FIRST DRIVE ~ 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid

NANAIMO, B.C.: Kia likes to use as its slogan “The Power To Surprise”.

Well, now that can be restated as “The Electric Power To Surprise” with the 2011 Optima Hybrid.

With a number of innovations such as a lithium-ion polymer battery pack, the Optima Hybrid boasts more than 300 patents.

It is possible to drive the Optima Hybrid at up to 100 km/h on battery power alone.

The drivetrain is one of the first to follow what seems be the next step in hybrid technology.

It consists of an engine coupled to an electric motor that feeds torque to a six-speed automatic transmission. It does away with torque converters or CVT transmissions making for a simpler and lighter drive system. This is a full parallel hybrid system and can be driven in zero emission mode, and/or in blended gas-electric mode. When the car comes to a stop and the electrical load is low, the engine shuts off to completely eliminate idle fuel consumption and emissions.

The engine is a 2.4-litre twincam inline four-cylinder producing 166 hp and 154 lb/ft of torque. The electric motor has 40 hp and 151 lb/ft of torque for a combined 206 hp and 195 lb/ft of torque. Fuel consumption is rated at 5.6/4.9L/100 km city/highway.

The battery is the first lithium-ion polymer in the auto industry. Lithium-ion holds a charge 25 per cent longer than the nickel hydride batteries used in many other hybrid cars.

With 30 kW of power, the new polymer technology allows engineers to produced a smaller battery pack than its competitors, weighing just 95.9 pounds (43.6 kilograms).

Adding to the uniqueness of the design is its Hybrid-Starter-Generator (HSG). It is an 8.5 kW starter motor-generator belt-driven off engine and operating at the same 270 volts as the electric traction motor and the lithium polymer battery. It is used only to start the engine and then to charge the hybrid battery and does not add any power.

Almost everything that could be converted to electric power from power-robbing belts was done such as the Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) system that instantly provides assistive torque only when it is needed during steering maneuvers.

The Optima Hybrid also features an electrically driven air conditioning compressor so that climate control can be maintained in the cabin even when the engine is off. As with the electric power steering system, the electrically driven air conditioning compressor reduces the overall load on the powertrain, cutting fuel consumption; allowing for more precise, on-demand, control.

Another interesting feature, in addition to aerodynamic measures such as underbody drag reduction, is an active air flap at the radiator that closes at 100 km/h to stop air from building up inside the engine bay.

The drag coefficient resulting from all these efforts is just 0.26.

The Optima Hybrid considered mid-size, it is actually closer to full-size. It is very handsome with the eye-catching lines penned by award-winning chief designer Peter Schreyer.

One thing I hadn’t noticed before is a scallop along the top of the windshield that mimics that of the upper part of the front grille. That’s attention to detail.

There are two versions of the car starting at $30,595 for the Hybrid and $35,495 or the Hybrid Premium with, as Kia says, comes “with every possible option”.

On the left side of the instrument panel, the tachometer has been replaced by a round energy display called the Eco Guide. It is marvelously simple with a needle showing when the car is on battery or engine power or a combination of both.

On the lower left spoke of the steering wheel is a little green button marked “Eco”. The Optima Hybrid operates in the energy conservation mode at all times unless the driver turns the Eco mode off.

This provides more power for sporty motoring and does make a noticeable difference in the driving characteristics of the car.

Highway 4 that runs from Nanaimo where the press launch was held and Tofino on the other side of Vancouver Island is mountainous terrain with some very steep uphill sections and sinuous twisty roads hacked into the sides of granite rock.

Passing in Eco mode was leisurely at best. With Eco off, the Hybrid’s unfettered engine and motor really dug in.

The electric steering was positive if a bit heavy at slower speeds but far better than the first generation that were slow to react and felt dead on centre.

The six-speed automatic has adaptive learning and is able to adjust itself to suit the driving style of the person behind the wheel.

On the outward part of the drive I got the fuel consumption down from 7.4L/100 km at start to as low at 6.6L/100 km at one point. That changed dramatically back to 7.3L/100 km with the Eco off through the mountains.

On flat ground and driving with a light right foot getting down to around 6L/100 km in real world driving is definitely possible.

I drove the “base” version but I thought I was in the Premium because it was that well equipped including (to mention just a few) trip computer, auto-dimming rearview mirror, Homelink and compass, heated front seats, memory driver’s seat, power driver and passenger seat, power lumbar driver seat, impact-sensing door unlock, fully automatic climate control (dual zone), rear climate ventilation, cooling glove box, and the UVO Audio Infotainment developed with Microsoft that is probably the most advanced system of its type in the world at this time.

When it comes to safety, the Optima Hybrid leaves nothing out with six airbags, anti-whiplash front active headrests, four-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a Traction Control System (TCS), a Brake Assist System (BAS) and Hill Assist Control (HAC) all being standard.

This is a very enjoyable car to drive and, frankly, I almost forgot it was hybrid because of the way it felt and handled.

There are more and more hybrids on the road but this is the best I’ve driven to date.

 

BODY STYLE: Mid-size sedan

DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, front-wheel-drive

ENGINE: 2.4-litre DOHC inline four-cylinder (166 hp, 154 lb/ft); 30 kW electric motor (40 hp, 151 lb/ft); combined 206 hp, 195 lb/ft

FUEL ECONOMY: 5.6/4.9L/100 km city/highway

PRICE; Hybrid, $30,595; Hybrid Premium, $35,495