Kia Optima is a midsized sedan. It is placed priced at a reasonable rate so that it is an affordable option for this segment. Kia Optima has seen various additions and modifications for the 2018 launch. It has a room for 4-5 people and along with that, the car does not have a costly maintenance. It performs well against the rivals and overall, it is economical to drive a Kia Optima. The base price of the car is also comparatively lower than the others in the section.

Pros:
A major advantage in the new Kia Optima is the addition of the standard equipment. Regardless of the model that you select, the car will be equipped with a few basic types of equipment for comfort and efficiency for the best Kia Optima mpg average. Moreover, the car also has a storage area for small items. Apart from the glove box, it has a few pockets where you can put small things in the journey. The cargo space has also not been compromised. It can fit enough luggage for a 3-4-day trip. Coming to the interiors, it has a stylish interior with the updated infotainment system. The infotainment system can be used by the driver with ease. For the drivers, there are assistance features which remain constant across all models.

Cons:
There are different variants available for the car. However, if you are going for the 1.6T powertrain model, you might want to know that it is a bit slow in response and not smooth enough to be used comfortably. The sloping roofline, which is quite visible from the outside, reduces the headroom for the rear passengers. This can be a little discomfort at a point in time. The exterior of the car takes the toll of the rear visibility for the driver. However, in the case of reverse, the rearview mirror does the job.

What is new?

The car is restyled for the 2018 launch. The exterior styling gives it a sportier look. The new exterior look includes the new headlights, wheels and wheel rims and addition to the trim pieces. Moreover, there are additions in the driver assistance features too. These driver assistance features remain the same across all the trim models. The Uvo infotainment software has also been redesigned for the ease of use. Kia Optima, 2018, is the fourth generation of the Optima that was first launched in the year 2016. The Kia optima mpg in the city is 25 and 36 on the highway. Moreover, the LX 1.6T models, deliver 28 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.

Trims:
The list of the trims available for Kia Optima is simple. There are four variants available for 2018. The basic model starts with LX. The Optima LX is loaded with technology such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. These features were optional in the previous edition of Optima. The variant of LX is the LX 1.6T. However, the powertrain combination has proved to be inefficient and difficult to use. The third trim available is the S trim. Optima S is a sports-themed variant of the car. The iconic feature is the rear spoiler which enhances the sporty look. The top model is the EX model. The number of features in the car are easily doubled. However, the price increases at the same time too.

Interior:
The interiors of the car are pretty basic considering the base price at which it is offered. But the quality of the materials is high and the soft-touches make the user comfortable. The only part that is bad is the rear visibility due to excessive styling. The physical buttons are placed logically and are legible even in low light. The doors are tall enough for the passengers to enter but the rear doors might demand a little bit of ducking to enter. The doors are short in length and thus, give access in the tight parking spaces. The room is adequate and with a wide range of adjustments, there will be no complaints of the less headroom or legroom.

Safety:
The car has earned a perfect 5-star rating from the recognized institutes for the crash tests. Besides being completely safe in case of collisions, it has other active safety features which make it safe and sound. These active safety features include a rearview mirror, blindspot monitor, advanced driver assistance features, rear parking sensors, and other add-on packages which add emergency braking, collision warning, and automatic high beams.