like a Dodge Charger, but the back isn't sporty enough for our taste.
They did a nice job fleshing out a slightly more practical Optima. Its main job would be to take on other mid-size wagons, but there's barely any market for that anywhere in the world. America obviously won't buy something like that while Europe is slowly killing its cars too.
The Mondeo, which is Ford's version of the Fusion, is probably going to be turned into a crossover. Opel reportedly wants to do the same to the Insignia (Buick Regal). Meanwhile, the Renault Talisman, which is also kind of a Korean car, is rarer than hen's teeth. Which just leaves the VW Passat and its Skoda sister.
Even if it only sells in small numbers, it would be a shame if we didn't get a 2021 Optima Wagon. That's because Hyundai-Kia tech is just now getting great. They've developed a 2.5-liter turbo that's already being fitted to the Sonata, the gearboxes are smoother and build quality is among the best in most segments.
Sadly, most mid-size European buyers are in Germany and they seem to buy only German. Last November, the Passat managed 12,000 sales, which is about the same as the whole year for the Optima.
So what do we think of the rendering itself? Well, it's as nice as you'd expect. The front kind of looks like a Dodge Charger, but the back isn't sporty enough for our taste.
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