Kia optima 2017 гибрид

First Drive: 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid

The plug-in hybrid remains a strange automotive safety blanket. It tries to combine the virtues of both electric and internal-combustion propulsion, but, like those who’d wear both belt and suspenders, it’s compromised by a fundamental lack of certainty. By the standards of the genre, the new Kia Optima plug-in hybrid is good; given the low price of gasoline, though, it feels like the answer to a question that few actually ask.

Optima Tested and Best EVs and Hybrids!

Although the Optima PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) is Kia’s first plug-in, it shares mechanical components with the existing Hyundai Sonata plug-in. (Kia also will continue to sell a plug-free Optima hybrid alongside the standard Optima sedan.) The PHEV’s 154-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine works in conjunction with a 67-hp electric motor/generator to deliver a peak system output of 202 horsepower. A six-speed automatic with the electric motor replacing the torque converter drives the front wheels. The transmission is equipped with an electric oil pump in the interest of efficiency.

The big difference from the regular Optima hybrid lurks under the rear seats and trunk floor: a 9.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that, Kia claims, allows the PHEV to go up to 29 miles in electric-only mode and to operate at speeds of up to 75 mph without firing up the gasoline engine. (Kia had predicted only 27 miles of EV range when it revealed the car at the Chicago auto show in February.) Twenty-nine miles is one of the longer EV ranges in the plug-in segment, well short of the Chevrolet Volt’s 53 miles but 50 percent beyond the Toyota Prius Prime’s 22. It takes about nine hours to recharge using a 120-volt supply but only three hours if you have access to a Level 2 240-volt connection.

Cosmetically, the PHEV is distinguished by its automatic active grille shutters, which, according to Kia, reduce the car’s drag coefficient to just 0.25 when its louvers are closed. It also has its own lower-drag front and rear bumpers and a subtle but noticeable blue tint to both the headlights and the exterior chrome brightwork to set it apart from less eco-minded Optimas. Equipment includes the usual battery of energy-monitor displays and the Economy Driver Assistance system (ECO-DAS), which gives visual and audible advice on when to let the car coast. We quickly confirmed that the system’s admonitory chimes can be switched off.

HIGHS: Better EV range than most, lively initial throttle response, only small sacrifices of passenger and trunk space.

As is common with plug-in hybrids, the big battery pack exacts a weight penalty. Kia’s numbers say the PHEV weighs a Rubenesque 3788 pounds, or 302 more than the regular hybrid and 564 pounds heftier than the Optima 1.6T. The battery pack also robs the trunk of three cubic feet of capacity when compared with the standard Optima, but that still leaves a decent 13 cubes.

The Costs and Benefits of Redundancy

At lower speeds, the Optima PHEV disguises its mass well. The electric side of the powertrain gives it the usual instant EV response, and even when left in its default hybrid mode, the majority of low-speed urban operation relies on pure electric power as long as the battery has charge. The driveline doesn’t manage the magic-carpet impression that hybrids with variable-ratio planetary gears convey under gentle use, but the automatic’s stepped ratios mean it doesn’t suffer from slurred transmission response when the driver orders quicker, gasoline-propelled progress. Drivability issues that we noted when we tested the 2014 Optima hybrid seem to have been addressed; the electric and gasoline sides of the powertrain now work together seamlessly.

EV mode is great for sneaking up on pedestrians and for polishing your self-image as an eco-aware consumer. Otherwise, EV mode’s main advantage is lower carbon emissions compared with the car’s operation in standard HEV (hybrid) mode. Given the growing number of cities that forbid combustion engines in their congested center zones, EV mode is likely to become more appreciated over time.

Initial acceleration is reasonable under electric-only operation, but it tails off early as speed builds; it would take a long, gentle run-up to confirm the claimed EV-mode top speed of 75 mph, since anything beyond gentle pressure on the accelerator fires up the engine. In the gentle use that the car encourages, refinement is good, but once the internal-combustion side of the powertrain gets going, it proves raucous at higher revs.

Try to hurry things along, and you’ll run up against the unwelcome effects of the PHEV’s extra pounds. Grip levels are modest on the low-rolling-resistance tires, and the Optima struggles to keep its mass in check when asked to deal with tighter corners or bumpier roads. The steering is both overboosted and completely lacking in feel, so your eyes will have to warn you when the PHEV’s front end starts edging wide of the mark at velocities that would trouble few other mainstream cars. The springs and dampers struggle to control ride motions on rougher road surfaces, even at fairly modest speeds. Dynamically, the Optima PHEV seems to fall short of the Toyota Prius.

The rest of the experience approximates that of the standard Optima. The cabin leaves the impression of plastics that were chosen more for durability than appearance, but it offers good space for four occupants. We drove a Euro-spec version in Korea, but we know the PHEV model due to appear in U.S. dealerships later this year will be in the EX trim level with a fairly generous array of equipment.

A Short-Range EV

Anyone in the market for a plug-in hybrid should already be aware of the compromises inherent to this neither-fish-nor-fowl formulation. For anything other than relatively short journeys between destinations equipped with fast chargers, that large battery pack becomes a liability rather than an asset. Chevy supports the case for its extended-range Volt with the assertion that most commuters travel fewer than 40 miles a day, round trip, so a relatively modest range gives owners the equivalent of a pure electric. Kia expects the Optima PHEV to earn an EPA fuel-economy rating of 99 MPGe, but once the big battery is depleted, real-world mileage will be worse than that of the standard hybrid owing to the extra mass and essentially identical operating parameters. Unlike some plug-ins, it can recharge its big battery pack on the move, in the conventional hybrid manner, using regenerative braking and the engine—but you’d have to be moving at a crawl or idling for a long while before it’d replenish meaningful EV range.

A driver’s usage would have to be heavily biased toward slow urban slogs, covering short distances, to make the math work. As plug-in hybrids go, the Optima PHEV is decent, but unless gas prices spike dramatically, the whole segment struggles to justify itself as a mass-market solution.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS

2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid

VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE
$35,000

ENGINE TYPE
DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 154 hp, 139 lb-ft; permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor, 67 hp, 151 lb-ft; combined power rating, 202 hp, 277 lb-ft; 9.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack

TRANSMISSION
6-speed automatic

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.4 in
Length: 191.1 in
Width: 73.2 in
Height: 57.5 in
Passenger volume: 105 ft 3
Cargo volume: 13 ft 3
Curb weight (C/D est): 3800 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
Zero to 60 mph: 8.0 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 22.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.2 sec
Top speed: 125 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
EPA city/highway driving: 38/40 mpg
EPA combined driving (gas+electric): 99 MPGe

Mike Duff has been writing about the auto industry for two decades and calls the UK home, although he normally lives life on the road. He loves old cars and adventure in unlikely places, with career highlights including driving to Chernobyl in a Lada.

Источник

2017 Kia Optima Hybrid

Launched in 2016, the latest generation Kia Optima takes a dive into the world of hybrid mobility. It shares a platform and drivetrain with sister brand, Hyundai’s Sonata Hybrid, but offers more stylish appearances and a better co-efficient of drag – matching the Tesla Model S’ 0.24 Cd factor. Packing a small displacement, relatively speaking, combustion engine and an electric motor, and featuring an active grille to improve aerodynamic efficiency, the Optima Hybrid is a technological leap that proves Kia is no longer an aspiring junior brand – they’re an established powerhouse.

Is the 2017 Kia Optima a good car?

• Exterior Design 8 /10
• Performance 7 /10
• Fuel Economy 10 /10
• Interior & Cargo 5 /10
• Infotainment & Features 9 /10
• Reliability 8 /10
• Safety 9 /10
• Value For Money 6 /10

Best Deals on Optima Hybrid

2017 Kia Optima Hybrid Models

See trim levels and configurations:

Kia

Kia

Kia

Interior

Though aesthetically exciting from the outside, the interior lacks the same flare. The design is functional rather than flashy and the ergonomics are on point. The infotainment system is simplistic, but logical with easy to read buttons that fall easily to hand. Despite the simplistic designs, the materials are impressive in their quality, and build quality seems pretty high. It’s this sort of quality build that makes the Optima feel more expensive than it actually is.

Front occupants are treated to a range of seat adjustments that accommodate you comfortably regardless of how tall you are. In the rear of the cabin, leg room is premium, though headroom can get tight for taller occupants. The central seat in the rear bench is only suited for children. The trunk loses 2.5 cubic feet of cargo volume from the standard model, down to 13.4, but in some trim levels the rear bench folds in a 60/40 split for extra stowage.

Kia

Driving (Ride and Handling)

In appearance it may be sporty, but in practice, the Optima Hybrid really isn’t – no Optima is. The steering is light and lacks feel, and though responses are decently precise, they lack rapidity of response. The suspension is prone to body roll due to its overall soft demeanor, which doesn’t enthuse much confidence in the Optima Hybrid’s handling. Sudden changes of direction will upset the body control, and the chassis lacks the tightness of more sporting rivals. But the softer suspension bodes incredibly well for comfort. The soft springs absorb large bumps well, and the dampers do a decent job of filtering out most imperfections on the road. But over particularly broken roads the ride can be impaired and the roughness permeates the otherwise superbly insulated cabin a bit more than it perhaps should.

Kia

Performance (Engine and Transmission)

Under its hood, the Kia Optima Hybrid packs a 2.0-liter inline 4 cylinder engine with 154 horsepower – unlike other hybrids that use larger V6s. The engine is paired with a single electric motor/generator worth 50hp, with combined outputs of 192hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. The front wheels are driven through a 6-speed automatic gearbox rather than the CVT transmission most rivals use. In the trunk, a 1.6kWh battery pack aids electric propulsion. The EPA has rated the Optima Hybrid as having a combined economy figure of 42 miles to the gallon.

Kia

Kia

Equipment and Safety

The Optima Hybrid is available in two trims, Premium and EX. Premium trim features a rear-view camera, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. The EX trim adds to that a heated steering wheel, heated seats, leather upholstery, split folding rear seats, navigation, and a Harman Kardon audio system. A Technology Package includes a raft of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, forward collision warning with auto braking, and blind spot monitoring earning the Optima 2017 Top Safety Pick + status from the IIHS.

Kia

Kia

Kia

Verdict

It’s not a sharp performer, but in the world of mild hybrids, the Kia Optima Hybrid is impressively comfortable, melds electric and combustion power effectively, and provides exceptional safety features. Looking for a hybrid of this size? The Optima is well worth a look!

Kia

Kia

Источник