When the third-generation Kia Optima was introduced to Canadians for the 2011 model year, it caused quite a stir. The Peter Schreyer-designed sedan replaced the inoffensive blandness of the second-generation car (which was called the Kia Magentis here in Canada) with bona fide style. Three years later the Optima's athletic, coupe-like profile still looks pleasingly contemporary, so the Korean automaker has taken a conservative approach to the mid-size family sedan's mid-cycle refresh.
Externally, the changes to the 2014 Optima are limited to revised front and rear fascias and some trim details (for instance, the decorative fender vents get a chromed slash bezel instead of a horizontal splitter). At the front, the fog light housings have been reshaped to create the impression of a narrower lower grille, and the SX now gets quad-pod LED fog lights. At the back, the taillights have been restyled, the diffuser panel widened, and the lower reflectors moved up a little.
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When the third-generation Kia Optima was introduced to Canadians for the 2011 model year, it caused quite a stir. The Peter Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press Schreyer-designed sedan replaced the…