The South Korean brand has decided to reshuffle its naming strategy in the competitive mid-size segment and sent the Optima to the retirement house to make way for the universal K5 moniker. It is a blander take on what is shaping up as a very hot offer, but at least it avoids the confusion of recent naming conventions, such as the arrival of a new GUV-vehicle class.
Kia feels pretty-proud of itself with the K5, especially because the sedan is among its hottest recent offerings (for this author it even looks better than the Stinger) - and it appears the pepper-chilly designation is good not only for power, but also for pricing.
According to a new Kia order guide uncovered by carsdirect, the U.S. pricing for the 2021 K5 will start at $24,455 – the base model being just 100 dollars more than the outgoing 2020 Optima. The MSRP fee of $24,455 comes after paying a destination tax of $965.
The 2021 Kia K5 can go up to almost $36,000 and at its entry-level designation is a tad lighter on the pocket than some of its most ardent competitors. For example, the 2020 Hyundai Sonata SE is just $120 more at $24,575, followed by the 2020 Honda Accord LX ($24,975) and the best-selling 2020 Toyota Camry SE ($25,380).
Interestingly, while the 2021 K5 is a fresh offering, the mounting pressure from the dwindling sales across the U.S. market corroborated with the tendency to switch to SUVs also triggered the activation of the marketing and sales departments of the automaker. As such, according to the bulletin the mid-size sedan will be offered from the get-go with certain discounts and financing options.
Kia Motor Finance proposes 0.9% APR for 48 months, 1.9% and 2.9%, respectively for the 60 and 66-month periods, as well as a long-term 72-month term at 3.9%. The discounts are variable according to the trim and/or lease period – there is a sweet $2,000 off deal to be had when selecting the base EX trim with a 24-month lease.
On the other hand, the top of the line GT version is the only one giving access to that new 2.5-liter turbo packing 290 HP and 311 lb.-ft of torque. The rest of the trim range – EX, LX, LXS, GT-Line – are confined to a 1.6-liter turbo packing 180 HP and 195 lb-ft of torque.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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