Kia puts a battery and a charger into the Optima to create 37g/km PHEV for very low road tax. While it is largely forgettable to drive, sharp looks, a long warranty and extensive specification appeal. Kia Ireland is monitoring the market to decide whether it will offer it for sale here.
In the metal
A handsome saloon in conventional guise, the Kia Optima PHEV gains some hybrid specific styling to better allow it its economy gains. An active air flap up front lowers the coefficient of drag when full engine cooling is not needed, while re-profiled front and rear bumpers also help it cleave through the air more efficiently. If you miss those, then the blue detailing in the headlights and around the front grille give the game away, as does the badging and a plug-in inlet on the left front wing.
Subtle distinctions inside also betray the Optima's plug-in status, most obvious of which is a pair of switches for pure EV mode and hybrid drive by the automatic gear selector. The instruments gain some EV and hybrid specific detailing outlining what mode you're in too, while there's additional drivetrain info offered via the information screens either directly in front of you or in the centre of the dashboard. The interior is spacious as ever, and while the boot loses some space (the fuel tank is 15 litres smaller, too) thanks to the addition of the lithium ion battery, it's marginal enough to be all but unnoticeable.
What is obvious is the interior quality; there's no questioning the fit and material quality in the normal Kia Optima, but the PHEV's price point elevates the car to a level where there's parity with premium branded rivals. Among such competition the sometimes hard, shiny plastics give away the Optima's more usual positioning in the marketplace.
Driving it
Press the start button and as with most PHEVs there's little indication that the car's ready to go, as it defaults to electric drive. If your commute's less than 53km you could conceivably glide there on electricity alone. You'll need to be fairly committed to do so; drive it at the 120km/h that's possible with battery power and you'll significantly shorten that range. Switch to hybrid mode and it'll mix that battery and electric motor propulsion with the 2.0-litre GDI petrol engine. The combined output of 204hp makes it the most powerful Optima currently available.
That doesn't translate to an entertaining drive, unfortunately, as the PHEV unsurprisingly focuses on economy over everything else. That makes for an unremarkable, if comfortable and largely quiet drive. The suspension is soft, the chassis set up for comfort rather than any dynamism, the steering lacking feel, though for the type of driver that the PHEV is likely to attract that's not necessarily going to be a concern. Ask for anything approaching the quoted 9.1-second 0-100km/h time and the rising revs of the 2.0-litre petrol engine booms in the interior, so the PHEV is best enjoyed at more modest speeds, where it's all but silent in operation. The integration of the two powertrains is commendably slick, likewise the six-speed twin-clutch automatic.
If there's any fun to be had it's trying to eke out as much range as you can from the battery alone. Anticipation here is your friend, using topography to good effect for regeneration, judging traffic lights and the likes to maintain momentum. Unlike in some rivals there's no option to push energy to the battery by scavenging from the petrol engine, so some degree of management is required if you want to arrive at your destination with plenty of battery power in reserve for EV motoring.
What you get for your money
Kia Ireland has not yet confirmed if the Optima PHEV will be offered for sale here. It wants to focus on the launch of the Niro crossover and monitor its success and any changes in the budget that relate to plug-in hybrid vehicles before deciding whether or not there will be demand for the hybrid Optima. In other markets, it sits very much at the top of the price list, though is fully loaded with equipment. Alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lamps, powered seats, premium audio, touch-screen satnav and parking sensors with reversing camera all come as standard.
Alternatives
BMW 330e: a plug-in 3 Series with the same tax status as the Kia, but with some driving pleasure and premium status thrown in, too. Significantly quicker, too, even if it's not quite as economical on paper.
Mercedes-Benz C 350e: another plug-in hybrid, this time behind Merc's oh-so-desirable three-pointed star. Like the BMW it's got premium appeal all over it, and it's better to drive, too, for not much more money than the Kia.
Volkswagen Passat GTE: arguably the Kia's biggest rival. Majors on comfort rather than dynamism, despite the badge, but is probably more alluring because of it.
Summary
A competent competitor in the burgeoning plug-in hybrid marketplace, the Optima PHEV doesn't stand out from its rivals with any particular defining characteristic aside from Kia's usual superb warranty offering. It's capable, if somewhat forgettable, and if it makes it to Ireland it'll be bought on the basis of the numbers it produces and its tax-reducing status. It'll be well into 2017 before we know more.