Overview: The Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient
Optima you can buy
Pros:Sharp-looking exterior and stylish interior,
excellent highway cruiser, relatively good fuel economy
Cons: Unrefined braking, numb steering, clumsy
gas-electric system
Value for money: Good
What would I change? Swap in one of Kia’s
excellent diesels they sell in Europe
How would I spec it? I’d get the more
refined and fun-to-drive Optima SX Turbo
Thank
high fuel prices and stricter government-mandated fuel economy ratings for
today’s variety of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles. Once limited to being
quirky little cars when they arrived in the late 1990s (think first-gen Toyota
Prius or Honda Insight), hybrids now come in all shapes and sizes, including
family sedans like this 2015 Kia Optima.
When it
was introduced for 2011, the mid-size, five-passenger, front-wheel-drive Optima sedan was one of the first
signals that Kia was becoming
a serious contender to more established automakers. Stylish, feature-laden, and
well made with excellent road manners, topline gas-engine Optimas have become
legitimate alternatives to low-end versions of the entry-level luxury/sport
sedans like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.
The
hybrid version of the Optima
arrived in late 2011, and it quickly found favour with buyers. Combined with
sales of its Hyundai Sonata Hybrid platform-mate, the two family sedans ranked
only behind the Toyota Prius in the hybrid sales race for 2011 in the U.S.
In
2013, a new electric motor added more horsepower. Combined with a 2.4-litre
four-cylinder gas engine, output rose to 199 horsepower, and a higher-capacity
lithium-polymer battery pack pumped the torque rating up to 235 pound-feet. The
bigger battery also allowed for the Optima Hybrid to be driven up to 100
kilometres per hour in full electric mode via its six-speed automatic
transmission. Then, for 2014, the Kia hybrid sedan
received a slight design update, with new LED running lights and tail lights
and front-end styling that was said to improve aerodynamics.
As you
might expect, Kia
has priced its 2015 Optima Hybrid competitively with rivals like its Sonata
partner as well as hybrid versions of the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion sedans.
Well-equipped (highlighted by a multi-functional, leather-wrapped steering
wheel, power driver’s seat, heated front seats and side mirrors, rear-view
camera and Kia’s UVO infotainment system) base model Optima Hybrids start at $31,630
(all prices include freight and pre-delivery inspection fees). My Optima Hybrid
tester was the topline, $38,230 EX Premium model. Going that route adds a bunch
of goodies including a larger infotainment touchscreen, navigation, leather
seats (that can be cooled and heated up front), rear parking sensors, plus a
full suite of safety kit including blind-spot detection.
All of
that ongoing engineering work has resulted in the Optima Hybrid posting fuel
economy estimates of 6.1 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 6.7 on the
highway. During my week in the Kia sedan, at the tail end of a long and cold
winter, I saw an indicated 7.4 L/100 km. But in a previous test in warmer
weather, I recorded a 6.5 L/100 km average, which is pretty respectable for a
mid-sized sedan.
Compared
to the $26,190 Optima LX’s 192-hp naturally aspirated 2.4L gas engine (10.2
L/100 km city; 6.9 highway) and $36,290 SX Turbo’s 274-hp, 2.0L turbocharged
gas-four (11.7 city; 7.7 highway) the Hybrid is obviously the Optima to buy if you want to
burn less fossil fuel. But with gas versions of the new, second-generation 2016
Optima set to go on sale later this fall, we don’t expect the hybrid versions
until well into 2016. So if you’re in the market for a hybrid family sedan,
should you wait until then or consider a 2015 model now?
The
answer to this depends on what your priorities are.
From
what I saw of the pre-production 2016 models at the New York Auto Show, the
interior of the forthcoming 2016 Optima is more about refinement than
revolution. I’ve always liked the current Optima’s
driver-oriented interior design and ergonomics. My top-rung EX Premium model
saw leather applied thoughtfully to all the surfaces the driver touches on a
regular basis. And the stitched, padded dashboard and massive UVO touchscreen
infotainment make the family sedan feel more luxurious than its price suggests.
However,
where I am hoping Kia will make more progress with the next Optima Hybrid is
with its limited cargo capacity (caused by the battery pack in the trunk)
compared to the gas versions, and how its gas-electric system behaves on the
road.
The
interaction between the Kia’s hybrid bits — toggling between the electric and
gas modes and the regenerative braking system — show the automaker’s lack of
hybrid powertrain experience. Starting off from a stop, there’s a slight
hesitation from the Optima Hybrid’s engine department. And once underway, the
engine revs up then down a bit, without any indication of a change from the
speedometer. Weird.
Stopping
the Kia hybrid is also a
touchy affair. The regenerative braking system (which sends energy back to
charge the batteries), grabs too much when the brakes are initially applied at
lower spends. Once again, areas of refinement Toyota and Ford have already
nailed down. Once up to speed, though, the Optima offers a fine highway ride, with
an eerily quiet cabin.
As much
as I like the 2015 Optima Hybrid’s exterior and interior styling, and its
relatively parsimonious fuel economy, drivers may find its unrefined hybrid
bits off-putting. But knowing Kia’s relentless pursuit of improving, I’m
expecting big improvements with the next-gen Optima Hybrid.
The Specs
Type of vehicle: Front-wheel-drive
midsize hybrid sedan
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder gas engine +
electric motor
Power: 199 hp @ 5,500 rpm; 235 lb.-ft. of torque @
4,500 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires: P225/50R17
Price: (base/as tested) $30,095/$38,230
Destination charge: $1,395
Natural Resources:
Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 6.1 city; 6.7 highway; 7.4 as-tested
Standard equipment: Multi-functional
either-wrapped steering wheel, leather shift knob, power leather heated/cooled
front seats with memory, Infinity premium audio system, heated power side
mirrors, 8-inch Multimedia Interface voice-activated navigation, blind-spot
detection system, rear parking sensors, and more.
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