Kia has decided to outdo themselves on this one, and it looks like their brand new 2017 Optima Hybrid is going to be spectacular. The previous version of this vehicle was already terrific with its 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and 39 miles per gallon fuel economy. Now, it appears like Kia is finally ready to compete with other companies that have produced hybrid vehicles. For those of you who are unaware, a hybrid vehicle uses more than one power source.
FIRST REASON THE KIA OPTIMA IS AMAZING
The biggest selling point of this model has to be the fact that it has hybrid technology. The engine in the 2017 Kia Optima will also be improved as it will feature a 2-liter direct-injected inline-four with 154 horsepower. This engine is also mated to a 51-hp electric motor, and the total output of this system will be 193 horsepower at 6000 rpm. Now, this might be a little lower than its predecessors, but that means its fuel economy will be higher. It is expected that this hybrid’s engine will be somewhere in the low 40 range for fuel economy. It is also estimated that the combined range of the battery and the engine will be around 600 miles.
SECOND REASON THE KIA OPTIMA IS AMAZING
Although these models do not have an official price tag on them yet, the world has a pretty good idea of how much they will be. If the prices of the very similar Hyundai Sonata model is any indication, it can be expected that this Optima hybrid will be around $27,000 while the plug-in can be expected to be around $35,000. If these prices are accurate, and there is no reason to believe they won’t be, then people around the world should be pretty happy. This is a pretty affordable price, especially when you consider how much you will save on gas with this Kia.
