2018 kia optima
2018 Kia Optima | Interior Technology & Features | Kia
A thrilling Optima driving experience begins before you start the engine. The moment you slide behind the wheel, you discover a quieter, more spacious cabin loaded with the latest available amenities. The perfect environment for pure driving pleasure.
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The driver-side console features a clean, horizontal design that streamlines ergonomics and helps create a greater sense of space.
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Open the door and you’ll find a spacious, modern interior enhanced with bold accents, soft-touch surfaces and fine, premium stitching, all of which come together to create a sanctuary of quiet comfort and craftsmanship for you and your passengers.
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Enhanced cabin-sound insulation, improved body stiffness, re-contoured mirrors and sound-absorbing windows join forces to create a quieter ride.
Nestle into superior comfort with available heated and ventilated front seats featuring cushion softness scientifically designed with varying firmness levels in key touch points, and supportive seat bolsters.
The available 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, including 4-way power lumbar support, offers personalized comfort behind the wheel. Your front-seat passenger can also dial into the right position in the available 10-way power-adjustable passenger seat with 2-way power lumbar support.
An available heated steering wheel keeps hands warm on the wheel during cold winter days.
From fine, premium seats that make driving more comfortable to a spacious cabin full of refined features, Optima offers an extraordinary level of comfort and available amenities.
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The available rear side-window sunshades offer an even cooler cabin when you need it and helps protect passengers from sun glare.
Stay charged no matter where you sit: the front console features two 12-V outlets and one USB port. The center console is available with two additional USB ports and a 12-V outlet conveniently located for back passengers.
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2018 Kia Optima | Safety Features | Kia
The Optima uses more than 50% Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS). A ring-shaped section, defining the boot opening behind the rear seats below the shelf, substantially increases body rigidity. And hot-stamping of components in 16 core stress areas boosts the body structure for better driving dynamics and a quieter ride.
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The 2018 Optima embodies Kia’s continued commitment to safety, earning a 5-Star Crash Safety Rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It comes standard with advanced passive safety features, like the comprehensive airbags and seat belt systems, built to be your first line of defense in any crash.
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The advance airbag system features dual front, front-seat-mounted side, and full-length side curtain airbags. High-tech sensors can detect the level of an impact and presence of a front passenger, helping to control airbag inflation.
Every seat comes with three-point belts for added security with over-the-lap and shoulder straps. The front seats have height-adjustable seat belt anchors to ensure a proper fit, as well as pretensioners that help restrain passengers in certain collisions.
Securely and conveniently install a child seat with the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system. Plus, rear child-safety door locks allow you to turn off the interior door-opening mechanism, preventing passengers from opening the rear doors from the inside.
In a Kia packed with innovation, we integrated active driver-assistive technologies where they matter most. Advanced systems, like Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), that work automatically to give you enhanced control so that you can stay focused on the road.
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A suite of active technologies designed to keep you in control. The Traction Control System (TCS) helps avoid wheel spin when you accelerate, while Electronic Stability Control (ESC) helps you stay on course with improved stability. Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) offers increased steering control when driving in harsh road conditions, and Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC) helps keep your vehicle in place as you move
off an incline.
Experience advanced braking for more precise control. Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) helps deliver more consistent braking as weight load and distribution change. The Antilock Braking System (ABS) helps reduce skidding, and the Brake Assist System (BAS) senses emergency braking situations and increases
braking when needed.
The Tire-Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) continuously monitors the inflation pressure in all four tires and warns you when the pressure drops below
a specified range.
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2018 Kia Optima Hybrid | Hybrid Engine Technology | Kia
Redesigned to be smarter and more efficient, the Optima Hybrid features improved aerodynamics and an updated powertrain. And with its new 6-speed automatic transmission and 2-liter Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine, it offers a combined 271 lb.-ft. of torque for an exhilarating drive.
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The Optima Hybrid comes packed with enhancements designed to stretch your fuel even further. We examined everything from the aerodynamic shape to systems under the hood, and found new ways to maximize efficiency without sacrificing on performance.
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By closing front air flow at certain speeds and temperatures, the active air flap system helps boost efficiency while cutting down on wind noise.
The new 2-liter Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine is designed to help maximize efficiency a more compact package.
The hybrid’s lightweight, high-density lithium polymer battery was re-engineered to deliver 13% more energy and 19% more power.
Every time you decelerate, regenerative braking uses that kinetic energy to recharge the electric motor’s battery. And now, the Optima Hybrid can capture that energy even better than before.
Meet Kia’s Full Parallel Hybrid system. A cutting-edge design that couples an electric motor with a Gas Direct Injection (GDI) engine. They work together or separately to offer the right combination of power, based on your driving conditions, for the optimum driving experience.
Reaching new levels of convenience and efficiency, the Optima Hybrid has an EPA-estimated 39 mpg in the city, 46 mpg on the highway, and 42 mpg combined. That means fewer stops at the pump and more time enjoying the open road.
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The vibrant supervision cluster displays all you need to know at a glance—and with crisp Thin-Film-Transistor (TFT) LCD clarity. Track your battery charge, MPG, driving style, and much more.
The advanced hybrid system switches intelligently between electric motor and gas engine to suit your driving conditions. It uses exclusively electric power during start-up and low-speed driving, and both gas and electric systems at full acceleration. For intelligent hybrid power no matter the drive.
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2018 Kia Optima Hybrid Reviews and Rating
- Fuel-efficient powertrain
- Plug-in model’s all-electric range
- Comes well-equipped
- Plug-in model can get expensive
- Odd brake feel
- Automatic emergency braking is only available on the top trim
The Kia Optima Hybrid and Optima Hybrid Plug-In are carryover models for 2018 and did not receive any significant changes.
Trim Levels
The Optima Hybrid and Plug-In are the only hybrid sedans offered by Kia. The two four-doors are positioned above the more affordable Niro hybrid and Niro plug-in hybrid wagons.
2018 Optima Hybrid Premium: When compared to the traditional Optima, the Hybrid models come with a unique grille, front and rear bumper valences, and side sills. Standard features include 16-inch wheels, active grille shutters, Smart Trunk (opens automatically by standing behind it with the key fob), a drive mode selector, a 7.0-inch center touchscreen with SiriusXM satellite radio and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary ports, a 4.3-inch instrument panel driver’s display, automatic headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, 8-way manually adjustable driver’s seat (six-way for passenger), and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
2018 Optima Hybrid EX: The top Hybrid EX trim adds 17-inch alloy wheels, an 8.0-inch center touchscreen with a navigation system with SiriusXM Traffic and HD radio, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon QuantumLogic sound system, two USB ports, quick-entry with push-start ignition, rear A/C vents, leather seating, 12-way power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel.
2018 Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX: The Plug-In model comes in one well-equipped trim and adds a slightly more powerful hybrid powertrain and a charging station charge port. The Plug-In EX trim has the same standard features as the Hybrid EX model but adds exclusive blue exterior accents and badging, the Active Eco system (a system to help the vehicle achieve optimum fuel economy), and an electronic parking brake with auto hold.
Both EX trims offer a Technology package that consists of steering-responsive LED headlights, high beam assist, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, rear side window sunshades, LED interior lighting, a 10-way power adjustable passenger’s seat, and a suite of driver assist safety features.
Performance and Fuel Economy
The 2018 Kia Optima Hybrid utilizes a hybrid powertrain consisting of a 154-hp, 140 lb-ft of torque 2.0-liter I-4 engine and an electric motor for a combined output of 192 hp and 271 lb-ft (202 hp and 276 lb-ft for the Plug-In model). A six-speed automatic sends power to the front wheels for both models. The Optima Hybrid delivers an EPA-rated 39/46 mpg and the Plug-In is rated at 38/43 mpg when operating like a hybrid but can also go up to 29 miles on all-electric power (103 mpg-e).
Safety
The 2018 Kia Optima Hybrid received the highest five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA (the Plug-In was not tested). The 2018 Kia Optima (non-hybrid) is considered a 2018 Top Safety Pick from the IIHS for receiving the highest rating of Good in all crash tests and in the headlights evaluation, and the highest rating of Superior for the front crash prevention test by avoiding 12- and 25-mph frontal collisions thanks to the automatic emergency braking system found in the Technology package. The Technology package also adds adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, high beam assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors.
Utility (Cargo Space and Interior Room)
The Kia Optima Hybrid offers up to 13.4 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk while the Plug-In model offers 9.9 cubic feet thanks to the larger battery pack. The non-hybrid Optima holds up to 15.9 cubic feet of cargo space. All Optima models have 45.5 inches of legroom for the front seats and 35.6 inches for the rear seats.
Technology
The 2018 Optima comes well-equipped with a standard 7.0-inch center touchscreen with SiriusXM satellite radio and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a 4.3-inch instrument panel driver’s display. The center touchscreen can be updated to an 8.0-inch display with a navigation system, SiriusXM Traffic, and HD radio. The standard six-speaker audio system can be upgraded to a 10-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. The standard UVO eServices app can among other things help you find your vehicle in a parking lot, look up vehicle information and points of interest, and call for roadside assistance.
What We Think
We have yet to test a Kia Optima Hybrid or Plug-In but we did test the similar 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid in a First Test review and concluded by saying, “At $35,550, the 2016 Sonata Hybrid isn’t cheap, but when you consider an array of features usually found on pricier cars, the price starts making sense. Except for minor fit and finish issues and non-linear brakes, the Sonata Hybrid is a solid proposition, offering value, fuel efficiency, a smooth powertrain, and a well-appointed interior. In fact, the hybrid delivers similar levels of performance as its gas-only siblings but with the bonus of stellar fuel economy.”
In a First Test review of the Optima Plug-In’s sibling, the similar Hyundai Sonata Plug-In, we said, “The Sonata PHEV offers a great blend of fuel efficiency, power, generous EV-only range, and user-friendly technology.”
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