ALL-NEW 2016 KIA OPTIMA RECEIVES TOP SAFETY PICK PLUS RATING FROM THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY
2016 Optima is First Kia to Earn the Prestigious Safety Award Under New, More Rigorous Standards
IRVINE, Calif., March 30, 2016 – Kia Motors America’s (KMA) best-selling nameplate, the all-new 2016 Optima, has earned the highest designation possible – Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) – from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) when equipped with optional front crash prevention. The rating reflects top scores in each of five crashworthiness tests as well as the integration of active safety technology to aid in crash prevention. The 2016 Optima earned “good” crashworthiness ratings and a superior rating for the optional front-crash prevention system.
“The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety sets some of the highest standards of crashworthiness, and the Top Safety Pick Plus designation is a significant achievement for the Kia brand and for our best-selling vehicle,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning, KMA. “We are pleased that the all-new Optima received strong ratings across the range of rigorous tests set forth by IIHS. This rating validates the efforts of our engineers and the priority we place on safety for our consumers.”
To qualify for TSP+, the IIHS testing parameters require each vehicle to earn “good” ratings in five crashworthiness tests – small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side impact, roof strength and head restraints – as well as an “advanced” or “superior” rating for front crash prevention.
The 2016 Optima takes convenience to the next level with a long list of available technologies across the model line. Standard on every Optima is a rear-camera display1 while SX and SXL trims offer an available 360-degree Surround-View Monitor. Available driver-aid technology, including Advanced Smart Cruise Control (ASCC), Blind Spot Detection (BSD) with Lane Change Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Rear Parking Assist System (RPAS), Front Collision Warning System (FCWS), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) – which, under appropriate conditions, will bring the vehicle to a complete stop to potentially avoid a collision or reduce damage – makes the task of driving easier and more convenient.1
About the 2016 Optima
Conceived under the watchful eye of Kia’s president and chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, with modern and instantly recognizable design cues, the Optima maintains its athletic identity but rides on a chassis that is longer, wider and stiffer for improved ride and handling and a more spacious cabin. Available with three engine choices, including a new 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s mated to a seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), the Optima is more confident than ever on the road. The all-new Optima’s roomier, more luxurious cabin features an impressive level of craftsmanship that comes standard across five trim levels – LX, LX 1.6T, EX, SX and SXL. The all-new Optima is built at Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia*.
About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2015, surpassing the 600,000 unit mark for the first time in company history. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900** flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle***, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona minivan, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States. Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 15,000 plant and supplier jobs.
Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.
* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.
1 These features are not substitutes for safe driving and may not detect all objects around vehicle. Always drive safely and use caution.
** K900 available in select trims and in select markets with limited availability.
*** Soul EV in select markets with limited availability.