Rumors swirl around Kia's big move bringing the Optima Diesel across the pond to the U.S.

Rumors about global-market diesel engines hopping over one pond or another to the United States are a dime a dozen, but a recent question posed by Kia Motor America’s public relations department on Facebook has us wondering if an oil-burning Optima is in the cards for this market.

On its Facebook page, Kia’s PR department cited a relatively obscure and vague story by EfficientAutomobiles.com that speculated in broad terms that Kia might be considering selling its diesel Optima in the United States.

“Would you drive a diesel?” Kia’s post asked.

Kia’s PR page is aimed primarily at members of the media in North America, although the automaker does not restrict its Facebook fans. With around 1,600 “likes,” the PR page reaches a far smaller audience than Kia’s main global consumer page, which boasts just shy of 2 million “likes.”

Kia, like all of its rivals, is likely paying close attention to the diesel market in the United States. Though demand for diesel-powered cars has typically been limited, various emissions advancements and increasingly strict fuel economy standards are likely to grow the segment.

Only time will tell, but it looks like Kia might be another brand for diesel fans to watch closely.

Courtesy: Andrew Ganz