2020 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid Review
Price Estimate: $15,208 - $17,559
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Average price: $15,807
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Pros
- Roomy interior and quiet cabin
- Feature-packed and easy-to-use infotainment interface
Cons
- Just 10 cubic feet of cargo space, less than hatchback competitors
- Sloping roofline reduces rear headroom and visibility
What's new
- Wireless device charging and some features from last year's Technology package are now standard
- Part of the fourth Kia Optima generation introduced in 2016
Overview
A wealth of standard features, user-friendly tech and a comfortable, spacious interior make the Kia Optima a solid pick for a midsize sedan. But if you're looking for maximum fuel savings, consider the 2020 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid. Its hybrid powertrain features a rechargeable battery that means short trips can be driven on electric power alone.
For sale near Ashburn, VA
5 listings
- 47,666 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
- 28 mi est. electric range
- 38 City / 44 Hwy MPG
- Classic Honda (758 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Keyless Entry/Start
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Located in Orlando, FL
Thank you for choosing Classic Honda, this Snow White Pearl 2020 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX is a great choice! Check out the following:No Accidents!...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
41 Combined MPG (38 City/44 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: KNAGV4LD0L5036524
Stock: L5036524
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 02-23-2026- 36,575 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, personal use
- 28 mi est. electric range
- 38 City / 44 Hwy MPG
- Bowen Scarff Ford Lincoln (2,292 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Keyless Entry/Start
Close
Located in Kent, WA
This 2020 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX offers an exceptional blend of efficiency, technology, and style. Packed with a host of premium features, this ...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
41 Combined MPG (38 City/44 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: KNAGV4LD9L5037039
Stock: F5557A
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 03-24-2026
With an estimated range of 28 miles on electric power, the plug-in Optima can ferry short-range commuters one, or possibly both, directions of their daily drive on electric miles alone. When the electric miles are used up, the powertrain switches over to the four-cylinder gas engine rated at 40 mpg, so there are no range anxiety issues to deal with as with a full EV (battery electric vehicle). And if you're near a charging station or even at home, the Optima Plug-In Hybrid can fully charge in about three hours from a 240-volt source, or about nine hours from a standard 120-volt household-style outlet. That's a longer charge time than for a typical EV but not unreasonable for a plug-in hybrid.
By necessity, the rechargeable Optima carries a larger battery pack, which leaves it with less than 10 cubic feet of cargo space. Rival plug-in hatchbacks such as the Honda Clarity and the Toyota Prius offer much more, although the Optima measures up about equal to other sedans. On the other hand, the Kia is dynamic and entertaining to drive, more so than some other plug-in hybrid alternatives. Overall, we think it's worth checking out.
2020 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid trim level differences
The 2020 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid is a five-passenger midsize sedan powered by the combination of an electric motor and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Power reaches the road through a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. The four-cylinder's fuel economy is rated at 40 mpg combined. Compare the 2020 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid trim levels in-depth.
Which Optima Plug-In Hybrid trim does Edmunds recommend?
With just one trim level available, the Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX is an easy recommendation. But we also like the extra features that come with the Technology package, such as a panoramic sunroof, power-adjustable driver's seat, upgraded Harman Kardon sound system, and navigation system. Even with these extra luxury and tech items, and factoring in a federal tax credit, the Optima Plug-In Hybrid remains competitively priced.

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Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$88/mo for Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX
Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX
vs
$220/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Reliability
The 2020 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid has a 5 years / 60,000 miles basic warranty and no recalls. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Recalls
There are no recalls for the 2020 Kia Optima Plug-In HybridWarranty
5 years / 60,000 miles Basic Warranty- Basic Warranty
- 5 years / 60,000 miles
- Drivetrain Warranty
- 10 years / 100,000 miles
- Hybrid component Warranty
- 10 years / 100,000 miles
- Rust Warranty
- 5 years / 100,000 miles
- Roadside assistance Warranty
- 5 years / 60,000 miles
Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid Reviews
Owner Reviews
5(60%)
4(27%)
3(6%)
2(0%)
1(7%)
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Manufacturer buyback - know what you are getting
4 out of 5 starsKia Shopper, 11/10/2018
2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
What other Shoppers should know before buying this car? That all you have to do is call Kia with the VIN number and ask them to tell you all of the maintenance warranty and repairs done on the vehicle. You can even sign up for the owner portal just by having a VIN however the information on the vehicle I was shopping for was woefully incomplete. The customer service representative on the … phone provided me with the full list of items repaired and replaced on the vehicle. I did not opt to buy it due to having 3 wire assembly replacements in 2018. Lemon Law requires repairs to be completed before the vehicle can be resold but since they were completing the same repair for the third and the vehicle had multiple other issues that it had been in for repeatedly I dared not take a chance on it even for the lower price. Buyer beware!
Great plug-in Hybrid!
5 out of 5 starsGrant Calkins, 02/25/2017
2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
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
In the shop for more than 1 week. What the?
1 out of 5 starsAlan Higashi, 06/18/2018
2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
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.
I made the right choice
5 out of 5 starsVolo R, 06/24/2017
2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
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!
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2020 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid, so we've included reviews for other years of the Optima Plug-In Hybrid since its last redesign.
2020 Optima Plug-In Hybrid Features & Specs
| MSRP (New) Excludes Destination Fee | $36,090 |
|---|---|
| EV Tax Credits & Rebates | |
| Engine Type | Plug-in hybrid |
| EPA Electric Range | 28 miles |
| Combined MPGe (Electric + Gas) | 101 MPGe |
| Cost to Drive | $88/month |
| Total Charging Time (240V) | 2.7 hours |
| Seating | 5 seats |
| Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 9.9 cu.ft. |
| Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
| Warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Safety
Our experts like the Optima Plug-In Hybrid models:
- Lane Departure Warning System
- Monitors the vehicle position within your lane and warns if you deviate, or begin to deviate, from it.
- Blind-Spot Detection
- Warns you of vehicles that might be in your blind spots with audio 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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