Page 71 - ElectriCar Magazine

Entry Level - MSRP $25,470
EX - MSRP $29,370
EX-L - MSRP $31,870
Hybrid Touring - MSRP $35,140
MPG: Up to 48 / 47
Horsepower: 212 hp
Engine: 2.0 L 4-cylinder, 4-cylinder Transmission: Continuously variable automatic transmission comes standard
Its gas-only counterpart, the
Optima Hybrid rides gently over most surfaces although it is not athletic.
The suspension is tuned more for comfort than agility, but it feels composed around turns. In additio the regenerative brakes operate smoothly and front-wheel drive comes standard.
The bulk of the Optima Hybrid’s safety technology comes standard, including a reversing camera, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with traffic crawl, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, driver- attention monitoring, rear cross-traffic detection, and reversing sensors. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluated the 2019 non-hybrid Optima and gave it top ratings.
The Kia Optima Hybrid is a midsize hybrid sedan, sitting in the same category as the Honda Accord Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid. For 2020, the Optima Hybrid gets a visual refresh and some new features.
The exterior features redesigned bumpers and lights, matching the non-hybrid Optima. The inside carries over. The Optima Hybrid still seats five people and sports 13.42 cubic feet of cargo capacity in the trunk, which expands when you lower the split-folding seats.
The Optima Hybrid gets a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine that couples with an electric motor and 1.76-kilowatt-hour battery, making 192 net horsepower and quite a bit of torque. It includes front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel-economy
ratings sit at 40 MPGe city, 45 highway, and 42 combined.
The Optima Hybrid comes in one well-equipped trim. The EX includes standard features like LED daytime- running lights (DRL), LED taillights, power-folding outside mirrors, keyless entry and start, leather upholstery, a ten-way power driver’s seat, a six- way power passenger’s seat, heated front seats, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Kia enlarged the standard infotainment system to
an 8-inch touchscreen for 2020. The Technology Package adds a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights and fog lights, a Harmon Kardon audio system and navigation.
Hybrids make use of an inline-four paired with batteries and an electric motor fuel economy ratings in the 40-MPGe range, and the Plug-In Hybrid version can go nearly thirty miles on electricity alone. No matter what’s under the hood, the Optima provides a comfortable, spacious cabin with an average-size 15.9 cubic-foot trunk and materials that range from serviceable to relatively upmarket as the price climbs.
Every step of the way, the Optima
is a good value against its rivals. The base Optima LX is at around $24,000 with its 8.0-inch touchscreen for infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, power features, and alloy wheels. Last year’s decadent SX Limited with its quilted nappa leather seats is no more.
The Optima comes loaded with good safety gear such as an automatic emergency braking system that
adds pedestrian detection this year
on all trim levels. Crash-test results were excellent last year, five stars
from the feds and a Top Safety Pick award and should carry over.
The 2020 Optima doesn’t look quite as bold as it once did now that some rivals have followed suit with similar fastback-style shapes. The rating should be seven-out of-ten, with points above average for its interior and exterior.
A coupe-like roofline gives the 2020 Optima a sporty look echoed by big wheels that fill its wells nicely and a wide palette of bright colors, even if the ones on dealer lots are more likely to be swathed in tans and grays. The Optima S and SX have the sportiest look of all with blacked-out exterior trim and upsized wheels.
The 2020 Kia Optima represents a solid, straightforward value if you’re looking for a midsize hybrid sedan.
front seats and additional driver aids. Standard in the Optima Hybrid
are a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor that produce
a combined 192 horsepower with
a lot of torque. It’s paired to a six- speed automatic transmission. The Optima Plug-In Hybrid has the same basic setup, but it produces 202 horsepower and more torque.
Whether you choose the Plug-In
or the regular hybrid, this sedan has plenty of power for driving around town or on the freeway, but don’t expect it to feel like a sports car. The six-speed automatic transmission does shift smoothly and quietly.
This vehicle gets an EPA-estimated 40 MPGe in the city and 45 MPGe
on the highway. Those are good figures for a midsize sedan.
The Optima PHEV gets 101 MPGe and 41 MPGe combined city/highway, and it has an All-Electric range of
28 miles. Charging the PHEV takes roughly nine hours with a 120-volt household-style power outlet. That can be shortened to less than three hours with a 240-volt Level 2 charger.
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