Kia comes to his turn on the hybrid sedan market. What accentuate the success of the Optima recovering just appeared on the mechanical hybrid Hyundai Sonata.
Kia Optima and Sonata Hyndai, although it is not evident in their style, are technically very similar. They both opted not to offer V6 engine, and that offer a hybrid version in the heart of range for the U.S. market.
The mechanics found in the Kia is identical to that of the Sonata. A 4 cylinder 2.4 of the Optima family, developing 166 hp and operating at Atkinson cycle is at the heart of the system. It is associated with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Between the two? A 30 kW electric motor that replaces the torque converter and a multi-disc clutch to connect or not the engine. The latter is also equipped with a starter-alternator that does not fully support the traction.
The assembly is fed (and fed) of lithium-ion batteries. With a capacity of 1.4 kWh, they can run in electric mode, up to a fairly high speed of 100 km / h. Autonomy in this way remains limited to a few kilometers, as the Prius or other hybrid Fusion. The EPA city cycle fuel consumption is 6.5 litres/100km and 5.9 highway. Slightly higher in cities than the Sonata, but a little less on the highway.
In contrast to the Sonata, the Optima does not play the card of a strong difference in style. Aerodynamics is careful, however, with various body parts, a height lowered, rims specific. The result is a Cd of only 0.26.
On board, only the dominant green instrumentation is betraying the peculiarity of the model. The tachometer is replaced by a display of power usage, supplemented by a charge level of the battery. The display of the engine temperature is maintained. On the central screen, in addition to a classic pattern of the system, a small tachometer is also present.
