Used 2018 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid

The 2018 Kia Optima sedan family receives a handful of improvements this year, building on the momentum it has earned since its introduction in 2016 when it won our Best Buy award for midsize sedans. The Optima established itself early as a leader in the midsize-sedan segment, offering excellent performance, power, fuel economy, technology and value. Against rivals like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Chevy Malibu, the Optima holds its own, with the 2018 Optima now offering a standard 7-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and standard blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking-assist systems. The icing on the cake: the Optima’s 10-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Kia’s 2018 Optima isn’t billed as a sports sedan, but the SX model with the turbo engine doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo. The 245-horsepower turbocharged engine, quick-shifting 6-speed automatic, and responsive steering all make the Optima SX turbo feel more agile and fun than many of its competitors. The SX gets singled out here thanks to its better power-steering setup and firmer suspension and 18-inch wheel-and-tire package. The LX and EX are geared more toward comfort, which is no bad thing really. The good news is that superior handling doesn’t come at the expense of a harsh ride. While we love the turbo’s plentiful power, we have to admit that the standard 2.4-liter engine is actually more than adequate for most drivers, and the 1.6-liter with its 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is a nice intermediate step, although the transmission could use some refinement.

Kia bifurcates the 2018 Optima interior with a metallic band of trim, placing the gauges, infotainment touch screen and vents above, and the audio-system and climate-control buttons below. As we expect in Kias these days, the interior materials all feel high quality, and we like the soft-touch panels on the door tops, dash and pretty much everywhere else. We also like the fact that Kia still uses buttons and knobs for most functions, instead of relying on touch-sensitive sliders. The comfortable seating extends to the huge back seat, and Optima SX Limited models get Nappa leather and other high-end touches.

The 2018 Optima is a good-looking and sharply styled car, one that subtly builds on the design language established by the previous-generation car. We like the long, low look, the "tiger-nose" grille treatment, and the subtly aggressive stance. Then again, we said the same things about the previous-generation Optima, and considering the significant changes under the skin, it’d be nice if that skin was different as well. Then again, that gamble didn’t pay off too well for Hyundai’s Sonata, so we’re fine with the Optima keeping a familiar look.

ANDROID AUTO & APPLE CARPLAY
With Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard across the board on a 7-inch touch screen, the 2018 Optima feels that much more modern. And what’s not to like: Both systems offer up the same interface you’ve grown to love on your phone, and with similar functionality, too.

HARMAN/KARDON AUDIO
Kia knows you’re going to be listening to more than your own thoughts, and the harman/kardon QuantumLogic7 surround audio system in the 2018 Optima goes a step beyond its rivals with its Clari-Fi feature that helps restore even old MP3 files.

All Optima models now come with a 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In addition to that, the base-model LX comes with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, and a Driver Mode Select system that switches among Normal, Sport and Eco modes. Other standard features include air conditioning, a rearview camera, and controls on the tilt-telescope steering wheel for the cruise-control and audio systems. The infotainment system includes Sirius satellite radio, Bluetooth, aux and USB inputs. The front seats adjust manually, except for the driver’s power lumbar.

You can equip the LX with a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder connected to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic or you can step up to the 2.0-liter turbo in the SX models. Other options include a new Convenience Package for LX models that adds a 10-way-power driver’s seat and laminated front-side windows, and of course the new S model. EX and SX buyers can add active cruise control, automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning, while the Limited package on SX models adds Nappa leather, an around-view monitor and more. Of course, there’s also the harman/kardon audio system we can’t say enough nice things about.

The base Optima LX, S, and EX models all get a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with 185 horsepower connected to a 6-speed automatic transmission. There’s an additional low-end engine available on the LX, a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder connected to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. If you want power, the Optima SX 2.0L Turbo comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with 245 horsepower, also connected to a 6-speed automatic. If you’re looking at hybrids, they use a 2.0-liter non-turbo engine paired to an electric motor. Fuel economy is solid across the board, with LX models getting 34 mpg on the highway, SX getting 31 mpg, and the LX 1.6T model getting 37 mpg. The 2018 Optima Hybrid promises 46-mpg highway and the plug-in 103 MPGe.

2.4-liter inline-4 (LX, EX)
185 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
178 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 24/34 mpg

1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 (LX 1.6T)
178 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
195 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 28/37 mpg

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (SX, SXL)
245 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
260 lb-ft of torque @ 1,350-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/31 mpg

2.0-liter inline-4 + Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (Hybrid)
154 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
140 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm
Electric Motor: 50 horsepower/151 lb-ft of torque
Net Output: 192 horsepower/271 lb-ft of torque
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 39/46 mpg

2.0-liter inline-4 + Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (Plug-in Hybrid)
154 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
140 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm
Electric Motor: 66 horsepower/151 lb-ft of torque
Net Output: 202 horsepower/276 lb-ft of torque
EPA fuel economy: 103 MPGe/40 mpg combined