It’s time for the Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid to be reviewed in the Fully Charged Show.
“The very sophisticated Kia Optima won me over. At first I was unimpressed, just another plug in hybrid, big petrol engine, all the usual caveats.
However after many miles driving it, I started to appreciate the effort that has clearly been put into this car to make it stand out,” said Robert Llewellyn.
The all-new Kia Optima PHEV is now available to order through the Kia’s UK retailer network with prices starting at £31,495 after taking into account the Government’s £2,500 plug-in car grant.
With a range of up to 33 miles in all-electric mode, the Optima PHEV is able to complete many regular urban commuter runs with no tailpipe emissions, while its CO2 figure of just 37g/km means company car users pay just 7 per cent benefit-in-kind taxation in 2016-17.
The Optima PHEV combines a 154bhp 2.0-litre direct injection petrol engine with a 50kW (67bhp) electric motor powered by a 9.8kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack. The electric motor replaces the torque converter in the smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission. When working together, the combustion engine and motor generate 202bhp and 375Nm of torque.
A package of aerodynamic, styling and technology features contributes towards the Optima PHEV’s low CO2 emissions and potential fuel economy of up to 176.6mpg while ensuring it is instantly recognisable as the high-efficiency model in the Optima range.
