With gas prices climbing up and up I keep talking to my husband about getting a hybrid. To be honest they just make more sense. Kia sent me their Optima Hybrid to put to the test and I am flabbergasted about the MPG I got this week! I drove it all over the place trying to use a full tank of gas in a week and just couldn’t!
The Kia Optima Hybrid is a midsize sedan that has seating for up to five people! The second row has 34.64 inches of leg room which is enough to stretch out in and relax very comfortably! I was able to install three car seats across the backseat with ease! The Optima is 190.7 inches long, which is a bit long for a car but I had no issues at all maneuvering it around town this week!
Now on to my very favorite five features!
Everything At My Fingertips:
The Kia Optima has everything you could need to do while driving right in front of you! The super comfortable steering wheel has the radio volume, mode, channel, cruise control, Bluetooth and more. I don’t have to take my hands off the wheel at all while in the Optima!
Cool Features:
The Kia Optima is literally a ‘cool’ car! This is the very first vehicle I have rode in that featured both driver and passenger cooled seats. The cool air comes from your back and butt and to be honest kind of feels like sitting on an air hockey table! The glove box is also a “chill box”! Just open the vent in the glove box and you can keep drinks and snacks chilled, even on a super hot day!
Three Seats Across:
Being able to fit as many car seats into a vehicle as I can is a huge deal to me. Even if you only have one or two kids it is nice to know that you can fit a third one in just in case you have another one or have a friend or relative’s child along for the ride. The Optima fit three seats with ease and they were super easy to install. I pushed the front seats forward as far as they could go and had tons of room in the back to move around, maneuver the seats and get them where I needed them!
Sleek Look:
I have seen some hybrids that were not very stylish looking. The Optima is not one of those hybrids. It is as sleek looking as a sports car! The Optima Hybrid comes with 16 inch tires with shiny Alloy wheels, a sculpted front and rear valance and rear lip spolier!
The unique front grill design, clear lens HID headlights and in windshield antennae give the front of the car a stream lined, eye catching style!
Open Door Alert:
More times than I can count one of my kids have not closed a door all the way and I have to get out, go to each door and re close them before I find the guilty door! It is annoying to say the least. The Kia dings and a nifty display pops up on the dashboard showing the driver exactly what door is ajar!
The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid starts at 25,700.00 and can be purchased from a Kia dealer near you!
*Special thanks to Kia for letting myself and my family test drive the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid!
Wow! Seat COOLING?? That’s awesome! – Except in Minne’snow’ta for 9 months of the year, lol… But – still – the other three definitely warrant cooling. I also love that cooled glove box – perfect for road trips 🙂
That’s awesome that it fits 3 seats across easily too – mine, does not. lol.
Well- the good news is, it also has heated seating! Perfect for Minne’s Snow! 🙂
The glove box kept the kids sippy cups super cold. I filled juice cups with ice and we drove hours away. There was still ice in the cups when we got there!
This car looks great! I love that it tells you exactly what door is ajar. That’s just awesome and the best idea for parents.
They sure have made the Kia Optima look and sound like a very good car to own! I really liked what I saw in the pictures. A nice a roomy car!
It sure is 🙂
Beautiful car ! Where did they find the room for three car seats?
It is gorgeous but I am parcel to the Serento. Because I like the fact you have a car and a van rolled into one. I can take my granddaughters anywhere in a van and still have room to pick up animal feed. The 2012 Kia Optima doesn’t quite fit the bill for a country girl. Absoluely beautiful though. I could use the tempature controls on the seats though with living in Michigan. =)
I like it, this is really nice, my son just bought a new car this week. All these new cars are making me want one.
I really need this car. Love that its a gas saver. I drive all over the place. I also love that it can fit 3 carseats in the back. Thats a must (:
Moniquebbon at gmail dot com
This has a little of both for me and my husband… He is in love with the Kia Optima and I want a Hybrid… It is perfect since we only have 2 kids with big bulky carseats…
Really nice car! I need a good gas saving car, mine guzzles gas down
Very sporty looking! And I am so totally impressed with the glove box “cooler” feature!! I drive a HUGE diesel Ford Excursion and I’m just waiting for the day that I can have the option to take a hybrid to the grocery store and park inside the lines of the parking stalls.
Wow! You can fit 3 BIG carseats in the back! THat’s amazing! We got a bigger car because we didn’t think there was such a car that could fit 3 carseats in the back! I might just have to look into this car when we are ready to buy a second one!
I have been telling my boyfriend I wouldnt mind this car at all! And its awesome to see these features I was unaware of including it can fit 3 bigger car seats since we do plan on having more kids!!!!
We just bought a new Buick Verano this week & we love it. We’re still a little leery about the hybrids.
WOW, i would love a hybrid and this is the ticket debbie jackson,
djackson1958 at hotmail dot com
I drive a Toyota Camry hybrid which I absolutely love and will not part with, but this is a very nice looking car.
What an awesome vehicle! I love that it has cooled seats!!!
I’d love to have cooling seats right about now!
Do most of their newer cars have the car door open screen? We have 4 kids under 4 so that would be a good thing for us. I would love this one but its just not big enough for all the car seats. :
WOW! What a nice car! I would love to have one!!! It’s beautiful and I love the cooling seats and that I could put drinks in the glove box! Awesome!!
Omg I love so much about this car! Ty so much for all the great info! (Btw totally jealous u get to test these great cars) 😉
THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEW OF THIS VEHICLE, IT IS ACTUALLY ONE OF A FEW DIFFERENT VEHICLES MY HUSBAND AND I ARE CONSIDERING PURCHASING AND IT HELPS TO GET OTHER OPINIONS
Nice care but for that price I would buy a used nice chevy. If I am going to buy a kia it is going to be a cheap one I wont be paying on until my kid is in high school. You may be able to afford this car but where I live people can barley afford a 10 K car..
I think the back seat space is an incredible plus. We only have 1 baby but also take our two dogs with us on trips. We need a ton of space!
My next car will be a hybrid. This definitely made my list of cars to consider.
This looks like a great car, might buy one in a few.
I’m still not sure about a hybrid… I’ve heard that most people who purchase them once don’t purchase another when they get a new vehicle..
hmmm- I wonder why…
I miss the Optima now that its gone. Back to 17 MPG!
I’m really keen on trying a hybrid, maybe this Kia is the answer. Let’s wait and see…
Maybe it is! I really loved that the Optima didnt look like a hybrid!
Fantastic! I’d love a hybrid one day.
Very Sporty. Thank you. Jerri Davis
We have owned and enjoyed our Kias! They are great vehicles.
I have never drove or tested a KIA, but I am really interested!
Ashley-
You can find a local dealer here-http://www.kia.com/#/dealerlocator
Stop in and test drive one! 🙂
I am amazed at the features a car like this has. I bought a new car last year and looked at the KIAs. Would have bought one had the dealer came down a little more. Great looking and good quality cars!
I LOVE the look of this. I never thought a Kia could look so sleek. I love the gas mileage too. Thanks.
When I think sleek sports car, Kia is NOT what I think of..
Well at least it used to not be..
Thanks for the great review. I have a prius right now, and when it dies, we’re definitely going to get another prius. I wouldn’t have thought to look at a Kia hybrid, but now I will.
Much more sporty than the prius!
This is a nice looking car. I like the “chill box”. We are going to consider a hybrid for our next vehicle. You can’t beat the gas mileage.
Wow I love the heated seats feature – would be so nice in the winter. I also love that I could fit 3 car seats in the back, just in case 😉
better safe- than a kid on the roof 😉
I’ve heard lots of good things about the hybrid! If I ever get another car I would like to try this one!
i love the steering wheel-with everything at your fingertips it’s super convenient to do all you need to! great looking car too.
NICE….I’m been wanting a hybrid!
I love that 3 carseats fit in the back seat and with the hybrid tech. I would not have to spend much time at the gas station especially since you were not able to use a full tank of gas in 1 week.
Wow, how would it be to get that kind of gas mileage? You took some wonderful photos. I am jealous
like this car!
Wow check that out…
Three car seats fit acrossa the backseat.
this granny is sold!
Glad I could help!
I would like to have a hybrid. For a small car, it has a lot of room inside.
I would so love to own a hybrid vehicle; unfortunately due to finances, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. I love the look and feel of the Kia Optima Hybrid and all the features MUCH better than a Prius!
The size of the backseat surprised me!
I have been looking at the kia soul as I think its adorable I wonder if it gets as good gas miles as this does.
we are considering this car for our daughter to drive.
I love Kia’s and would def buy this one if finances were available. Thank you
Sounds like Kia is doing a great job catching up with some of the more expensive features of higher end cars.
Great review. Wasn’t sure about getting a hybrid before but now maybe I will look into them!
Defiantly worth a look with today’s gas prices!
i bought a new car last year and should have gone with the hybrid
tmarie56@hotmail.com
I like the cooled seats and glove box alot!
I am amazed that you can actually fit three car seats in the back of a Kia!!! I guess I shouldn’t be surprised though. It would seem that Kia’s are a lot more spacious than one would expect. For example, my husband had a Kia Rio that he used as an Stereo Competition Vehicle. He turned the back seat into an array of massive stereo equipment.
Im not a big kia fan one way or the other my parents had 2 and they both had lots of problems……but that was also 5is years ago things could change
The chilled glove box is a great idea. The door open indicator is helpful, too.
Looks like a great car for a small family on a budget! I love that it’s got the hybrid technology. The hubs and I are pregnant with our first, so we’re in the market for a good family vehicle. I’m so excited to be a mommy, but don’t really want a “mom car.” This one looks chic and smart. Love it!
Love driving a hybrid- you really can save a lot of gas if you take advantage of the coasting ability!
I like that the seats also have a cooling feature.
I’ve never driven or even been in a Kia, hubby’s dad is retired from Ford and my dad retired from Chevy. So those are the brands we have always stuck with. But just recently we’ve started talking about other brands. I’ll bring this one up to him, because we have 3 car seats that will need to be put in, and knowing already that you got three in there will help us! Thank you!
It’s so hot right now that the butt and back cooling sounds amazing – sitting on an air hockey table? I’m in!
I love how roomy it looks–plus it’s a hybrid, which I’ve been wanting to look into. Definitely an option for our next car!
Very stylish car
wow, three car seats across, I wish i would have had this when my kids were young
I am impressed you can fit 3 car seats in the back! Wow. You don’t see that very much.
This thing rocks. Have to be honest wouldn’t have probably looked at this car if it wasn’t for your review. 3 car seats!! That is a major plus in my book. And the Hybrid part is super cool too. We have been looking at the Toyota Prius, but this could be the car 🙂
This is a great car
Wow…so much more room than I would have expected!
I love that you can put 3 seats across, my son had a Kia and loved it.
It’s great that you could fit a third car seat or booster in the back. I have ran across this problem many times.
This is an awesome review! We’ve been considering a hybrid as well, and I never even thought of a Kia until this review. I love the features you pointed out, especially the glovebox that keeps drinks cold. How nice would that be at after a day at the beach or keeping ice cream cold on the way home?
This is my next car. Thanks for the review.
it would be great if you had a area were you can plug it it in but does it cost a ot in surance that t eh question
I drove one of these as a lender car and they are amazing! Such fun and I love the gas mileage.
What a cool car!!! I’d love to get a hybrid one day. I’ve heard of heated seats but never cooling seats. It’s so crazy hot this week. That would be a great feature to have.
I love that you added the part about three car seats in this review. I am always toting 3 kids in my backseat and I have the hardest time getting the seats in.
I love the cool car idea!
without a doubt this is my dream car!!
This looks like a great family car. As well as very economical! I like all the features that you have described, especially the car seat part!
Thanks for the review of this car. We are going to be car shopping soon and we have heard good things about it for families.
I would love this car!
Love this car its so nice
This car looks like it would be a great family car! would love to own one, maybe one day!
I like the AC seats,and the rim style on this vehicle 🙂 great review
Such a great family car, might have to check this out when we get ready for vehicle number 2
Oh amazing! I have always wanted a hybrid, not because I’m a hippie product junkie, but my “dream car” would be a stylish hybrid like this (with amazing technology advancements) because it also “saves” the environment.
This is an amazing car. I love all the features that you described. And at a starting price of $25,700 for a hybrid, well that just makes me that much closer to owning one 🙂
Thanks for reviewing. I currently have a mini van but am looking for a commuting/running errands vehicle. This car looks amazing. Great styling and features and surprising roomy. Cooled seats, now that is nice, wish I had that in my van!! Wouldn’t have though to check out Kia but will definitely now. Thanks again.
I had a KIA optima a few years ago! This one looks fabulous though! They have really come a long
way!
This car seems great! Just what I need as I do have 3 kids. I love the cooling dash too!!
This car is really nice! So much room compared to other cars…especially love the cooling dash board!
Good for the market to have more choice of good looking hybrids. I still would opt for the Prius based on mpg numbers. I can’t wait for good looking hybrids that have better mpg than the Prius. Thank you Kia for having a line of vehicles that are great looking, fun to drive and almost sell themselves.
Great info! Thanks so much!
I love that it fits three car seats across. That is so important! And what a sporty looking car too.
This is a good looking car!! The price can’t be beat on a Kia and I love the amount of room in the back.
Is this car really that great over time? I’m not downing, I have just heard some negative things about KiA’s, and this seems great to me! Especially with three car seats! We have three in the back of our small car, and it’s TIGHT!!!
Cool car! would love to have one! Less gas consumption and eco-friendly as well!
giveawayps@gmail.com
i would love to drive this!
I had a 1998 Kia Sephia that was a total POS!! It was horrid! Man have they come a long way from then! This is awesome!!!
Love the features. These are awesome!
The features on this Kia are luxurious! I love the car door alert – with the open door highlighted! One of my biggest pet peeves! Solved!
you and me both Victoria!! 🙂
It is wonderful ride. I love that I can have all the comforts with my kids on the road. Absolutely love the safety features.
Typo: A wonderful ride
I’m thinking about buying/leasing a new vehicle and I’m convinced to take a look at Kia’s Hybrids. I currently own a Honda GX (Natural Gas Vehicle) and I absolutely HATE that car! It’s been nothing but a headache!
kimbuckjr
Oh booo! Deff look at the Hybrid- its awesome!
my bf drives a kia and LOVES it
My girlfriend has a small car with calling right on the wheel and I think this is a great feature! It really reduces risk on cell phones causing accidents! 😀
I love the steering wheel on this car! I sure do need to invest in a small car, because the gas prices are seriously dampening our budget.
The Kia Optima Hybrid looks very nice! I especially like the chill box.
Mileage, leg room and large back seat enough for 3 cars eats.
love the features
I had an Optima in 2003. They have certainly gotten more sporty looking & added a bunch of great features. This is definitely a car I would look into purchasing again in the future.
i have a kia sedona right now and i love it. if i decide to get another kia ,it would be the kia optima.
This car looks great. I remember when they first came out and they were not attractive–things have changed. I love all the features1
I so want one of these!! I just loved your review, it sounded so sincere and makes me want to run out now and buy one. thanks for sharing!!!
I love this car. It’s a little expensive but I’m sure it’s worth it. I love the cool seats and glove box and saving on gas is wonderful.
This would be my choice for another car. We have been driving a Kia Spectra for 6 years and we absolutely LOVE it.
this sounds like an awesome car! great features and looks beautiful.
I totally want this car! I Love hybrids
I have a van but won’t be needing a big vehicle anymore as my youngest is off to college. I love the great gas mileage and will give this car a test ride soon.
I have been checking this car out…thanks for the informative review.
Oh this would be the car I want if I was in the market for one. I’m ready to ditch my gas guzzling SUV now that the kids are grown and get a sedan. I love the wheels and the grill on this model. Really looks sharp. Thanks for the review.
This car looks awesome i am just not the minivan type haha this car is just great if i had the money i would love to buy it =}
Awww I love kia. back when my first was born, my sister drove an 03 kia and i loved that car so much! I would love another.
If I could afford a car right now,this would be the one for me! I absolutely love everything about it! Any way that you could get a hold of Ellen DeGeneres and see if maybe she would give me one? 😉 LOL…No,really!!
im loving the new kia!
love it looks stylish and looks comfy for long trip out of town and state . very nice I want one so bad
I currently drive a Ford Focus SE that we bought brand new back in 2001. It’s been a great little car, but it’s starting to act it’s age, so we will be looking to replace it before too much longer. I could easily be talked into considering the Kia Optima Hybrid. So many convenient and fun features, but I think my favorite is the glove box/”chill box.” Good gracious that would be such an amazing thing to have during the killer heat and humidity in Florida. I will definitely be bookmarking this page to show my husband. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
the Kia Optima looks like a great little vehicle and if I was going to purchase a new car now, I would definitely look at this one. The styling looks great, and the mileage is wonderful for somebody who drives at least 50 miles per day to go back and forth to work.
they are very nice cars I’d love to have one!!!
Never thought these would be big enough, but I need to check it out! Thanks. Looks like a great car.
i would consider check this one out
I always thought that these would be too small, but I might need to reconsider!! Thanks for the great review!
mjp_0419 at yahoo dot com
Melissa Palmer
Nice review, I wouldn’t mind looking into the Kia’s alittle more, seem very nice.
We went and checked this car out after reading this review, I loved the options available! Beautiful interior, too!
I love that it seats five comfortably, that controls are on thec steering wheel and that you can keep things cool in the glove box.Thanks for the review.
I have this car and love it! I’m so glad you have the pic of three carseats, my question is can you fit three rear facing carseats in the back? I may be having triplets and I really don’t want to sell my car, especially since we just bought it!
I like the open door display. I’m always trying to figure out which door is open. Thanks for the review.
Even my 2007 Ford Fiesta knows this feature without any extra price. Probably it is US vs EU again