The Optima is Kia’s oldest running model name after the Sportage. The first generation was introduced in 2000, as a successor to the Credos (which was never available with us) and was technically identical to the then existing Hyundai Sonata. This first generation Optima was in the price lists with us in Europe as the Magentis. However, both this first model and the second generation from 2005 were specifically tailored to the US and other countries where large sedans were in high demand. Here in Europe, the consumer turned out to have different wishes, which meant that sales were not great.
The Optima is Kia’s oldest running model name after the Sportage. The first generation was introduced in 2000, as a successor to the Credos (which was never available with us) and was technically identical to the then existing Hyundai Sonata. This first generation Optima was in the price lists with us in Europe as the Magentis. However, both this first model and the second generation from 2005 were specifically tailored to the US and other countries where large sedans were in high demand. Here in Europe, the consumer turned out to have different wishes, which meant that sales were not great.
More European
In 2010, the third generation appeared, which was now also in our books as Optima. The car was still a technical twin brother to the Sonata, but a third member was added in the form of the more European-oriented Hyundai i40. The Optima itself was now also more focused on meeting the wishes of European consumers.
Unknown makes unloved
In 2015 we became acquainted with the fourth and current generation. The changes with the previous model were not particularly big this time, but the car has become a bit more ‘European’. In order to appeal even more to the consumer, a station wagon variant was even added for the first time in 2016. What more could the European consumer want? A German brand probably, because sales still lag behind those of the competition. What the farmer does not know…
Since the last facelift in 2018, only the Optima SW has been delivered in our country. In 2019, a new generation of the car appeared. In any case, it is no longer coming to the Netherlands and it even seems that the model line is disappearing from all over Europe.
