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2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid

2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid
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MSRP
$35,210
Consumer Rating
(9)
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2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid
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Pros

  • Roomy interior and quiet cabin, whether on the avenue or highway
  • Offers better all-electric range than most other top competitors
  • Feature-packed and easy-to-use infotainment interface

Cons

  • Just 10 cubic feet of cargo space, less than hatchback competitors
  • Rear headroom is limited by sloping roofline
Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid years
2019
2018
2017
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2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid pricing

in Ashburn, VA
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2018 Optima Plug-In Hybrid

msrp

$35,210
starting price
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Which Optima Plug-In Hybrid does Edmunds recommend?

The 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid comes in just one flavor: an EX trim level with an optional Technology package. Kia loads the EX with a raft of daily comfort and conveniences, including leather upholstery, heated front seats, navigation, Bluetooth, Apple and Android smartphone control, and a premium sound system. It's hard to go wrong with the standard sedan. The Technology package is pricey, but it adds a sunroof, ventilated front and heated rear seats, adaptive headlights and several collision avoidance features. It's a good choice if you crave additional peace of mind and open-air motoring.

Edmunds' Expert Review

Overall rating

Along with the introduction of a redesigned Optima Hybrid model, Kia adds plug-in recharging to its family sedan lineup with the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid. The regular Optima Hybrid offers high fuel economy, comfortable road manners, and a wealth of standard features and available options. The Plug-In adds to that with the ability to drive short distances on pure electric power.

The main difference between the two is the Optima Plug-In Hybrid's bigger battery pack and more powerful electric motor. The battery is larger than the standard hybrid's and can be recharged from a standard household electrical outlet or a high-current charging station. Doing so gives the plug-in model the ability to travel up to 29 miles in all-electric mode. After you've used up that power, the Plug-In switches to regular hybrid operation. The EPA estimates fuel economy of 40 mpg combined (38 city/43 highway). That's a bit below average but still likely good enough for shoppers looking to minimize their reliance on gasoline.

In addition to its powertrain appeal, the Optima Plug-In Hybrid includes everything we've come to like about the standard Optima sedan, including a roomy interior, a comfortable ride, and robust infotainment and connected technology. We're still not sold on the Optima's bland interior or the mediocre feel of its materials, however — unfortunate concessions to the Optima's otherwise exceptional value proposition. Still, the Optima Plug-In Hybrid's blend of rechargeable propulsion and midsize appeal makes it a solid pick for a family or commuter sedan.

2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid configurations

The 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid is a five-passenger sedan available in a single EX trim level with an optional Technology package that adds extra comfort features and several collision avoidance technologies. Standard features start with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and an electric drive motor that combine to produce 202 horsepower. A six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are also standard.

Outside, you'll find 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, heated side mirrors, keyless entry and a hands-free trunk opening. Inside the Plug-In comes with push-button ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a rearview camera, a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power driver seat, a navigation system, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connections, Kia Uvo services, and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with satellite radio.

The optional Technology package adds adaptive LED headlights, automatic high beams, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a power passenger seat and a host of collision avoidance technologies, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and rear parking sensors.

Trim tested

Edmunds has not yet driven any version of the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid, but we have considerable experience with the regular Optima. Those findings, specifically on comfort and interior quality, remain broadly applicable to this model. We've also sampled the Optima's mechanical doppelganger, the Hyundai Sonata Plug-In. Otherwise, the following is our first take on what's significant about it and what you can expect.

Driving

We haven't yet driven the Optima Plug-In Hybrid, but the Hyundai Sonata Plug-In accelerates to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds, average for a hybrid sedan. Expect a similar time here. We prefer the six-speed automatic transmission's shift feel over the CVTs that are more common to hybrids.

Comfort

Both the regular Optima sedan and Sonata Plug-In Hybrid deliver a smooth ride on all manner of pavement, and the cabin is quiet at highway speeds. We're not as thrilled with the seats, though.

Seat comfort

Heated front seats are standard; ventilated seats (and heated rears) are options. The front seats are roomy but lack lateral side bolstering. The rear seats are also spacious, but the low-mounted cushion may lack support for average-size adults.

Ride comfort

The regular Optima sedan absorbs small, high-frequency bumps pretty well for an overall smooth ride. Larger undulations cause some jostling, but not significantly more compared to rivals in this class. The Plug-In Hybrid's ride quality should not be that different despite the different powertrain.

Interior

The Optima's interior, regardless of model or trim, isn't an especially exciting visual feast. That said, it serves function well. The feature set makes you feel as if you're getting a lot more for your money, although the quality of materials feels a bit mediocre.

Ease of use

We give the Optima high marks for its easy-to-use infotainment system and readable physical buttons that are logically placed. The primary controls are all within reach, and there's no guesswork with buttons that are a bit out of the way.

Getting in/getting out

Tall door openings free from obstructions allow passengers to access their seats with little difficulty. Doors are adequately short in length to provide access in tight parking spots.

Roominess

The front seats have plenty of space for larger passengers, and the range of adjustments will cover short and tall occupants. The rear outboard seats benefit from an abundance of legroom, but headroom is only adequate for adults of average height.

Visibility

The Optima's cabin feels big and airy thanks to large windows and narrow roof pillars, but the high rear decklid and rear seat headrests obscure the rearward view. The standard rearview camera and optional parking sensors help reduce the blind spot.

Quality

Plenty of plastic is used throughout the interior, but it's sturdy and the texture is visually appealing. The car feels as solid as any other sedan in the class.

Utility

The Optima Plug-In Hybrid's trunk is smaller than the regular hybrid's trunk due to a larger battery pack. At just 9.9 cubic feet of cargo room, it's a bit limited. The Toyota Prius Prime's hatchback design, for example, offers far more versatility.

Technology

The 8-inch touchscreen has crisp graphics and an intuitive menu structure, although some drivers might find it a bit of a stretch to reach comfortably. A unique gauge cluster displaying various hybrid functions is one of the few indicators that you're driving a gas-electric car.

Audio & navigation

A navigation system comes standard, as does a premium Harman Kardon sound system.

Smartphone integration

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included with the infotainment system's offerings.

Driver aids

Most of the latest driver safety and collision avoidance aids come with the optional Technology package. A rearview camera is standard, however.

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid.

Overall Consumer Rating
4.29 reviews
Write a reviewSee all 9 reviews
5(67%)
4(11%)
3(11%)
2(0%)
1(11%)

Most helpful consumer reviews

Great plug-in Hybrid!
Grant Calkins,02/25/2017
This car is everything you could want in a plug-in hybrid, with a few (relatively) minor exceptions such as no programmable garage door opener buttons, charging door tricky to close after charging. It's pretty much a grown-up Chevy Volt (which I also own and love!), but one thing Kia should have done differently: for smoothness in EV mode, have the electric motor directly power the wheels (ie eliminate the 6 speed auto trans in EV mode). Also take note that KIA sells cars in non-traditional ways - apparently they do not allow their dealers to order any specific vehicles; they only sell what arrives on the car hauler truck. This makes it difficult (sometimes impossible) to connect with the vehicle and dealer you like. That said, the dealers apparently can ATTEMPT to identify and divert vehicles immediately after manufacture. Also, Kia's web site makes it very convenient to view all dealer's inventories for specific vehicles. All said and done, I would definitely buy another Kia. Grant Calkins, Bend, OR
I made the right choice
Volo R,06/24/2017
I made the right choice, enjoy every ride. My daily commute is around 30 milrs, I've been driving just one thousand miles and still have a quarter of fuel tank! Electric drive is quiet and yet quite powerful!
best plug in out there
samson,06/06/2017
KIA OPTIMA PLUG IN HYBRID 2017 With so many cars on the market, one has to compare the many choices of the cars they are wanting to purchase. I had a Nissan Leaf for the last few years and loved that car, except I had to have another car to go out of town. That changed when I met this plug in Optima Kia in 2017. First, I got the Consumer Reports April 2017 Car issue in order to make the right decision as well as read, articles in Green Car Reports. I chose the 2017 Kia Optima plug in EX hybrid, based on many factors. First, the Kia warranty on their cars are the best in the industry, 5 year 60,000 miles bumper to bumper. Next, according to Consumer Reports the new car prediction and reliability is much better than average, this car is recommended as a car to purchase. Further, the price given to me from Kia was great and well below sticker price and also I am able to get a tax rebate for the 9.8 KWH battery of $4919 on my tax for 2017. Lastly, this Kia has an interior that is made of good quality and design. This mid sided sedan has plenty of room for the family. I have been performing tests on the cars performance. The main test was how many miles could I get out of a full charge of electricity. There are several modes of operation, HEV, EV, and CHG and eco mode. Driving in EV mode and (eco) for economical I was able to drive between 34 and 37 miles on electric only, and it did not seen to make a difference driving slow or a bit faster, however with this EV mode once you floor the gas pedal or accelerate a bit too fast the EV mode goes off to the HEV mode and then returns to EV mode. If you drive normally the EV mode remains on electric until the battery is about 14% charge, then the car switches to HEV hybrid electric vehicle. In HEV mode the car goes back and forth from gas engine to electric as all hybrids do. The interesting mode of operation is the charge mode CHG which charges your battery to full just by driving your car. This charge mode takes anywhere from an hour to two hours to charge the battery full. The kia Optima is probably the only car that has this great benefit. The CHG mode barely affects the gas mileage. I have not tested the car in the non- ECO mode but the acceleration in ECO mode is fast enough for anyone. The car also has a 6 speed manual transmission if your a real racer. In summary, as of year end 2017 the Kia Optima plug in EX hybrid is the best car for the price, quality and reliability.
In the shop for more than 1 week. What the?
Alan Higashi,06/18/2018
I am leasing this car for three years. After 3 months, I took it in for a recall (something to with the battery voltage protection device) and first oil change. The service department notified me that there was a milky substance in the oil. They could not diagnose the problem and had to call their own tech support for help. To make a long story short, my car has been in their repair shop for a week now. Hopefully, I can get it back in a couple of days. The service department took 5 days to diagnose the problem and they are replacing a high pressure pump. Even with this replacement, they aren't sure if this will solve the problem. The irony of this is I really intended on getting an all-electric vehicle because of the low maintenance required of electric motors. I settled on this plug-in hybrid because it allowed me to drive in all-electric mode for up to 29 miles. My commute to work is only 24 miles so the all-electric range was acceptable. I have driven the car for 3 months and still had a full tank of gas when I took the car in for service. I can't understand why the ICE engine has this major problem when I haven't even used the ICE engine when driving. Update: 7/10/18. I got my car back after being in the shop for a week. See the previous paragraph. After driving for a few weeks, the warning indicator light begins to blink on and off. The Hybrid system warning light also turns on. The manual recommends that I get the car back to the Kia Service Department. Again? You've got to be kidding me. I have driven this car for about 4 months and it is telling me it needs repair. Also, when charging the battery, the fan turns on and is quite loud. The fan never turned on before the warning lights started flashing so I'm assuming when charging, the battery is overheating. Pretty scary! I hope it doesn't catch fire. Anyway, I scheduled an appointment with the Kia Service Department and they can't look at the car for another week. I hope this problem is solved right away and the car is not in the shop for another week. So far, terribly disappointed in the reliability of this car.
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Features & Specs

MSRP
$35,210
MPG
N/A city / N/A hwy
Seats 5
6-speed shiftable automatic
Hybrid
202 hp @ 6000 rpm
See all 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid features & specs

Safety

Our experts’ favorite Optima Plug-In Hybrid safety features:

Lane Departure Warning System
Monitors the vehicle position within your lane and warns you if you deviate, or begin to deviate, from your lane.
Blind-Spot Detection
Warns you of vehicles that might be in your blind spots with aural and visual signals, including side mirror indicators.
Forward Collision Warning
Warns of a potential collision with the car in front of you. Bundled with autonomous emergency braking.

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More about the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid

The Kia Optima has been one of our top picks for a midsize sedan for a while now thanks to its potent blend of features, warranty and price. Now there's a new model to consider: the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid. With a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack that can store up to 29 miles of all-electric range (after just three hours of recharging on a 240-volt charge), the Optima Plug-In Hybrid is ideal for commuters who can charge overnight or at the office, or even drivers who simply need their car for short commutes and trips in and around town.

With only one trim to choose from, the EX, buying a 2017 Optima Plug-In Hybrid largely comes down to a simple choice of which color you want. Even with a lone trim level, however, the Optima Plug-In Hybrid is loaded with standard features, reinforcing Kia's philosophy of offering a lot for less. The EX includes, among other features, leather upholstery, a navigation system and 8-inch display, a rearview camera, heated seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a premium Harman Kardon sound system.

An optional Technology package is available for buyers seeking additional creature comforts such as ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a sunroof, as well as several collision avoidance technologies including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, even adaptive "bending" headlights. Although it packs a lot of features, this package isn't exactly cheap, and we recommend it only for those who crave the most peace of mind and pleasure of gadgetry as is available.

The 2017 Kia Optima stacks up well against its competition, largely because it doesn't have much. Though it's not the only plug-in hybrid on the market, it's among the largest and most versatile. Ford offers a plug-in version of its Fusion sedan, but it has just 20 miles of electric range. The Toyota Prius Prime is a plug-in version of the popular hybrid hatchback, and its cargo versatility is hard to beat, but it's hard to consider it big enough for hard-core family duty. The same could be said for the Chevrolet Volt, which is the champion of electric-only miles (about 50 miles in many cases), but with a rear seat that is simply too small for a grown or growing family of five, for example.

Still, the 2017 Optima Plug-In Hybrid has plenty to recommend it, especially if you can keep your mileage to within the electric limits. Indeed, it could be a very long time until you'd need to visit a station to fuel up the Optima's gasoline engine. When you're ready to explore the electric possibilities of the Optima Plug-In Hybrid, let Edmunds be your guide to the car that's right for you.

2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid Overview

The 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid is offered in the following submodels: Optima Plug-In Hybrid Sedan. Available styles include EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A).

What do people think of the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid?

Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid and all its trim types. Overall, Edmunds users rate the 2017 Optima Plug-In Hybrid 4 on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2017 Optima Plug-In Hybrid.

Edmunds Expert Reviews

Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2017 Optima Plug-In Hybrid featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.

Our Review Process

This review was written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.

We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.

Which 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrids are available in my area?

Shop Edmunds' car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million vehicles to find a cheap new, used, or certified pre-owned (CPO) 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid for sale near. Simply research the type of car you're interested in and then select a car from our massive database to find cheap vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid.

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Why trust Edmunds?

Edmunds has deep data on over 6 million new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles, including rich, trim-level features and specs information like: MSRP, average price paid, warranty information (basic, drivetrain, and maintenance), features (upholstery, bluetooth, navigation, heated seating, cooled seating, cruise control, parking assistance, keyless ignition, satellite radio, folding rears seats ,run flat tires, wheel type, tire size, wheel tire, sunroof, etc.), vehicle specifications (engine cylinder count, drivetrain, engine power, engine torque, engine displacement, transmission), fuel economy (city, highway, combined, fuel capacity, range), vehicle dimensions (length, width, seating capacity, cargo space), car safety, true cost to own. Edmunds also provides tools to allow shopper to compare vehicles to similar models of their choosing by warranty, interior features, exterior features, specifications, fuel economy, vehicle dimensions, consumer rating, edmunds rating, and color.

Should I lease or buy a 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid?

Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.

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