The Kia Optima comes with a standard engine or in a hybrid 03/18/2011
Car buyers who are thinking about purchasing the new Kia Optima will be able to purchase the car as a hybrid or with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This is the South Korean car company's first hybrid vehicle sold in the U.S., according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Estimated fuel consumption for the hybrid version of the Optima is between 36 city and 40 highway miles per gallon, similar to its sister automobile, the Hyundai Sonata hybrid, the news source reported.
The vehicle comes equipped with at 1.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-polymer battery and can travel up to 62 mph on one charge. Kia claims that it won't need to be replaced for about 10 years and it stays charged 25 percent longer than a nickel-metal-hybrid battery. In addition, the automobile does not generate any tailpipe emissions, reported the news source.
The Optima is powered by a 30-kilowatt electric motor that works with a six-speed automatic transmission and is able to produce 151 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle's gasoline engine can achieve up to 166 hp and 154 lb-ft of torque on its own.
The starting price for the base LX Optima begins at $18,995 and comes with several entertainment and safety features.